Guides · Updated 2026-07-13
Can you wear glasses in a passport photo? Country-by-country rules
The single most-asked passport photo question, and the answer changed for many countries over the last decade. The trend is one-directional: more countries are banning glasses as facial-recognition systems become the norm at borders.
Where glasses are banned outright
United States (since November 2016, medical exceptions require a doctor's note), Australia, New Zealand, and China (for the standard application photo). If you're applying for any of these, take the glasses off — there is no 'small frames' loophole.
Where glasses are allowed with conditions
The UK 'strongly recommends' removing them but technically allows clear prescription glasses if your eyes are fully visible. Canada, most EU countries and Japan allow them under the same conditions: no glare on the lenses, no tinted or dark lenses, and frames that don't cover any part of the eye.
In practice, glare is what fails people. Lens coatings reflect ring lights and flashes invisibly to you but obviously to the reviewer. If you must keep glasses on, tilt them slightly downward and use diffuse window light, never flash.
The safe default
Unless you have a documented medical reason, remove your glasses for every document photo regardless of country. A photo without glasses is valid everywhere glasses are optional, and you eliminate the most common conditional-rejection reason in one move.
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