Glasses, Hats and Head Coverings in Passport Photos

Accessories are one of the most common reasons a passport photo gets rejected. The safest approach is to keep the face completely clear, but there are some important exceptions.

Glasses

The trend among passport authorities is to ask people to remove glasses. The United States, for example, stopped accepting glasses in passport photos in 2016 except in rare medical cases with a signed note from a doctor. Other countries may still allow them under strict conditions, such as no glare on the lenses, no tinted lenses and frames that do not cover any part of the eyes.

Because the rules vary and glare is so easy to miss, the simplest choice for most people is to take glasses off for the photo. If you normally wear them, give your eyes a moment to adjust and keep them open naturally.

Sunglasses and tinted lenses

Sunglasses and tinted lenses are not acceptable for standard passport photos. Your eyes must be clearly visible.

Hats and caps

Hats, caps, headbands and decorative hair accessories should be removed. They can cast shadows, hide the outline of the head or cover the forehead.

Religious and medical head coverings

Most countries allow head coverings worn for religious or medical reasons. The usual conditions are:

• Your full face must be visible, from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead, including both edges of the face.
• The covering should not cast shadows across the face.
• Some countries ask for a signed statement confirming the covering is worn for religious or medical reasons.

Other accessories

• Headphones and earbuds: remove them.
• Jewellery: small items are usually fine as long as nothing covers the face or reflects light.
• Hair: keep it away from your eyes; fringes that cover the eyes or eyebrows can cause problems.
• Uniforms and camouflage: often not allowed, so wear everyday clothing.

Final check

Before you submit, look at your photo and ask: are both eyes clearly visible, is the whole face uncovered, and is there no glare or shadow? If the answer to all three is yes, you have avoided the most common accessory mistakes. Tools such as My Passport Photo Maker can then help you crop the photo to the correct size. Always confirm details with the official guidance for your country.