Smiling in photographs has become a reflection of our modernity. Once they point the camera at us, what usually follows is a wave of smirks from everyone present. However, there are kingdoms yet to be conquered with this gesture: identification documents. Can you smile on your passport or ID photo?

The answer to this last question is: it depends. Depending on the country you are in and the regulations of the respective Ministry of Home Affairs, You may or may not be able to smile in your passport or ID photo. In England or France, for example, this is prohibited, while in Spain you can do it lightly, although you have to keep your face clear of any accessories or hair strands.

However, despite being able to do so in certain countries, it is still recommended for all users to stay serious in front of the camera. The reason is very simple, and it is based on the most basic function of a passport or DNI: to facilitate the identification of its bearer.

Why is it not advisable to smile on your passport or ID photo

As you should already know, A passport is not just a summary page to be filled with stamps. The polycarbonate sheet on which your data appears also has a chip that contains all of your biometric information. That is, a scan of your face. The same goes for your ID.

The information in this passport consists of: elements such as the distance between the eyes, nose, mouth and ears. Thanks to this unique individual data, most airports in the world can recognize travelers’ faces with a very low percentage of coincidence.

Of course, this all changes when you smile at the camera. “When the mouth opens may impede the effective operation of facial recognition technology“A UK Home Office spokesperson told the BBC.

Typical biometric scanning device check between 14 and 20 points on your face. However, smiling causes all of these areas to relocate and change their shape, which can cause problems identifying the subject of a photo.

For this reason, biometric systems work best if you maintain a calm, relaxed look (don’t frown or smile).

UK Headquarters

So, if you appear to be smiling in your passport or ID photo, You may be asked to take extra verification steps when going through airport security, either one of your countries or one of the destinations, and while the odds are pretty low, they still exist. Of course, this also happens to those who have undergone major modifications to their face due to plastic surgery and the famous. filler facials, like the Australian tiktoker @tomi.queen did a few days ago.