{
  "slug": "passport-photo-rule-changes",
  "name": "Passport photo rule changes and source checks",
  "description": "Official-source source checks for passport, visa, DV, and ID photo rules, including digital alteration, background, size, and child-photo guidance.",
  "source": "https://snapfora.com/rules-2026",
  "publisher": "Snapfora",
  "lastReviewed": "2026-06-29",
  "rowCount": 7,
  "disclaimer": "Rows cite official sources. Rows without an official effective date remain verified:false and staged noindex; confirm with the issuing authority before submitting a photo.",
  "columns": {
    "slug": "Stable rule-change slug.",
    "country": "Country or authority name.",
    "docTypes": "Affected document types.",
    "ruleArea": "Rule area covered by the source check.",
    "published": "Official publication date if found.",
    "effective": "Official effective date if found.",
    "officialSourceUrl": "Official authority URL.",
    "sourceCheckedAt": "Date Snapfora checked the source.",
    "verified": "True only when official source and effective date are confirmed for indexing.",
    "confidence": "Verification posture."
  },
  "rows": [
    {
      "slug": "us-passport-photo-ai-digital-edits-current-rule",
      "country": "United States",
      "countryZh": "美国",
      "code": "US",
      "docTypes": [
        "passport"
      ],
      "ruleArea": "AI edits,digital alteration,filters",
      "published": null,
      "effective": null,
      "before": "No official dated change was confirmed in this pass.",
      "after": "The current U.S. passport photo page says not to use software, filters, or artificial intelligence to alter a photo.",
      "headline": "U.S. passport photo rule: do not use AI, filters, or digital alteration",
      "headlineZh": "美国护照照片规则：不要使用 AI、滤镜或数字修图",
      "body": "The U.S. Department of State's current passport photo page says applicants should not use software, filters, or artificial intelligence to alter a photo. This row does not claim a 2026 effective date because no dated official notice was verified.",
      "bodyZh": "美国国务院当前护照照片页面要求申请人不要用软件、滤镜或 AI 修改照片。本行不声称 2026 生效日，因为本次未核到带日期的官方通知。",
      "sourceLabel": "U.S. passport photo requirements",
      "sourceAuthorityName": "U.S. Department of State",
      "officialSourceUrl": "https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/photos.html",
      "sourceCheckedAt": "2026-06-29",
      "severity": "critical",
      "confidence": "official-current-no-date",
      "verified": false,
      "recommendedAction": "Use Snapfora for crop, sizing, and print layout only; retake if the photo needs face edits or a digital background swap.",
      "recommendedActionZh": "只用 Snapfora 做裁切、尺寸和打印排版；如果需要修脸或数字换底，建议重拍。",
      "url": "https://snapfora.com/rules-2026/us-passport-photo-ai-digital-edits-current-rule",
      "month": "2026-06"
    },
    {
      "slug": "us-passport-photo-background-size-current-rule",
      "country": "United States",
      "countryZh": "美国",
      "code": "US",
      "docTypes": [
        "passport"
      ],
      "ruleArea": "size,background,recency",
      "published": null,
      "effective": null,
      "before": "No dated change was confirmed in this pass.",
      "after": "The current U.S. passport photo page states a 2x2 inch photo, plain white or off-white background, and recent photo requirements.",
      "headline": "U.S. passport photo source check: size, background, and recency",
      "headlineZh": "美国护照照片来源核验：尺寸、背景和近照",
      "body": "This row tracks the current official U.S. passport photo source for core size and background requirements. It is a source check, not a dated change notice.",
      "bodyZh": "本行记录美国护照照片官方页面中的核心尺寸和背景要求。它是来源核验，不是带生效日的变更公告。",
      "sourceLabel": "U.S. passport photo requirements",
      "sourceAuthorityName": "U.S. Department of State",
      "officialSourceUrl": "https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/photos.html",
      "sourceCheckedAt": "2026-06-29",
      "severity": "major",
      "confidence": "official-source-check",
      "verified": false,
      "recommendedAction": "Crop to the U.S. passport spec and use a source photo that already has an acceptable plain background.",
      "recommendedActionZh": "按美国护照规格裁切，并尽量使用原本就合格的纯色背景照片。",
      "url": "https://snapfora.com/rules-2026/us-passport-photo-background-size-current-rule",
      "month": "2026-06"
    },
    {
      "slug": "us-visa-photo-digital-upload-source-check",
      "country": "United States",
      "countryZh": "美国",
      "code": "US",
      "docTypes": [
        "visa",
        "green-card"
      ],
      "ruleArea": "digital-upload,pixels,file-size",
      "published": null,
      "effective": null,
      "before": "No dated change was confirmed in this pass.",
      "after": "The U.S. visa photo source remains the reference for digital upload dimensions and file constraints.",
      "headline": "U.S. visa photo source check: digital upload dimensions",
      "headlineZh": "美国签证照片来源核验：数字上传尺寸",
      "body": "Use the U.S. visa photo source for digital upload pixel and file requirements. Do not treat 300 DPI as a blanket digital upload requirement; it applies to printed/scanned derivations in specific contexts.",
      "bodyZh": "美国签证照片应按官方签证照片来源核验数字上传像素和文件要求。不要把 300 DPI 误当作所有数字上传规则；它只适用于特定打印或扫描场景。",
      "sourceLabel": "U.S. visa photo requirements",
      "sourceAuthorityName": "U.S. Department of State",
      "officialSourceUrl": "https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos.html",
      "sourceCheckedAt": "2026-06-29",
      "severity": "major",
      "confidence": "official-source-check",
      "verified": false,
      "recommendedAction": "Export the digital file from the matching U.S. visa or green-card spec, then verify pixel and file limits before upload.",
      "recommendedActionZh": "从对应的美国签证或绿卡规格导出数字文件，再按官方像素和文件限制复核。",
      "url": "https://snapfora.com/rules-2026/us-visa-photo-digital-upload-source-check",
      "month": "2026-06"
    },
    {
      "slug": "uk-passport-digital-photo-current-rules",
      "country": "United Kingdom",
      "countryZh": "英国",
      "code": "GB",
      "docTypes": [
        "passport"
      ],
      "ruleArea": "digital-photo,quality,child-photo",
      "published": null,
      "effective": null,
      "before": "No dated change was confirmed in this pass.",
      "after": "GOV.UK publishes current digital and printed passport photo rules, including quality and child-photo guidance.",
      "headline": "UK passport photo source check: digital and printed photo rules",
      "headlineZh": "英国护照照片来源核验：数字和纸质照片规则",
      "body": "This source-check row keeps GOV.UK as the authority for UK digital/printed passport photo requirements. It does not claim a new 2026 enforcement date.",
      "bodyZh": "本来源核验行把 GOV.UK 作为英国数字和纸质护照照片规则的权威来源，不声称新的 2026 执行日期。",
      "sourceLabel": "GOV.UK passport photos",
      "sourceAuthorityName": "HM Passport Office",
      "officialSourceUrl": "https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports",
      "sourceCheckedAt": "2026-06-29",
      "severity": "major",
      "confidence": "official-source-check",
      "verified": false,
      "recommendedAction": "Use Snapfora for crop and print layout, then compare the result to GOV.UK's current photo quality rules.",
      "recommendedActionZh": "用 Snapfora 做裁切和打印排版，再按 GOV.UK 当前照片质量规则复核。",
      "url": "https://snapfora.com/rules-2026/uk-passport-digital-photo-current-rules",
      "month": "2026-06"
    },
    {
      "slug": "canada-passport-photo-current-source-check",
      "country": "Canada",
      "countryZh": "加拿大",
      "code": "CA",
      "docTypes": [
        "passport"
      ],
      "ruleArea": "passport-photo,recency,photographer",
      "published": null,
      "effective": null,
      "before": "No dated change was confirmed in this pass.",
      "after": "Canada's passport photo page remains the authority for Canadian passport photo size, recency, photographer, and quality requirements.",
      "headline": "Canada passport photo source check",
      "headlineZh": "加拿大护照照片来源核验",
      "body": "This row tracks the Canadian passport photo source as a current official reference. It is not a new rule-change claim.",
      "bodyZh": "本行记录加拿大护照照片官方来源作为当前规则参考，并不声称有新的变更生效日。",
      "sourceLabel": "Canada passport photos",
      "sourceAuthorityName": "Government of Canada",
      "officialSourceUrl": "https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/photos.html",
      "sourceCheckedAt": "2026-06-29",
      "severity": "major",
      "confidence": "official-source-check",
      "verified": false,
      "recommendedAction": "Use Snapfora as a pre-check for size and framing only; follow the official photographer and submission rules.",
      "recommendedActionZh": "只把 Snapfora 用作尺寸和构图预检；摄影师和提交要求以官方规则为准。",
      "url": "https://snapfora.com/rules-2026/canada-passport-photo-current-source-check",
      "month": "2026-06"
    },
    {
      "slug": "dv-lottery-photo-current-source-check",
      "country": "United States",
      "countryZh": "美国",
      "code": "US",
      "docTypes": [
        "green-card"
      ],
      "ruleArea": "dv-lottery,digital-photo",
      "published": null,
      "effective": null,
      "before": "No dated change was confirmed in this pass.",
      "after": "The official DV Program photo page remains the authority for diversity visa lottery photo checks.",
      "headline": "DV lottery photo source check",
      "headlineZh": "DV 抽签照片来源核验",
      "body": "The DV Program photo page should be checked during each DV season. This row keeps the official source attached without inventing a new 2026 rule date.",
      "bodyZh": "每年 DV 季都应重新核验官方 DV Program 照片页面。本行保留官方来源，不虚构新的 2026 规则日期。",
      "sourceLabel": "DV Program photo requirements",
      "sourceAuthorityName": "U.S. Department of State",
      "officialSourceUrl": "https://dvprogram.state.gov/photo.aspx",
      "sourceCheckedAt": "2026-06-29",
      "severity": "major",
      "confidence": "official-source-check",
      "verified": false,
      "recommendedAction": "Use the U.S. green-card/DV spec, then run the exported image through the official DV photo checker before submission.",
      "recommendedActionZh": "先用美国绿卡/DV 规格导出，再在提交前通过官方 DV photo checker 复核。",
      "url": "https://snapfora.com/rules-2026/dv-lottery-photo-current-source-check",
      "month": "2026-06"
    },
    {
      "slug": "india-oci-photo-current-pdf-source-check",
      "country": "India",
      "countryZh": "印度",
      "code": "IN",
      "docTypes": [
        "oci"
      ],
      "ruleArea": "oci-photo,size,background",
      "published": null,
      "effective": null,
      "before": "No dated change was confirmed in this pass.",
      "after": "The India OCI official photo-spec PDF remains the source for OCI photo size and quality checks.",
      "headline": "India OCI photo source check",
      "headlineZh": "印度 OCI 照片来源核验",
      "body": "This row uses the official OCI photo specification PDF as a source check. It does not repeat third-party claims about an India passport change date.",
      "bodyZh": "本行使用官方 OCI 照片规格 PDF 作为来源核验，不复述第三方关于印度护照变更日期的说法。",
      "sourceLabel": "India OCI photo specification PDF",
      "sourceAuthorityName": "OCI Services",
      "officialSourceUrl": "https://ociservices.gov.in/Photo-Spec-FINAL.pdf",
      "sourceCheckedAt": "2026-06-29",
      "severity": "major",
      "confidence": "official-source-check",
      "verified": false,
      "recommendedAction": "Use the OCI spec page for size and background, then compare against the official PDF before submission.",
      "recommendedActionZh": "用 OCI 规格页生成尺寸和背景，再按官方 PDF 复核后提交。",
      "url": "https://snapfora.com/rules-2026/india-oci-photo-current-pdf-source-check",
      "month": "2026-06"
    }
  ]
}