Eyes in Document Photos 2026: Open and Clearly Visible
Both eyes must be fully open, clearly visible and looking straight at the camera, with no hair, frames or lens glare across them and no red-eye. The eyes are a measured biometric landmark, so their position and visibility are critical.
Key points
5 points- Both eyes must be fully open, clearly visible and looking straight at the camera — no squinting and no half-closed lids.
- The eyes must not be covered by hair, by glasses frames, or by glare and reflection on the lenses.
- Avoid red-eye: use soft side lighting rather than a direct flash into the face.
- Coloured or decorative lenses that change your natural eye colour can cause problems; ordinary clear corrective lenses are usually fine.
- Eye position is a measured biometric landmark, so the eyes must sit within the defined band of the frame; for medical reasons authorities usually allow an exception with documented evidence.
Why the eyes matter so much
In a document photo the eyes are not just a portrait detail but a measured biometric landmark. ICAO Doc 9303 describes eye position in the frame as one of the key parameters: facial-recognition systems locate the eye centres and expect them to sit within a defined band of the frame, open, level and clearly visible. That is why "eyes open and level" is not an aesthetic whim but a technical requirement. If the eyes are squinted, tilted or partly hidden, the algorithm may fail to find the landmark, the geometry no longer matches the template, and the shot is rejected before a human even sees it.
Exactly how the eyes should look
The requirements are similar in most countries because they rely on the same biometric logic. The eyes must be fully open, looking straight into the lens, with no squinting, half-closed lids or sideways glance. A few common obstacles are worth removing in advance.
- Hair. No strand should cross or cover an eye; sweep the fringe aside so both eyes are visible.
- Glasses frames. The frame must not cover the eyes; many authorities advise removing glasses to avoid a rejection.
- Glare and red-eye. Reflections on the lenses and red-eye from a direct flash make the shot unusable.
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red-eye | Direct flash into the face | Soft side lighting, no direct flash |
| Lens glare | Light striking the glasses | Remove the glasses or change the light angle |
| Squinting | Bright light or framing | Soft light, a calm neutral gaze |
Lenses and eye colour
Ordinary clear corrective contact lenses are usually fine — they do not change how the eyes look. Coloured or decorative lenses that change your natural eye colour, however, can cause problems, because the shot must match your true appearance. For the photo it is better to wear clear lenses in your natural colour, or none at all, so that your iris and eye colour match the face an officer will see at the border.
The eyes are the landmark a machine uses to "find" the face. Make them open, level and clearly visible, and you remove a whole class of technical rejections.
What to do in practice
- Sweep hair away from the eyes and, where possible, remove glasses before the shot.
- Set soft light to the side, look straight into the lens, and keep the eyes open without strain.
- Check the frame for glare, red-eye and symmetry, and confirm that both eyes are equally open and level; reshoot if needed.
If a medical condition means you cannot open one or both eyes, authorities usually allow an exception when you provide evidence — for example, a signed note from your doctor. In any case, defer to the official page of the issuing authority: that is the source of truth on which exceptions are allowed.
05Questions
5 answers01Can I squint or smile with my eyes in the photo?
No. The eyes must be fully open and looking straight at the camera with a neutral expression. A squint or half-closed gaze stops the system finding the eye position and often leads to a rejection.
02How do I avoid red-eye?
Do not shoot with a direct flash into the face. Use soft side lighting instead; red-eye makes the shot unusable and you will have to reshoot it.
03Can I wear glasses?
Many authorities advise removing glasses to avoid glare or the frame covering the eyes. If you must wear them for medical reasons, add evidence and make sure the eyes are fully visible with no glare.
04Are coloured contact lenses allowed?
Ordinary clear corrective lenses are usually fine. Coloured or decorative lenses that change your natural eye colour can cause problems, so it is better to wear clear ones for the photo.
05What if I cannot open my eyes because of a health condition?
Authorities usually allow an exception when you provide evidence, such as a signed note from your doctor. Check the official page of the issuing authority for the exact terms of the exception.
06Official sources
- ICAO Doc 9303 — Machine Readable Travel Documents
icao.int - U.S. Department of State — Passport Photos
travel.state.gov - 8 FAM 402.1 — Passport Photographs
fam.state.gov - GOV.UK — Get a passport photo
gov.uk - GOV.UK — Rules for digital passport photos
passport.service.gov.uk
Author: Yevhen Kravchenko. Published . Checked against official sources on .
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