# Inkjet passport photos



## Christie Photo (Feb 17, 2005)

Does anyone know if inkjet prints are acceptable for passport photos?  I did contact Epson (I'm using their premium photo paper) and they say it should withstand the mounting temperature, but have done no testing.

I can't see any other problems.  Any thoughts appreciated.

Thanks!

-Pete Christie


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## mentos_007 (Feb 17, 2005)

I dunno what's the law where you live but I heard that some states in US want to have photos only from photographers studio with a sign on the back side, that the shot was taken and printed in specialized lab- not at home. But here it is ok to have own prints for passport


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## Rogue Monk (Feb 17, 2005)

Christie Photo said:
			
		

> Does anyone know if inkjet prints are acceptable for passport photos?  I did contact Epson (I'm using their premium photo paper) and they say it should withstand the mounting temperature, but have done no testing.
> 
> I can't see any other problems.  Any thoughts appreciated.
> 
> ...



I've read about this in "Digital Photography Hacks" (great book, btw).

I don't have the book in front of me so I'll have to look later. I generally ignored this part since I live in Canada (not that we couldn't do it here, I just haven't tried).


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## Nikon Fan (Feb 17, 2005)

I always thought passport photos had to be done with a special type of camera.  An office I worked in once had one, it worked like a Polaroid, and printed 2 pics side by side...You may find the needed info here: http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html


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## Rob (Feb 18, 2005)

There's always going to be government security concerns (paranoia?) about things like this - it would be possible for someone to create a generic image for a passport which could be used to get a number of people into the country.

Wouldn't it be easier/safer to use one of those self-service booths for passport photos (you know the really flattering ones)?


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## fadingaway1986 (Feb 18, 2005)

To save money. Have someone take a photo of you that meets the passport regulations, then take it to a lab as a digital print...

But first - open photoshop and paste the images side by side (making sure they are the right dimensions)...

This will give you one photo with your two photos on it...

pick it up - pay for 1 print, and cut it up yourself... its printed on photo paper then...

(If it helps - at work we do our passports on an imagemagic machine - which prints using the roll... (i forget what these are called!))


Our regulations in australia for the photo are:

Person needs to be looking straight at the camera. Need to see both ears, nothing covering face. Eyes have to be open. Mouth shut. and a neutral expression.  Needs to be taken on a plain background - not white though... also the face needs to be taking up a certain amount of the photo... I would say somewhere between 60 & 80%


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## mentos_007 (Feb 18, 2005)

fadingaway1986 said:
			
		

> To save money. Have someone take a photo of you that meets the passport regulations, then take it to a lab as a digital print...
> 
> But first - open photoshop and paste the images side by side (making sure they are the right dimensions)...
> 
> ...



I had alot of problems when I did something simmilar to what you havejust said. When the lab boss saw that I took 4 small passport shots on one pront he wanted me to pay as for passport shots not as for a one print. And passport shots are 16 times more expensive than one print... but.. I didn't pay so much.. It all finished with a huge argument and I paid for one print and left the lab


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## fadingaway1986 (Feb 18, 2005)

I remember you saying this at the time that it happened... I think I said at the time aswell - that you were wrongly treated...

I have had a few cases where we have seen this at work... and really there isn't much we can do.. (Infact - I see it as a little less time i have to spend doing passports) especially for little kids....

I think you should write to that company and make an official complaint... (even though you ended up getting it your way)... Include in the letter that you were under the impression the charge for a passport photo is due to the time that it takes the storeperson to do the photo... 

Christie Photo - it's worth a try what I said... and if they treat you like mentos was treated - you have the right to walk out and try something else.. (or try the same thing somewhere else)...

Do it on the weekend, or the day your stores open late.. Thats when the casuals will be working - not the boss...


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## Christie Photo (Feb 18, 2005)

Thanks, all!

I do have a passport camera - two lenses, two shutters.  I use little Poloroid film these days, and am hoping to make the prints on the spot rather than sending out to the lab.

I can meet all the specs stated with my low-end inkjet printer.  Just wondering if these things will come back to haunt me.

Thanks again!
-Pete Christie


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## Rogue Monk (Feb 18, 2005)

Damn!

I got so tied up in doing something else, I completely forgot to look this up in my book, last night.

Sorry everyone. I'll do that as soon as I get home tonight.


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## mentos_007 (Feb 18, 2005)

Rougue Monk - that's ok... we have already almost solved the problem but it'd be nice if you checked it today


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## Rogue Monk (Feb 19, 2005)

OK...


Photos must be identical and taken witin past six mo.
must have clear front-facing view.
can be in colour or B/W
must be at least 2" x 2" without borders
image from chin to top of head should be between 1"-1.375" with at least 0.5" between top of head and border.
must be clear contrast between background and subject.
background should be white or very light.
grainy photos cannot be accepted

Derrick Story goes on to discribe the best way to take a take a personal photo and then recommends printing them on matte photopaper from your printer (he doesn't specify whether his is inkjet or not).

Later.


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## brianh (Mar 13, 2005)

I am in charge of issuing passports for the UK in a post in South America.

I have just  renewed my own passport and supplied digital photographs of myself.  

All UK passports now scan the supplied photograph and transfer the image to  a special paper which then transfers the image to the passport using heat and pressure.

While the scan onto the transfer paper looked fine the finsihed product had a slight colour variation showing on the photograph in the passport.  Not very much and it was acceptable.

B


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## Christie Photo (Mar 13, 2005)

Thanks!  I decided to go ahead and print the inkjet prints for US passports.  I haven't had any bounce back yet.


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## Christie Photo (Sep 7, 2005)

I found the definative answer.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/guide_2081.html


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## Marctwo (Sep 7, 2005)

Could you not have given a link to the answer?


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## ajmall (Sep 7, 2005)

The latest stupid law has been enforced this week - you are no longer allowed to smile on your passport photo. by law, you must have a neutral expression. 

Is there anything the government _don't_ want to control?!


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## gravespinner (Sep 7, 2005)

The answer if you are in Canada appears at the http://www.pptc.gc.ca/passports/get_photo_specs_e.asp

The the part at the end says"

Photographer 


Photos must be taken by a commercial photographer.
The name of the photographer or studio, the address and the date the photo was taken (not the date the photo was printed) must be provided directly on the back of one photo (see illustration). Stick-on labels are unacceptable. Sufficient space must be allowed for the name of the applicant, the signature of a guarantor and the guarantor's declaration.
Photos must be originals, not taken from any existing photo.


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## Mike (Sep 10, 2005)

In the UK, inkjet images are fine but they must be at 1200 dpi, not the more commonly accepted 300dpi. And you must look straight ahead, must not smile, et cetera et cetera...(there are loads of "must nots" now on passport photo's. In the good old  days you could wear a clowns nose in a passport photo as long as you could prove that you normally wore one...)


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## damian5000 (Sep 13, 2005)

For The US:


The Short


http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/quality/quality_879.html


The Long


http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/download/download_884.html


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