No glasses in passport photo from 7/18

[Hvr]

The passport office has announced that from July 2018 there will be a new requirement for your Australian passport photo.

From 1 July 2018 no glasses in new passport photos
Glasses will not be allowed in new passport photos taken from 1 July 2018.

This will further strengthen the integrity of the Australian passport.

Research has shown that glasses adversely affect passport facial matching. Matching is more accurate without glasses.

A limited exemption for medical reasons may apply where supported by a medical certificate.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

TBH i was surprised that this wasn’t already a condition (no glasses). Probably won’t affect many.

 

[ajd]

I've always been told to take glasses off because they were already liable to cause reflections that would get your photo rejected. Don't know if I've ever seen a passport photo with glasses on.

 

[Daver6]

So an iPhone can (allegedly) have no problems with glasses on people for facial matching, yet immigration has issues?

As people who wear glasses would know, you need to take them off as you get scanned at the gate. For those like me who have terrible vision, its a total guessing game as to when you can put them back on after the photo is taken. I can't read the screen from that distance without my glasses on!

 

[Hvr]

Just looked at my passport (issued Jan '17) and I'm not wearing my glasses. Obviously Australia Post asked me to take them off when doing the photo.

As for SmartGate I take them off and when the lights have gone out then put them back on. I can't see the ground without them so need to stay still until they're back on.

 

[Mac502]

I haven’t been allowed glasses for either my last 2 Australian or my last 2 New Zealand passports so not really a big change putting it into the specific rules. Agree with just waiting till the bright lights go off when using the smart gates.

 

[Robert K]

So an iPhone can (allegedly) have no problems with glasses on people for facial matching, yet immigration has issues?

I just covered half my face with my hands, and the iphone unlocked.

 

[jetpack]

I have stopped taking my glasses off for the smart gates. Doesn't seem to make a difference.

 

[Happy Trails]

Oh, it's just eyeglasses.
I can hang on to my G&T then.

 

[Pushka]

Agree with rest. New passport a few weeks ago and no glasses.

 

[kelvedon]

I can imagine the conversion at the post office
"now take your glasses off and look at the camera"
"what camera?"

 

[Peter D]

Between us my wife and I have three passports all with glasses. Two Au and one UK.

I suspect that in the past whether or not one is asked to remove glasses was just the interpretation of the individual interviewer.

Now it will be official.

But it still leaves the conundrum of being made to take off glasses and then being required read the instructions to get through the scanners.

 

[Scarlett]

My past 4 passports have had images of me wearing my glasses.

I’ve also never taken them off in about 60 entries through Smartgate and never had a problem.

 

[Hvr]

Oh, it's just eyeglasses.
I can hang on to my G&T then.

I'm sure it'd be a spectacle regardless.

 

[ajd]

So an iPhone can (allegedly) have no problems with glasses on people for facial matching, yet immigration has issues?

I expect Apple (a) potentially has access to better facial recognition technology that they've developed in-house and don't want to sell to the world, and (b) has made tradeoffs of security versus usability that immigration authorities may be less willing to take.

As people who wear glasses would know, you need to take them off as you get scanned at the gate. For those like me who have terrible vision, its a total guessing game as to when you can put them back on after the photo is taken. I can't read the screen from that distance without my glasses on!

After going though SmartGates a few times I've learned, but for infrequent travellers I think this is very poor usability design.

 

[Buzzard]

In a past life, I was taking passport photos for years. Always asked the customer to remove glasses.
On the extremely rare occasion that somebody objected, I would photograph them with and without glasses to show them why the request was made and allow the customer to decide which photo they would like printed. At this time I would also tell them that if the chose the with glasses photo and it is rejected by the passport office there would be no refund.

 

[FlyboyAl]

We actually take australian passport photos (and every other country under the sun) and have always suggested that glasses come off.
Some customers accept it, and other refuse point blank!
It's great to have this in writing so we can show it to them before taking the photos.
Thank You for the link.
Alan