rickfarang Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 Dumb question because its a dumb problem. I wonder whether anybody on this forum has had his or her U.S. passport renewed in Bangkok since the new requirement for 2"X2" pictures and can answer my question. I had some pictures taken here in Bangkok, but while the head height is within the 1" to 1 3/8" specification, the image is cropped to 1 3/4 inches wide. Hey, its not like I carry a ruler around with me, so of course I didnt' discover this until I got home started filling out the form. I figured, maybe I can use the photos anyway and save a coup hours and a couple hundred baht. Has anybody submitted an application with this photo format (this format may be common in Thailand.) Thank you in advance for any potentially helpful information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 I renewed my passport in Bangkok last fall. (Previous one from New Orleans!) I wasn't aware of the new photo size and took along the usual passport type photos -- looking more or less respectable in a suit jacket and tie. But I was told they were not acceptable. The US Embassy here must be in cahoots with a small shop nearby that does what the Embassy wants. I had to walk to it and get some new photos taken, Mr Potatohead style. Your face has to fill the entire photo, plus you can't be smiling. So if your pics aren't that type, the size wouldn't matter anyway. If they are, you might be able to slip by with them. When I did get my passport, the photo seems sort of melted onto the page and is hard to see anyway. Wonder whose bright idea the new changes were ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
khwaimaisabai Posted October 5, 2005 Report Share Posted October 5, 2005 Hi flasher, UK has a new format also. I believe it is all to do with electronic recognition of facial features, so the photo presumably is easy for the computer to see - human eyesight doesn't matter. Khwai Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rickfarang Posted October 6, 2005 Author Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 Ok, its off to the photography shop for a new one. I guess the guy misunderstood me and gave me the wrong style photo. The photo (at least in the U.S.) is in a format that makes it easy for a computer to compare an image of the passport photo, that was scanned in and programmed into the chip in the passport, with the image captured by a camera on the counter at immigration. AFIK the state of the art of face recognition is very poor, and IMHO its was only because somebody was frantic to spend the post-9/11 dollars that congress was throwing at them that this sstem is even in place. A lot of headache for little if any return. But its not their time and money they are spending. Politicians are the same the world over, I guess. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted October 6, 2005 Report Share Posted October 6, 2005 The new US passports are tri-lingual too: English, French and Spanish. My old one was just English and French. Wonder what minority will demand to have their language added on next ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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