U.S. Mission Cautions Nigerians Over AI-Edited Passport Photos

The United States Mission in Nigeria has cautioned passport applicants against submitting photographs altered with artificial intelligence or digital editing tools, warning that such images will be rejected.

In a reminder shared on its official X account on Friday, July 31, the mission said passport photographs must be authentic, recently taken and accurately reflect the applicant’s current appearance.

It advised applicants to avoid AI-generated images, beauty filters and other forms of digital enhancement when taking passport photos.

“Reminder! Do NOT use AI or digital editing tools on your passport photo. We will not accept photos that are edited or filtered,” the mission stated.

According to the embassy, passport photographs should have been taken within the last six months and must clearly resemble the applicant to allow U.S. border officials to verify their identity without difficulty.

“Your photo should be recent (taken within the past six months) and look like you (the TSA or CBP agent must be able to tell it’s you),” it added.

The mission also warned that submitting digitally enhanced images could lead to significant delays in processing passport applications.

It encouraged applicants to review the U.S. Department of State’s passport photo requirements to ensure their applications meet the prescribed standards before submission.