Age and Passport Photos: Requirements and Exceptions for Different Age Groups

Age or aging of a person is the length of their existence at a given time. In humans, age is typically counted from birth and is usually given in whole years. Each new year of life begins on the person's birthday.

For babies, age is usually counted in weeks or months. If necessary, the age of older children and adults can be given in days, with the birth date counted as the first day of existence.

Differences in Acceptance Criteria

Acceptance criteria for passport photos differ depending on whether the subject is an adult, child, or infant. The requirements are primarily written for adults, with a few exceptions for children and babies.

For children between 6 and 11 years old, the following exceptions apply:

• Size: The length of the head must be between 1 and 1.4 inches, from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head.

For children under 6 years old, the following exceptions apply:

• Size: The length of the head must be between 1 and 1.4 inches, from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head.
• Posture: The elements "eyes on a horizontal line," "head tilted," and "shoulders straight" are not required.
• Expression: The elements "neutral expression," "looking directly at the camera," and "mouth closed" are not required.