Maryland Passport Style Photo, Handgun Permit Application

Since the Maryland State Police have made the application process for the Maryland Permit to Carry a Handgun entirely online, most of our clients have been experiencing quicker returns. While this is great, the road to get there so many may not be the easiest.

1. Not all of my clients are tech savvy. Some don't have a scanner or printer. That is partly why we have decided to send all certificates out to clients digitally via email after class versus giving out hard copies that require you scan them in and/or can be lost and destroyed.

2. Passport Style Photo's- The passport style photos you got at class or at CVS are not usable for Maryland or DC. Why do we even offer them then? Because they can be used for applications such as Utah, Arizona, Virginia Non-Res, Florida.

For Maryland's passport style photo for the Handgun Permit Application you must take the photo and upload it digitally- but it must be done a certain way otherwise you won't even be able to upload it.

Passport Style Photo Directions:

1. Take the photo of yourself in a well lit room, white background behind you with nothing on the wall (Photographs, clock, SI Swimsuit calendar, ect). No sunglasses, hats, beanies, hoodies, ect. No requirements regarding facial hair or makeup. Just you as you generally are. I generally try to include from the collar bone up. It can be a little more zoomed out as the editing portal will crop it down.

2. Get that photo to your computer. When I recently renewed mine in February 2020, I messaged the picture to my wife via Facebook from my phone, jumped on my computer and downloaded it from Facebook messenger.

3. Now- using INTERNET EXPLORER and INTERNET EXPLORER ONLY, not Chrome/Firefox/ect: go to the following link https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/photos.html

On the upper right hand corner ( shown below) you will want to click on "Photo Tool".

Now it will open up this editing type portal where you can chose the photo you are using and crop it to meet their requirements.

I moved around the photo until the applicants face matches up with the contour lines provided.

Below we see our final product prior to saving it. Once you have completed the edits to your photograph, click “Save Photo”. Choose a filename and location to store your photograph on your computer. This will be the same location you will select when prompted to upload your photograph into the Handgun Permit Portal. The filename MUST end with “.jpg” to save correctly. In this example, the filename is “ExamplePhoto.jpg” and it is being saved in “Pictures” on a Windows 10 computer. Click “Save”

IMPORTANT: The MSP Portal will only accept Passport Photos with a maximum resolution of 600x600 pixels. The U.S. Department of State cropping tool automatically saves images at the 600x600 pixel limit. Do not change your image file once it is saved from the photo tool. There are many other photograph tools/apps out there that others and I have tried using but can not accomplish the 600x600 requirement.

Now back to the H

Using these directions above I was able to upload my passport style photo for renewal and had no issues. I also have assisted many of our PTPGun Club Members flawlessly through this process. It was a bit confusing the first time as I tried to rush through but with this guidance and patience- you shouldn't experience any problems. As long as you have a camera/camera phone and a computer- you can do this. Now if it doesn't work for you it 99% likely because you aren't using INTERNET EXPLORER, this is key and no way around it.

Back to the Handgun Permit Application on the MSP online portal: On the Documents page towards the end of the application, the first document you are required to submit is this Passport Size Photo. Hit the blue "Attachment Document" to the right.

Find your photo you just formatted, select and hit "Open"

I wanted to break this down as simple as possible and provide images to guide you through. Comment below other helpful tips to make this process even easier. Be sure to subscribe to our website for quick access to more helpful blogs from our team.

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