Can You Laugh in a Passport Photo? The Rules and Restrictions

Laughter is a reaction of humans to humor or an expression of joy, relief, or anxiety. Laughter is expressed through movements of the mouth and eyes, facial expression, and the emission of certain sounds.

Laughter can be spontaneous or forced. The sound of loud laughter is characterized by short syllables that follow each other quickly, such as ha-ha-ha, hi-hi-hi, or ho-ho-ho.

Types of Laughter

There are different types of laughter in humans:

• Smile: a cautious expression of emotions in the face that arises from movements of the muscles in the mouth and eyes.
• Grin: to pull the face into a grin, usually without sound.
• Giggle: a rapid, somewhat restrained form of laughter, usually by young girls.
• Guffaw: constantly and uncontrollably laughing. This can be difficult or impossible to suppress.
• Laughing fit: constantly and uncontrollably laughing as a result of taking a hallucinogenic substance.

Rules for Laughing in Passport Photos

The requirements for passport photos state that the expression should be neutral. Broad smiles or open mouths are not permitted. You are not allowed to express emotions on your face, which means that you cannot smile in passport photos.

It is up to the official to determine whether your expression is neutral when you apply for your travel document. This is a subjective evaluation. A slight smile is occasionally allowed.