Washington, DC - The Department of State will celebrate passport awareness month in September with the launch of the #PicturePerfectPassport campaign to improve the quality of passport photos submitted by applicants.

Poor quality photos are the number one reason that passport applications are delayed during the application process. In 2015, more than 200,000 passport applications were delayed for inadequate photos. When a poor quality passport photo is received, the Department of State must notify applicants and request that a new photo be sent by mail. Passport applications submitted with photos that do not meet photo requirements could delay applications and interfere with travel plans.

Here are the top five reasons passport photos are rejected:

• Glare on glasses – Glasses should be removed for a photo.
• Photo is too light or too dark – Photo must be clear to reflect true skin tone.
• Old photo – Photo must have been taken within six months of submitting a passport application.
• Improper head size – Photo taken too close or too far away will be rejected.
• Low quality image or paper – Photo is blurry, grainy, pixelated, or printed on the wrong paper. Photos should be high resolution.

The Department of State expects record high passport demand in 2016-2018. To avoid a delay in passport applications, applicants should submit a complete passport application with a photo that meets all requirements.

For more information about the campaign and our top photo problems, visit Travel.State.Gov/Pictureperfect

For information on passport forms and fees, visit Travel.State.Gov or call the National Passport Information Center toll-free at 1-877-487-2778/1-888-874-7793 (TTY/TTD).