Can you smile in a passport photo? Rules by country (2026)

US passport and US visa (DS-160)

US passport: "Face the camera directly with a neutral expression, both eyes open and visible, and mouth closed." The same page adds: "Avoid exaggerated facial expressions. You can smile in your photo. Just make sure your eyes are open and your mouth is closed."

US visa: the visa photo page asks for a photo "with a neutral facial expression and both eyes open". It does not mention smiling.

Other passports and visas

UK passport, visa and ETA: "have a plain expression and your mouth closed". "Children under 6 do not have to be looking directly at the camera or have a plain expression."

Canada visa: "a neutral expression, neither frowning nor smiling, with the mouth closed."

Australian passport: "Anyone over 3 years old must face the camera straight on, with eyes open and a neutral expression."

New Zealand passport: "Keep your expression neutral – no smiling." "Your mouth must be closed and your eyes open."

New Zealand NZeTA: "looking straight at the camera with a neutral expression and your mouth is closed".

Schengen visa: "The person's expression should be neutral with the mouth closed".

China visa: "The facial expression must be neutral with eyes open, mouth closed and ears visible." The embassy's rejected examples include "Mouth wide open" and "Unnatural expression/crying".

India OCI: "looking at the camera with a neutral expression and the mouth closed."

Nigerian passport: "a neutral, non-smiling expression".

How to get a neutral expression that still looks like you

Relax your jaw and keep your lips together, like a calm resting face, rather than forcing a frown.

Breathe out just before the shot so your face relaxes.

Take several shots and keep the one where both eyes are fully open.

pixtidy checks in your browser that your mouth is closed and both eyes are open, for free and without uploading the photo. It never retouches your face.