Glasses in Passport Photos

I've been wearing glasses for 70 years, and the photographer doesn't want to take pictures with me wearing them. I feel really down when I see myself without my glasses. Please help me find a photographer who is willing to do it. Thank you, Mrs. De Vries. I live in Amersfoort.

VD

Van der WerfMar 15, 2013

Mrs. de Vries, I experienced the same thing this afternoon; no glasses in the passport photo. It looks terrible. I'm going to try again on Monday at a different place. It will cost me another €11.50, but that's how it goes. I wish you lots of success.

I have had cataract surgery on both eyes. Everything went well, and I can see clearly again. My driver's license has my photo, but I no longer need to wear glasses. Can I drive without glasses? I can see much better now without them. Will I run into any problems? What should I do now? Best regards, Frans.

Dear glasses-wearing people, As a professional photographer, I find it completely ridiculous that a proper portrait photo can't be taken with glasses. It's all about having the right light in the right place. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise; you are the person you are with your glasses on! Best of luck to you all. Regards, Maarten Eekelaar

GH

Gijs HeerkensJun 15, 2016

Thank you for your response. We're not saying it's impossible, just that you need to pay close attention to the rules.

I don't understand the discussion. When you need to show your driver's license, can't you just take off your glasses if you don't recognize someone? That rare occasion when you have to show your passport or driver's license happens only once or twice a year.

We have been taking passport photos for over 25 years and are certified according to the current regulations. The strange thing is that even after receiving technical approval from the Ministry and the organization that certified us, we still hear from the Ministry that the highest authority in the Netherlands is "the clerk at the counter"! And then there's nothing more to say, because that's where the arbitrariness begins. Clerk 1 says something different on Monday morning than clerk 2 does on Tuesday...

I agree with Mr. Janssen's comment. It is downright frustrating that a guideline with example photos, which is not 100% explicit in practice but allows for nuances, places the final judgment in the hands of the on-duty official. This seemingly critical official then opts for the risk-free choice and rejects "passport photos with glasses." It's strange that after wearing glasses for over 60 years, you have to accept a (similar?) passport photo that does NOT resemble you. Let the quality assessment be handled by the photographer who is certified for this task instead of leaving it to a front desk employee.

I had cataract surgery, so I no longer wear glasses, but my passport still has my picture with glasses. I'm flying soon; how will that work at customs?

I also needed to renew my driver's license, but my photo with glasses, which I've been wearing for 50 years—I got glasses when I was just 3 years old—was rejected. The two photos from my ID card were also rejected. I would like to file a complaint, but how do I go about doing that? Thank you very much.

I completely agree with Guus Janssen and Jan B. You're at the mercy of those power-hungry officials behind the counter. Yesterday, I spent 45 minutes dealing with photos and such. The device approved them, but the person behind the counter did not. She insisted that I had to take off my glasses. She even claimed that there was nowhere stating that I could keep them on. A training course for these individuals would certainly not be a luxury. Years ago, I experienced the same thing where one photo was approved the first time for my driver's license, but two weeks later it was rejected for my passport. That was already annoying, but this time it was just outright bullying. It's complete arbitrariness from power-hungry bureaucrats. She could probably dry off her chair afterward.

Today in the municipality of Velsen, my passport photo was also rejected because there was a shadow on my face from my glasses. I've been wearing glasses since I was four years old, which means I've been wearing them for a total of 64 years, and I've applied for my ID and driver's license several times with a photo taken while wearing glasses. I believe that people who wear glasses are not treated equally as the law stipulates; women who wear makeup also don't look like themselves at all, yet the official doesn't ask them to remove their makeup, and the same goes for people wearing a headscarf or turban. There should really be a test case initiated regarding this issue.

Good day, I started out as a hobby photographer, but I also get to work with photography, including portrait photography, at my job (a university of applied sciences). So, I have much less knowledge about photography than most professionals, but I can tell you that everything depends on good lighting. I recently acquired a decent, not too expensive studio flash set, and along with a simple printer that cost less than 150 euros, I've already been able to make several glasses-wearing colleagues and students happy with a set of ID photos. I may be an amateur, but in my eyes, the photographers you all have been to are just messing around. However, there is one caveat: there are glasses with a special (color) coating that make it really tricky, if not sometimes impossible, to take a good photo. With those glasses, you can't avoid having them taken off! But this is all clearly outlined in the government's photo matrix model. Best regards, H.W.v.E.

The problem is also here in Uden; I had to take off my glasses too. I solved that simply by telling the photographer that if he crossed the street, I would run into him without my glasses because I can hardly see anything. Then he will never make that comment again, if you know what I mean, so the photo is with glasses.

It has nothing to do with whether someone should or shouldn't wear glasses while driving. The eyes must be clearly visible, there should be no shadow edges visible behind the lenses, no reflection of the flash on the lenses, and colored lenses are also not allowed. This is determined by the passport law, and officials cannot change this; it is mandated by law. This is especially important for travel documents, as otherwise, there could be issues with border control or automatic gates refusing entry. Additionally, the passport photo must be a good likeness. Sometimes it can be a few years old.

Soon, a passport photo will only be valid without glasses. The Netherlands is adopting rules that have come from America. It might be unfortunate and not very flattering, but ultimately, it's the legislation that decides, not the customer or the photographer. As long as you can, take advantage of it.

I never take off my glasses for anyone, ever. But for the mandatory identification, the minister demands that I reveal my identity. I'm not going to do it.

The photographer in Veldhoven said today, "If you want to hold up the glasses, you should first go to the optician to have the lenses removed." Just plain unfriendly. Before the digital age, it was never a problem for any photographer. But now, it's just one click, trim it to size, and pay 14 euros. And five minutes later, you're already outside. Later in downtown Eindhoven, a similar story happened, and it was also unfriendly.

Today (August 3, 2022) I had passport photos taken for my ID card. The lady at Primera Oegstgeest was unsure about the photos with my glasses, so she also took a series without glasses just to be safe. I only had to pay for one set. Great service still exists!

Yesterday, I had to get a passport photo taken and I wasn't allowed to wear the glasses I've been wearing since I was 7 years old. It's ridiculous because I was allowed to wear them in my ID card photo. I wear glasses with lenses, so my face is easily recognizable. Now I have a passport photo without my glasses, and I feel very insulted by this bureaucracy.

I had a set of passport photos taken without my glasses at Primera Bovenkarspel for €15. I went back because I saw that a photo for an ID is accepted with glasses on. They wouldn't do it because such a passport photo is always rejected. I'm going to try again and see if I can get a good photo taken with my glasses on, but it will cost me double.