Overweight on Passport Photos: Guidelines and Considerations

Overweight (or obesity) is a medical condition in which so much body fat has accumulated that it can have a negative effect on health. Excess body fat is most commonly visible around the chin (double chin), cheeks, chest, and abdomen.

Overweight can lead to problems such as a shorter life expectancy, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, osteoarthritis, and asthma. It is one of the leading causes of death nowadays.

Measuring Overweight with BMI

Overweight is measured by determining someone's Body Mass Index (BMI). The BMI is calculated by dividing the body weight in inches by the square of the height in inches.

The BMI classifications are:

• Underweight: less than 18.5
• Normal weight: 18.5 to 25
• Overweight: 25 to 30
• Obesity class 1: 30 to 35
• Obesity class 2: 35 to 40
• Obesity class 3: greater than 40

Rules for Being Overweight on Passport Photos

There are no specific rules established for having overweight on passport photos. It is important that you look recognizable in the photo.

This means that you should have about the same amount of overweight on the photo as at the time you apply for your travel document. You should not have become unrecognizable due to being overweight or lost a lot of weight.

There have been cases where the person was no longer recognizable in their passport photo after losing a lot of weight.

It is not officially mandatory to apply for a new document with a recent photo if you have changed a lot. The document remains valid for 10 years. However, in some cases, it may be advisable to avoid misunderstandings.