What is the square on a passport?

Answer: The small box in the top right corner of passport application Form DS-11 is not to be filled in by the applicant but by the acceptance agent at the location where you submit the form.

What does the symbol at the bottom of a passport mean?

Is my US passport an electronic one? Yes, the e-passport symbol printed at the bottom of the front page indicates that the US passport contains an electronic chip. They were first issued in 2006​.

What is the rectangle on passport?

Embeddable chips. Thumb around the front or back cover or back page of your biometric passport, and you’ll most likely feel a small rectangle—these are embedded microchips that carry information used to identify you (on a U.S. biometric passport, these chips are in the back cover).

Why do passports have a chip?

Since August 2007, all U.S. passports have come embedded with an RFID chip, intended to deter fraud and improve security. The chip contains the same information as on the passport’s picture page, including a digital version of your passport photograph. Also, it can be “read” only when the passport book is open.

Can you smile in passport?

Can I smile in my passport photo? Yes, but it must be a natural, unexaggerated smile. Both your eyes must be open.

How do I know if my passport has a chip?

The simplest way to tell if your passport is biometric is by looking at the cover. If there’s a small, gold camera logo at the bottom, then it’s biometric. Otherwise, the technology held within a biometric passport has become so advanced and the components so small that you can’t feel any lumps or ridges at all.

Is there a chip in passports?

An e-Passport contains an electronic chip. The chip holds the same information that is printed on the passport’s data page: the holder’s name, date of birth, and other biographic information. The United States requires that the chip contain a digital photograph of the holder.

Is there an electronic passport?

An E-passport or Electronic Passport is similar to the traditional passport book except for one significant difference. The E-passport has an RFID chip embedded in the back cover of the travel document. The information stored on the chip is the same as that which is displayed on the data page of the passport.

Why does my passport have a plastic page?

The hope is that these advanced security measures will help to prevent identity theft and counterfeiting. Some of the features that the NGP has that makes it more secure include: A Polycarbonate Data Page. A Multi-layered plastic data page.

Can passports be scanned by thieves?

When embedded in a U.S. passport, the chip can be scanned only by someone at close range with an RFID reader, usually within a couple feet. While there’s valid concern about having your microchipped passport “skimmed” by a tech thief, actually having it happen is unlikely, some security officials say.

Can the government track your passport?

Can a passport chip be used to track people? Yes, but according to Tinker, it’s not easy or worthwhile. “If you walk around with your passport open,” explains Tinker, “folks can still read your [passport] number easily. They may not have any other info, but they can tie that number to you.

Why can’t you wear glasses in a passport photo?

Neither prescription glasses nor sunglasses are allowed in passport photos. Because a high number of photos were being denied due to glare from lenses, Passport Services decided to ban the use of them. You also can’t wear contacts that make your irises appear larger or smaller or obscure your eyes.