Where do you get a passport picture

If it's kids' passport photo time for the kids, read on for the best places in Singapore to get the job done...

Getting the kids to sit still is hard enough. Getting them to sit still, look into a camera lens and not be a total goofball is a whole different ballgame. If it’s passport photos for your kids you’re after, add the anxiety of knowing that in Singapore, it needs to be perfect. Altogether, it can be too much to handle.

Thankfully, there are some brilliant places dotted all around Singapore that will help you get the perfect passport photos for your kids in no time. A good photo shop will understand the requirements for each country’s passport photo and will take the snap accordingly, with the right size and background.

For many expats, there’s an urgent requirement to get a newborn’s passport in order to apply for a Dependent Pass or Residence Permit. So you want a professional baby wrangler to ensure your teeny tiny baby will open their eyes and look into the camera. Seriously, we were high fiving ourselves for even getting out of the house with a newborn, so having a helpful person to help you get that passport pic is extra important.

WHERE TO GET PASSPORT PHOTOS FOR KIDS IN SINGAPORE

Colour Junction – Kodak Express

The team at Colour Junction are experienced in the art of the taking a passport photo. And they even know all the tricks of the trade when working with kids. From laying newborns down on a white sheet, to distracting toddlers to get the perfect expression, it’s got it covered. Aussies will also appreciate the proximity to the Australian High Commission.
Colour Junction – Kodak Express, #B1-05, Tanglin Mall, t. 6235 7305

FotoHub

You can rely on FotoHub to know how to take a good kids passport pic. And with outlets all over Singapore, you’re sure to find one nearby. It can even remove backgrounds from existing images to be suitable for passport use or print straight from a digital file.
FotoHub, locations across Singapore

Standard Photo

If you’re located near Bishan, Ang Mo Kio or Toa Payoh, head to Standard Photo. It’s up with all the latest rules relating to passport photos and can usually turn them around quite quickly.
Standard Photo, #B1-03, Junction 8, ph: 6353 5071

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Joo Ann Foh Colour Service

Holland Village locals can pop to Holland Road Shopping Centre to get good passport pics for the kids. This well established independent shop will be able to help you get a suitable snap without too much fuss.
Joo Ann Foh Colour Service, #03-13A, Holland Road Shopping Centre, ph: 6466 2216

IC Photo

Need a Singapore passport or IC photo? The good news is that now you don’t even need to get off your couch to do it! The IC Photo app has on-screen prompts and enables you to submit your photos directly to ICA from your iPhone or iPad. No traipsing to a photo booth or print shop required.

A couple of handy newborn photography tips…

If you’ve got a newborn and can’t quite face heading out to the photo shop, you could try taking the pic yourself. Lay your bub on a white sheet and try photographing them in bright light from directly above. Do ensure you familiarise yourself with the country’s passport photo requirements and take the photo accordingly.

Another tip is to arrange for the passport photo to be taken while you’re still in hospital. Many hospitals in Singapore offer this service and it can take a load off your mind knowing that one job has already been done.

Do you need to renew your Singapore passport, extend your stay in the country or apply for a foreign visa? In 2020 everything has switched to online - and paperwork is not an exception. You can apply for almost any document via the Internet, without leaving your home. And compliant passport photos can be done online as well.

Surely, that doesn't mean that you can submit any selfie for an official document application. As well as before, passport photos must match strict requirements, such as: even background, right size, correct face position. But you don't need to be a photoshop guru to make your picture meet that requirements (you don't even need a photoshop itself).

Just follow these simple steps and you will get a professional passport photo for just $7 SGD.

Take a passport photo at home with a camera or a smartphone

For this purpose you need neither a professional photo camera nor white background. But there are several rules to make your homemade photo look correctly:

• Your face should be at the distance of 1.5-3 meters from your face. If your hands are not that long (certainly they aren't), ask someone to take a photo, or use a tripod/selfie stick.
• Place the phone camera at your eye level.
• Take a picture in the daylight, when no strong shadows are on your face.
• Keep your facial expression neutral.
• Don't allow anything like glasses or hair to cover your face.

Take several pictures and choose the best one. That's an extra-bonus of self-made passport photos: the ability to pick the one you really like!

Upload your photo to Visafoto.com and it will take care of the rest