A U.S. passport issued to adults 16 years or older is valid for 10 years. To renew, you may apply via mail if your current one is undamaged, was issued within the last 15 years, and lists your current legal name. In theory, Prince can apply for a new passport in the mail, given that he last changed his name back to Prince in 2000 from the symbol he made it in 1993. If he last renewed his passport in 2006, he does not need to go to a Department of State Passport agency, because that would be as ridiculous as seeing Prince at the DMV. Instead, Prince can submit his paperwork through the mail along with a photo, which must meet these criteria:
- In color
- Printed on matte or glossy photo quality paper
- 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) in size
- Sized such that the head is between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches (between 25 and 35 mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. View the Photo Composition Template for more size requirement details.
- Taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance
- Taken in front of a plain white or off-white background
- Taken in full-face view directly facing the camera
- Taken with a neutral facial expression (preferred) or a natural smile, and with both eyes open
Last week, Prince tweeted out his new passport photo, which, as you can see above, exceeds almost every one of these government requirements. Though he might have violated one: The guidelines clearly request a "neutral facial expression (preferred) or a natural smile". This photo contains neither. Prince's facial expression is not neutral. In fact, it is capturing the entire spectrum of human emotion. Nor is it a natural smile. It is a look that could only be mastered by Prince after many years of being Prince.
[h/t: Consequence of Sound
