[gumby]

German passport photos (until now) could be taken by those photo machines that are all over the place. Australia requires a printed photo that’s most easily taken at a shop but doesn’t have to be.

Disclaimers: it’s been 6 years and 2 years since I’ve had to do this.

[hnarn]

Weird. In Sweden its required to have your picture taken by a machine at the police office where you apply for the passport.

[anon4242]

Weird indeed. This is my second reminder today that technology does not spread equally around the globe. The other was hearing my wife ask the IT-guy in her company if they had a fax number for a form from the Italian government.

After having my photo taken at the police office for at least my two latest passports it's somewhat surprising to hear about so many countries still using "the old way". There are such obvious advantages both in security and convenience by having the passport issuer take the photo and the technology is obviously available.

[CaptainZapp]

Same in Switzerland, alas it's the designated passport office and not a police station.

They have a specially kited photo booth, where you also leave two fingerprints for additional biometric verification.

In order to renew your passport you need to schedule an appointment withyour local passport office.

Last time I renewed, 2013, it took 7 weeks until the earliest available appointment, which was a bit surprising. I'm sure, though, there's an emergency shortcut for a price.

The new passport arrives two days later by mail.

[emilfihlman]

In Finland you can submit your own photo through the internet. All applications are verified by the police so I don't see the issue.

[anon4242]

From the article:

> Such manipulation of photos is typically invisible to the human eye, the researchers found.

[emilfihlman]

By the police I do mean the Police, ie not just an individual police person or civilian working for the police. I'm sure they have both automatic testing AND human control.

[msl]

No you can't. Only a licensed photography studio can do it [1]. You can, however, submit a paper photograph taken by anyone.

[1] https://www.poliisi.fi/passport/passport_photo_instructions

[emilfihlman]

I literally can. Please don't spread misinformation when I doubt you even are a Finn.

https://lupakuvienvastaanotto.fi/Default.aspx

E: not to mention that the page you linked doesn't even say anything about prohibiting self taken photos.

[tincholio]

You can register as a photographer very easily. I've been doing my own pics for years now.

[emilfihlman]

You don't even need to register as a photographer (to submit other people's photos). You can do it as an individual just fine, as the submission page directly mentions.

[tjmc]

In Australia, the photo has to be signed by a guarantor [1] stating it's an accurate photo. However the guarantor can be any Australian passport holder who's known you for over a year and isn't an immediate relation/partner etc, so it's not particularly fraud proof.

1. https://usa.embassy.gov.au/guarantors

[LegitShady]

The other part of that is that the original article mentions that often the morphing is not visible to humans, so its possible you can get a morphed image guaranteed just like any other.

[gumby]

Every time I've done this my guarantor hasn't scrutinized the photo, just glanced at it. And ditto when I've been a guarantor: "Hey al you sure you don't want to get a haircut before getting your passport?"

[LargoLasskhyfv]

I wondered about that. Hard to imagine any other useful (because lack of quality) use for these. Will they sue, or embed some new firmware with EURION and wireless whatever uplink?