Awkward baby passport photo goes viral...

[trailmonkee]

for some reason, this one kills me

http://travelkit.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/14/13866332-awkward-baby-passport-photo-goes-viral?lite



We know how you feel, young traveler. Welcome to the club.

Anyone who has ever been stuck with what seems like the world’s most awkward passport photo, prompting giggles from customs officials at borders around the globe, will get a smile out of this 5-month-old boy’s first try at looking suave for his passport.

When his father posted the picture online this week, he seemed to tap into a universal loathing of passport photos, which, as every flier knows, always seem to capture you at your most geeky and unattractive.

The equally cute and hilarious image has received more than 800,000 views so far and more than 600 comments on the online community Reddit.com.

“I posted it before we went to bed, woke up the next morning and had friends from the U.K. saying congrats on making the front page of Reddit,” said Joel, who lives in Vancouver, B.C, and asked that his last name not be used for privacy reasons. Joel uses the handle "Jorge Churano."

“My wife took our 5 month old son to get his first passport photos taken — NAILED IT!” he wrote as the caption for the picture, which shows the baby with his mouth agape and one of his eyes closed sleepily.

Joel told NBC News that he went to get the passport photos taken because the family is exploring a job opportunity that has arisen in South America. Some of the pictures turned out fine, but he couldn’t resist sharing this set — which will not be used in the baby’s passport — with the world.

“The outtakes were just too funny to keep to ourselves,” he said.

Why does a baby need such a grown-up travel document in the first place?

Just like the United States, Canada requires that all children who fly internationally — including newborns and infants — have their own passport.

Thankfully for the family, the country isn’t too fussy about the emotions babies project in their photos: Passport Canada is “lenient” about the expression of a newborn, the agency says on its website.

The U.S. only asks that the baby’s eyes are open and looking straight ahead toward the camera in the picture.

[elleng]

1. Daughter's first passport photo had her CRYING.

When we returned home, and she was crying 'cause customs had taken her apple, passport guy said: 'You must be Julie,' as her current expression was same as that on her passport!

[renate]

19. cute!

[etherealtruth]

22. LOL!

[TwilightGardener]

2. I've lived 42 years, never had a passport or needed one.

Is this some sort of universal experience or something? Is it like not having a driver's license?

[NYC Liberal]

3. If you're traveling out of the country then you'd need it.

Otherwise you really wouldn't.

[TwilightGardener]

5. I knew it was for international travel, I just wondered whether

most people have one, regardless of immediate travel plans. (I'd love to leave the country, but no $$$ for that kind of vacation, LOL.)

[trailmonkee]

7. here are a couple billion reasons why its a good idea to have one on hand

http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/campaign-finance

[TwilightGardener]

10. Am I going to have to/want to leave the country, is that what you're telling me?

[trailmonkee]

14. you betcha

[JI7]

8. i think most people get one when they have real plants to travel

it costs money plus it expires .

[TwilightGardener]

9. So not worth it unless you're really going somewhere then--ok.

I'd heard it can take a long time to get one.

[JI7]

13. well, depends on how likely you will go

you don't have to be 100 percent sure. but if you think you will go in a year or so apply for one.

depending on things like your job, money etc you can have an idea whether you will go at least in the next year.

[TwilightGardener]

17. Helpful, thanks.

[laundry_queen]

11. The guy in the story lives in Vancouver, B.C.

Probably needs it to go cross-border shopping (a great Canadian pastime).

[TwilightGardener]

12. Well that makes sense. Although I've been to Canada (Niagara Falls)

without a passport, but that was a long time ago (pre-9/11).

[laundry_queen]

15. Yeah a couple of years after 9/11

they passed some law, now everyone is required to have one to go across. I went to the US often before the law, but I don't have a passport (and it would be expensive to get one for my entire family, AND I am not near the border) so I no longer go. Most Canadians that live within an hour or so of the border have a passport.

[etherealtruth]

23. We live in Michigan

My family and I frequently cross the US Canadian border. We have enhanced drivers licenses issued by the State of Michigan (pay an extra 20 or bucks).

My children also have current pass ports (noting my ex-husband is a foreign national, so this makes sense)

we have both the enhanced DLs and passports for convenience.

My entire point ... if you cross into Canada by land there are ID's other than passports that you can legally use

[Jennicut]

18. You need it to go on a cruise, not just flying.

I have one and just recently got my 7 and 8 year old daughters their own because we are going to Bermuda on a cruise in the spring. Their pics came out very cute, mine not so much.

[NCTraveler]

24. I think these days it is worth getting one even if you don't have plans to travel.

It takes much longer to get one now. It can take months to get one, and if there is some sort of glitch it can add months to the process.

[NotThisTime]

25. We always have one ready to prove our identity, easier to get it and keep it especially if one does

not drive. Once you have it it's very easy to renew it every ten years (for an adult)

[trailmonkee]

4. dont forget the voter card! add that to the list.

[renate]

20. it's pretty handy, although if you've gone 42 years without one, maybe not

For my first job, I needed to come up with my birth certificate as proof of citizenship on a couple of days' notice; I certainly don't have it, my parents probably don't--but my passport was an acceptable alternative.

I've used it, and my son has used his, as ID several times--for some reason passports are easier to keep track of than birth certificates, for my scatterbrained self anyway. And of course if you ever plan to travel, it's just one less headache to have to take care of ahead of time. Otherwise... clearly, as you've seen from your own experience, you don't need one!

[XemaSab]

6. No, sir, my diaper is not

full of hashish. Why do you ask?

[pinboy3niner]

16. *SNORT*

Perfect caption!

[Nay]

21. LOLOL!!! Perfect caption!

[randome]

26. I've seen that same look from people listening to political debates.

[trailmonkee]

27. i have seen the same look on people IN the GOP debates

Basically, giant adult versions of this kid x 8

[randome]

28. I wonder what it's like in the visitor's balcony in the House of Representatives.

I imagine the Secret Service performing periodic 'sweeps' of the area to drag away observers who have become non-responsive due to over-exposure to political posturing.

They probably refer to these people as 'droolers'.

"Hey, Jerry, we got another three or four droolers in Row 8."

"Yeah, okay, I'm coming."

[Turbineguy]

29. Proving the addage

"If you look like your passport photo, you're too sick to travel."

[trailmonkee]

30. ha!