Smiling for your passport photo has been banned under new security measures designed to combat terrorists.
The Daily Telegraph reports that the new rules state that all photos should “show the full face, with a neutral expression and the mouth closed”.
The newspaper states that the rules are being implemented in time for the introduction of “ePassports” next year; such passports will store a photographic image of the holder on a chip, but machines will only be able to read the data if the photograph shows its subject with a closed mouth.
In addition, both eyes must be fully open and no part of the face can be obscured by hair.
Bernard Herdan, chief executive of the UK Passport Service, is quoted as saying: “These new guidelines are an important step in the development of the new biometric ePassport and use of facial recognition technology that will be introduced in 2005 as part of the fight against fraud and terrorism.”
Report by Tim Gillett, News From Abroad
