Glasses Banned From US Passport Photos

There's going to be a lot of squinting Americans in passport photos starting next month: The State Department says that as of Nov. 1, eyeglasses will be banned in photos for passports and visa applications unless the photos come with a doctor's note saying the glasses are a "medical necessity during urgent travel," the New York Daily News reports. CNN reports that the State Department says the move will "eliminate glares and shadows” that can slow down passport processing. Last year, 200,000 passport applicants, roughly 1% of the total, turned in "poor quality or otherwise non-compliant photos," the department says. (This is the world's most powerful passport.)