Thread: Does your passport photo look like you now?

I do know that at our local DMV location they have a big sign that says "Do not smile for your DMV photograph". I wonder why?

Originally Posted by nealberk

I do know that at our local DMV location they have a big sign that says "Do not smile for your DMV photograph". I wonder why?

They want you to have the same face the officer sees when he pulls you over!

My passport picture looks like me on a VERY BAD DAY ... sort of like I just escaped from prison in a rain storm!

Originally Posted by nealberk

I do know that at our local DMV location they have a big sign that says "Do not smile for your DMV photograph". I wonder why?

I was thinking the same thing about my passport picture. It was so hard to not smile for the passport photo I finally gave up and smiled anyway. What is the whole point of that crap? I will be smiling a lot on the ship and in every port, so they might as well see my teeth.

Nobody ever told me the same thing about state ID cards and driver's liscenses. Because a passport is like a state ID outside your own country, you would think its picture should look like the one on your DL or state ID card.

Originally Posted by Smart Traveler

My question about identical twins was along this line: How would the TSA know it is the right name on the card? I would not be able to figure out if I am seeing identity theft unless one twin had major surgery to change his/her appearance.

Okay, I'm confused about your question. BTW, even identical twins will have different fingerprints. So if law enforcement feels a switcharoo has taken place (maybe one twin has reported that his twin has his ID), the thumb prints (which would be on file -- remember you needed to get printed in order to get a DL, at least in California one does) can be checked.

I look completely different in my passport foto ... however never had a problem!

It must, they keep letting me use it.

Update: I got a Florida state ID at the same time Mom got her Florida driver's liscense in January. She told me it is good for 8 years, not 4 like in Ohio, and we can renew it by mail. So I know I will look the same when for the whole life of my passport and do not need to worry about any future passports looking different except for hairstyle.

Florida DLs use to expire every 6 years. They now expire every 8 years and cost more. I don't know if you can still renew by mail, I'll look into that.

Our 10 year old passports expire in Dec and hopefully we won't by then! We just used them on our recent cruise and we still look almost the same. In my case I'm not sure if that is good or bad!