The Department of State’s Consular Affairs office has advised that it will no longer accept photographs of passport and visa applicants wearing eyeglasses. There will be a “soft” one-month enforcement period from November 1 to November 30, 2016, after which the new requirement will become strictly enforced. The new policy is designed to enhance the performance of Consular Affairs’ facial recognition technology.
There is an exception to the policy if wearing eyeglasses is a medical necessity; for example, where the applicant has recently had eye surgery and glasses are necessary to protect their eyes. However, the burden is on the applicant to present a medical statement to that effect, signed by a medical professional. In these circumstances, Consular Posts will be asked to issue limited one-year passports during which the medical condition is temporary and travel is imminent.