An American in Australia: My U.S. Passport Photo Was Rejected!

Australia is widely regarded as a great place to live and work, and the country is a popular destination to immigrate to. Over 200,000 U.S. citizens live full-time in Australia, most of them on work visas. Some retirees, too.

American passport holders, including expatriates, need to renew their U.S. passports every 10 (ten) years. An important part of renewing a passport overseas is providing a passport-compliant photograph; if your photo doesn’t meet the official government photo guidelines, your passport application will be rejected by the U.S. Department of State. 

Keep reading this comprehensive article to learn likely reasons why your passport photo was rejected in Australia, what to do next if it was rejected, and how to easily take your own passport photos.

5 reasons why your U.S. passport photo may have been rejected 

Nothing is more disappointing when you’re expecting your replacement passport in the mail, than to get a firm letter from the U.S. Consulate in Perth instead, explaining that the photo you submitted with your passport application is unacceptable. Especially if you have international travel plans coming up, and you need that passport fast! What went wrong?

Your photos must meet many specific standards in order to be considered passport compliant. If you miss any one of these specifications, your application will be put on “HOLD” for up to 90 days or until you submit a new photo that fulfills all the requirements. Here are the 5 Top Passport Photo Mistakes commonly made by Americans in Australia.

1. Smiling. We get it: Australia is a friendly country, and people smile! But please remember that smiling is not allowed in passport photos. Neither is frowning. Maintain a neutral facial expression and don’t show your teeth.
2. Glasses. Unless worn as a medical necessity, eyeglasses are no longer permitted in U.S. passports (and, since 2018, it is not permitted to wear glasses in Australian passports, either). If your glasses are medically required, then a signed doctor’s statement is needed as evidence. Glasses with tinted or coloured lenses cannot be worn at all.
3. Background. The background colour must be white. The only off-white colour accepted is a very light grey. Also, the background must be smooth and uniform, without patterns or wrinkles or shadows this is not always as easy as it sounds!
4. Hair. All hairstyles are permissible, provided the hair does not obscure any part of the face. For example, bangs are allowed but only above the eyebrows bangs that cover the eyes are not acceptable. Also, big hair cannot extend beyond the top or the sides of the photograph, so if you have a really big perm or afro you will need to tie it back somehow without using headbands, scarfs or ribbons. Ponytails are fine.
5. Size. This is probably the main reason photos get rejected: the wrong size. American photos must be 2 x 2 inches square and the United States is practically the only country on earth that still measures things in inches. Two inches square is 51 mm x 51 mm, and that is an odd size. If you go to a drugstore for your photos and don’t tell them that it’s for an American passport, they may give you the 35 mm x 45 mm Australian passport size photos.

Now that you know the most common mistakes with American passport photos, hopefully you’ll avoid making them. But what if it’s too late, and your photographs have already been rejected? 

Need a new passport photo soon? Learn the rules by checking out:

What do you do if your passport photo is not accepted?

When passport photos are rejected by the Department of State, the passport applications are put on hold for up to 90 (ninety) days so that the passport applicants can supply new, compliant photos. This is explained in a letter you will receive from the American consulate. Read this letter carefully and then follow the instructions.

If you can provide them with 2 (two) usable photographs within the 90-day window, then the passport application process will resume and you will receive your replacement passport in due time. But if you fail to follow up within 90 days, your application gets cancelled and you’ll have to reapply which means paying the fee a second time, so please act fast!

Should you have upcoming travel plans (within 2 to 4 weeks) and you need your passport soon, include a brief cover letter along with your new photos. State your travel dates, and include a printout or photocopy of your itinerary. The consulate should be able to supply your new passport in time.

And if you have immediate travel plans (within 14 days) and you need your passport right away, then you’ll have to make an appointment to visit the U.S. Consulate in your area. The consulate can issue you an emergency passport which is valid for 1 (one) year. Bring your replacement passport photos with you, because they do not take pictures at the embassy or consulates.

Most of all, don’t panic! As an American in Australia, you are entitled to renew your U.S passport. The U.S. Consulate is there to help. And if you need a little help getting U.S. passport pictures made in Australia, keep reading to learn the easy way to do it yourself.

Get perfect passport photos with Passport Photo Online

Avoid all 5 of the top 5 passport photo mistakes by using Passport Photo Online, a virtual photo booth you can load onto your smartphone. Upload your photo to the app, and select “U.S. passport” from the list of options. The online tool will make sure your picture meets all the passport photo requirements: if your smile is too big, if your background is the wrong colour, or if you forgot to take off your glasses, it will let you know. If you don’t have a plain white background, the app can even edit your existing background into one that is U.S. passport-compliant!

Passport Photo Online then emails you a template for a 3×5 photo print containing 2 (two) identical images in the 2 x 2-inch size required for U.S. passports. All you have to do is have it printed at your favourite photo store and cut out the pictures. Best of all, Passport Photo Online guarantees that your photos will pass muster at the passport agency, or double your money back!

U.S. passport photo rejected in Australia: FAQ

No doubt you still have questions about passport photography and the renewal process. Here are some things you probably want to know.

Passport photo rejected in Australia: conclusions

Just because you made a mistake in your photograph doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to renew your U.S. passport in Australia. You just need to submit new acceptable passport photos. In the worst-case scenario, your replacement passport is delayed by a few weeks. Be sure to start your renewal process in a timely fashion, so that a delay doesn’t impact your travel plans and if you’re in a hurry, the U.S. Consulate can issue an emergency passport if necessary.

The U.S. embassy website maintains a list of locations that take pictures for American passports. You can also get your passport pictures taken at many Australian drugstores. Or you can save over 30% by taking your own photo at home at your convenience, using Passport Photo Online.

Disclaimer: The material featured on the Passport Photo Online blog is intended to be used for general informational purposes only. Whilst we try to ensure that all the content is up-to-date, we cannot guarantee its accuracy or completeness. In all cases, we recommend that you check the relevant government websites to find the most up-to-date information.

Sources

• [1] https://au.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/photos/
• [2] https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/photos.html