The rules changed — and they vary dramatically by country. A complete country-by-country breakdown of glasses policies for passport and visa photos in 2026, with official sources and expert tips to avoid rejection.
For most countries in 2026: no. The global trend since 2015 has been a progressive, country-by-country ban on glasses in passport and visa photos, driven by the adoption of biometric facial recognition systems. Glasses — even prescription, non-tinted glasses — interfere with the facial mapping algorithms that modern border control systems rely on. Glare, reflections, frame shadows, and partial eye obstruction all degrade biometric data quality.
The United States implemented a hard ban on glasses in passport photos in January 2016. Australia, Japan, the UAE, and most of the European Union followed suit or tightened their requirements substantially. As of 2026, Canada remains one of the few countries that still officially permits non-tinted prescription glasses under specific conditions — though in practice, glasses-free photos are strongly preferred and less likely to be flagged.
The bottom line: remove your glasses for any passport or visa photo unless you have a confirmed medical exemption and the country you're applying to explicitly accepts one. This guide will walk through exactly what each major country requires.
| Country | Glasses Policy | Medical Exemption? | Official Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | BANNED (since 2016) | Yes — doctor's note | travel.state.gov |
| United Kingdom | STRONGLY DISCOURAGED | Yes — with justification | gov.uk/photos-for-passports |
| Canada | ALLOWED (non-tinted, eyes visible) | N/A | ircc.canada.ca |
| Australia | BANNED | No | passports.gov.au |
| Schengen / EU | BANNED (ICAO standard) | Varies by state | ICAO Doc 9303 |
| India | STRONGLY DISCOURAGED | Rarely accepted | passportindia.gov.in |
| Japan | BANNED | No | mofa.go.jp |
| UAE | BANNED | No | federal.ae |
| China | BANNED | No | mfa.gov.cn |
| Brazil | BANNED | No | gov.br |
| Philippines | BANNED | No | dfa.gov.ph |
| Nigeria | BANNED | No | immigration.gov.ng |
| Pakistan | BANNED | No | nadra.gov.pk |
| South Korea | BANNED | No | passport.go.kr |
| Mexico | BANNED | No | gob.mx/sre |
| Saudi Arabia | BANNED | No | moi.gov.sa |
| Germany | BANNED (ICAO) | No | bundesdruckerei.de |
| France | BANNED (ICAO) | No | service-public.fr |
| New Zealand | BANNED | No | passports.govt.nz |
| Ireland | STRONGLY DISCOURAGED | Yes — doctor's note | dfa.ie |
The US State Department implemented a hard ban on glasses in passport photos effective January 2016. The official requirement states: "Take off any eyeglasses, sunglasses, or tinted glasses." This applies to all passport applications regardless of prescription strength or lens type.
A medical exemption is available but requires a signed note from your doctor submitted with your application. Even with a medical exemption, your application faces extra scrutiny and processing delays are common. Prescription contacts are permitted — only glasses frames are prohibited. The 2×2 inch (51×51mm) format requirement remains unchanged.
Visa photos: US visa applicants must follow the same State Department photo requirements. Non-immigrant and immigrant visa photos are subject to the same glasses ban.
The UK guidance states: "Do not wear glasses in your photo unless you have to do so." If you must wear glasses, the rules are strict: no sunglasses or tinted glasses, eyes must not be covered by frames, and there must be no glare, reflection, or shadow from the lenses.
In practice, the UK's automated photo check system frequently flags glasses due to glare, making rejection common even for technically compliant photos. The safest approach for UK passport applications is to remove glasses entirely. The 35×45mm format with plain light grey or cream background applies.
Canada remains one of the few countries that officially permits prescription glasses in passport photos, subject to IRCC conditions: you may wear non-tinted prescription glasses as long as your eyes are clearly visible and the frame does not cover any part of your eyes.
Tinted lenses, photochromic (transition) lenses, decorative frames, and any glasses where frames cross the eyes will be rejected. Canada's format is unique: 50×70mm with a plain white or light background.
Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade requires all passport photos to be taken without glasses. This rule applies regardless of prescription strength or lens type. No medical exemption process is officially outlined. The standard format is 35×45mm with a plain white or off-white background.
The vast majority of Schengen member states follow ICAO Doc 9303, which explicitly requires that the face should not be partly obscured by any object such as glasses in order to facilitate automated facial recognition. Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, and Sweden all explicitly prohibit glasses. A small number of EU member states retain limited exceptions for documented medical necessity, handled case-by-case.
India's Passport Seva portal strongly discourages glasses in passport photos. Regional passport offices frequently reject applications with glasses regardless of lens type. Applicants should treat glasses as effectively banned. This applies equally to OCI and PIO card applications processed at Indian consulates abroad.
Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) requires passport photos without glasses. This applies to all passport applications including renewals. Standard format: 35×45mm, plain white background, face occupying 70–80% of the frame.
The UAE Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship prohibits glasses in all official identity document photos, including passports, Emirates IDs, and residence visa photos. The rule applies uniformly regardless of prescription or medical need.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs requires glasses-free photos for all passport applications. Chinese visa application photos for foreigners follow the same standard. The format is 33×48mm with a white background — one of the few countries still using a non-standard size.
Brazil's Federal Police prohibits glasses in passport photos as part of its biometric compliance requirements. The Brazilian format is 50×70mm — the same size as Canada but with a white background and stricter face proportion requirements.
The global trend toward banning glasses in passport photos is driven by one specific technical problem: biometric facial recognition accuracy. Modern border control systems use automated facial recognition to compare a traveler's live face against their passport photo. The accuracy of this comparison depends heavily on unobstructed visibility of specific facial landmarks — particularly the eyes, which are the most distinctive biometric markers.
The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), which sets the international standard for travel document photographs (ICAO Doc 9303), updated its guidance to strongly discourage glasses. As biometric passport infrastructure expanded globally through the 2010s, most countries updated their regulations to align with the ICAO standard.
"The single most common reason a passport photo is rejected at the photo review stage is glasses — either tinted lenses, frame obstruction, or glare. Removing glasses entirely eliminates all three risks in one step." — ProShoot.io Professional Photographer
Contact lenses are universally permitted in passport photos across all countries, including those with strict glasses bans. Contacts do not create glare, obstruct facial features, or interfere with biometric mapping. The only exception is colored or decorative contact lenses that change the apparent color of your eyes — these are prohibited because they alter a biometric characteristic. Clear prescription contacts are always fine.
Several countries provide a formal medical exemption process for applicants who genuinely cannot remove their glasses. Here's how the process works in the major countries:
The US State Department requires a signed note from your doctor submitted alongside your passport application. The note should state your name, the medical condition that requires you to wear glasses, and the physician's contact information and license number. There is no specific form — a letter on the physician's letterhead is acceptable. The photo must otherwise comply: no tint, no glare covering the eyes, frames not obscuring the eyes.
The UK accepts glasses with a doctor's justification. The applicant must include a brief written explanation and ideally a supporting note from their GP or specialist. Applications with medical exemptions are routed to manual review rather than automated photo checking.
Canada does not require a formal medical exemption because non-tinted prescription glasses are still permitted under standard rules. If your glasses comply with IRCC requirements (eyes fully visible, no tint, no frame covering the eyes), you can include them without any documentation.
Medical exemptions in EU member states are handled at the national level. Germany, France, and the Netherlands generally do not have a formal exemption process — glasses bans are absolute. Ireland will accept a doctor's note on a case-by-case basis. Contact the specific passport-issuing authority in your country before submitting an application with glasses.
Use ProShoot.io's free Passport Photo Generator to check your photo against the requirements for your specific country — including glasses rules, background color, face proportion, and sizing. No signup required.
Can you wear glasses in a US passport photo?
No. The US State Department banned glasses in passport photos in January 2016. All applicants must remove glasses regardless of prescription. The only exception is a signed doctor's note confirming you cannot remove your glasses for medical reasons, submitted with your application.
Can you wear glasses in a UK passport photo?
The UK strongly discourages but does not impose an outright ban. If you must wear them, they cannot be sunglasses or tinted, and your eyes must be fully visible with no glare or reflections. In practice, the UK's automated photo checker frequently rejects glasses-wearing photos — removing them is the safest approach.
Can you wear glasses in a Canadian passport photo?
Canada still permits non-tinted prescription glasses provided your eyes are clearly visible and frames do not cover any part of your eyes. Tinted, photochromic, or decorative glasses are not allowed. Canada is one of the few countries that has not fully banned glasses as of 2026.
Are glasses banned for Schengen visa photos?
Yes — most Schengen countries follow ICAO biometric standards that prohibit glasses. Germany, France, Netherlands, Spain, Italy, and Sweden all ban glasses. Some member states accept a medical exemption on a case-by-case basis; contact the relevant consulate before submitting.
What happens if you wear glasses when you shouldn't?
Your application will be rejected and you will need to resubmit with a compliant photo. This can delay your passport by days or weeks. Always check the official rules for your specific country before your photo appointment — this is the most preventable application delay.
Can you get a medical exemption to wear glasses?
Yes, in the US, UK, Ireland, and some EU member states. You will need a signed letter from a licensed physician stating that you cannot remove your glasses. The letter must accompany your application. Medical exemptions are handled manually and typically slow processing.
Do anti-reflective lenses help with passport photos?
AR-coated lenses reduce glare but do not eliminate it entirely. Countries with strict no-glasses rules will reject the photo regardless of lens coating. Countries with conditional rules (like the UK) may still flag the photo if any reflection is visible to their automated checker.
Are sunglasses ever permitted in passport photos?
No — sunglasses are universally banned in passport and visa photos across all countries with no exceptions. This includes lightly tinted prescription sunglasses and photochromic lenses that have darkened even slightly.
Do glasses rules apply to visa photos as well as passports?
Yes — visa photo requirements generally follow the same or stricter rules as passport photos for the same country. US visa photos follow State Department guidelines (glasses banned). Schengen visa photos follow ICAO standards (glasses banned). Always check the specific consulate requirements for the visa type you are applying for.
Can I wear glasses in an Indian passport photo?
India officially discourages glasses and many regional passport offices reject applications with glasses regardless of lens type. Remove glasses entirely for Indian passport applications. This applies to OCI and PIO card applications processed at Indian consulates abroad.
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