Don't smile . Have no fun anymore. OBL won

[akarunway 1]

New rules on visa application photos nothing to smile about
Sunday, November 28, 2004

By Lillian Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette



When it comes to some U.S. government photos, smiling is frowned upon.

"The subject's expression should be neutral [non-smiling] with both eyes open, and mouth closed," says a rule cited in the rejection of a visa photograph of a tooth-showing person from Cleveland. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services explained that "no expression" is the standard for such photos.

The Clevelander's attorney advised Pittsburgh colleagues last week to warn their clients about new, more stringent specifications for immigration photos.

The no-smile regulation is part of a wider policy that went into effect in August. As of Sept. 1, no three-quarter-angle photos, the old standard for immigration documents, and no smiling faces are permitted.

But most people won't know they're not supposed to smile unless they visit the U.S. State Department's Web site and read the lengthy set of instructions for photographs, including colors permitted for the background, proper lighting, directions for eye height, head orientation, and the necessary "natural expression" with no squinty eyes or flashing teeth.

"A smile with closed jaw is allowed but is not preferred," the instructions add.

Mark Knapp, an immigration attorney with Reed Smith, knew about the change in specified angle but didn't know about the no-teeth rule until notified by his Cleveland colleague, Marin Ritter.

"I have verified that this is indeed the new policy. You can't make this stuff up, honestly," Knapp said in an e-mail.

Why the glum faces at the State Department?

"In terms of getting exact facial kinds of things, that's what gives the most accurate information," said Angela Aggeler, spokeswoman for the Bureau of Consular Affairs, which handles travel-document guidelines.

"Actually, it is because, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization standards, the reason is that [smiling] distorts other facial features, for example your eyes, so you're supposed to have a neutral expression. They have determined that to have the most neutral face is the most desirable standard for any type of identification."

Denis Chagnon, spokesman for the International Civil Aviation Organization at its regional office in Montreal, already had fielded the no-smile question last year, when his organization promulgated the new standards for photos and Canada adapted them.

"Ahh, ahh, yes. Very simple. And it's interesting because it made the headlines here in Canada to the effect that you can't smile in Canada anymore. In May 2003, ICAO issued guidelines on the use of biometric information for machine-readable passports."

The United States and many other countries have had machine-readable passports with bar codes for a number of years, he said, but now they are moving toward a system in which biometric information is to be included, too. A computer chip embedded in the passport would allow a cross check of the person presenting it by using a facial-recognition computer program as well as checks of other biometric information such as fingerprints.

"You go to the airport, there will be a camera at the immigration counter or customs counter, and the system will compare your picture with the picture on the chip [in your passport or immigration document]," Chagnon said.

"To allow for best possible comparison, if you smile or blink your eyes or turn your head, there would be fewer comparison points. So when you go to the counter, you will look at the camera in neutral face to offer the best comparison to the matching points on the picture in the passport."

So if you had people smile broadly, teeth and all, for both the passport photo and at the counter camera, you could still match the two effectively?

"You'd probably have to develop specs for smiling," Chagnon said, laughing, perhaps with teeth showing.

"Local immigration attorneys were bantering it back and forth for a while," Knapp said. "What is interesting is the idea that you can't smile anymore and that they're rejecting photos. The idea that you can't smile is what most immigration lawyers find absurd."

Some firms that take passport and immigration photos said they had received some information about the new specs.

"We got something in the mail," said Tom Campano, owner of Mail Boxes Etc. on Craig Street in Oakland. "I'm looking at the thing. We have the specs on the wall. They go into passport size and dimensions."

His posted information, however, didn't include the no-smile rule, and he was unaware of it.

"Most people don't smile anyway," he said. "I'll have to keep that in mind."

Janet Stewart, of Chircosta Studio on Smithfield Street, Downtown, learned of it the first day it went into effect, by having a photograph rejected. Her business takes many immigration photos, and she now advises everyone not to smile.

"I'm the only photographer that says, 'Don't smile,' " she said.

I hold it true, whate'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost
Than never to have loved at all.

[kallend 2,150]

Ever hear of "Big Brother"?

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Trent 0]

Quote

Ever hear of "Big Brother"?

That TV Show sucked, I can't beleive you actually watched it!

But what does that have to do with non-smiling visa pics?

Oh, hello again!

[mr2mk1g 10]

Not sure what the problem is with bringing visa photo's in line with the requirements of just about every single passport agancy in the world. Whether or not you have photo visa's or biometric passports etc is perhaps a valid argument... but really... crying about being asked not to smile on them? Saying that's proof OBL "won" because it makes sense to have all passport and visa photos look alike? Sheesh.

And Trent... please, please tell me you're joking

[IanHarrop 43]

From the Canadian governement... No smiling Candians allowed either!

Quote

The face must be square to the camera with a neutral expression and with the mouth closed.

http://www.ppt.gc.ca/passports/get_photo_specs_e.asp

"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy

[kallend 2,150]

Quote

Quote

Ever hear of "Big Brother"?

That TV Show sucked, I can't beleive you actually watched it!

But what does that have to do with non-smiling visa pics?

It has to do with requiring your ID photo to be made in such a way that Big Brother's cameras can be watching you wherever you go. Airports this year, football games next year, political rallies in 2006...

Winston Smith was just 25 years too soon.

But you knew that.

...

The only sure way to survive a canopy collision is not to have one.

[Remster 30]

Quote

From the Canadian governement... No smiling Candians allowed either!

Quote

The face must be square to the camera with a neutral expression and with the mouth closed.

http://www.ppt.gc.ca/passports/get_photo_specs_e.asp

Its not like its news or anything.... been like that for a while.

Remster

[Trent 0]

Of course it was a joke. Countries that I've had to get Visas for required a straight face every time. I guess when the US does it, it's more unacceptable though.

Here's an idea... if a smile will screw up their "facial recognition algorithms", then smile at your monitored events, or wear glasses, or the glasses with the Groucho nose. If you still don't want to be recognized... you can avoid it.

Oh, hello again!

[IanHarrop 43]

You're right! I found a reference indicating that this changed in August 2003.

I guess I haven't updated my passport in a while

"Where troubles melt like lemon drops, away above the chimney tops, that's where you'll find me" Dorothy