Childhood photo discovery in mom's old passport leaves woman stunned

A passport is a crucial government document with strict photo guidelines. However, these rules have become stricter over time. A woman named Gabriela—who @picturesofgabsdoingstuff on Instagram—shared proof of the same. She found her old passport from when she was a baby, and the photograph shocked people. She shared her passport through a now-viral Instagram reel.

In the passport photo, she is a baby and her mother is in the photo holding her in her arms. The text overlay reads, "Happy Mother's Day to the woman who convinced government officials that this was okay." Gabriela told Newsweek, "I was born in Guadalajara surrounded by my mom's side of the family." Gabriela's mother ran away from Mexico to escape her toxic relationship with her father when she was eight months pregnant. The woman eventually applied for a joint Mexican passport that would be valid for both of them so that she could go to Los Angeles.

The woman shared that joint passports were a common thing in the '80s, which was why the video gained a lot of attention today. People were pleasantly surprised to see this passport format and shared their thoughts in the comments section. @ogkerrynotkelly said, "My first passport photo was taken with my mother and 3 siblings all in one shot." @amalia._oliveira pointed out, "This lowkey makes sense, though. 'Cause what if you were being kidnapped with a fake passport as a baby? Having your mother/parent/legal guardian on the passport until you are old enough to travel alone makes sense." @felicialouise44 said, "Well at least nobody could say she stole her baby at the airport lol."

A passport is a crucial document for people who frequently travel internationally. However, it can be difficult to get your passport in time for your travel plans. Fortunately, Jade Thomas—who goes by @thecringeysingingteacher on TikTok—shared a useful tip that involved contacting a state senator to get your passport faster. The text overlay on her video reads, "When your passport finally comes 3 days after emailing the state senator." She posted a follow-up video breaking down what she included in the email to expedite her passport.

She says, "Send all of your screenshots of your receipts, your travel plans, and your locator number that they give you on the passport website." Thomas shared that she sent the email on Thursday and got her passport the following Thursday, which was very quick. The creator also mentions that one of her friends used the same method and got her passport on a Thursday after sending an email the previous Monday. It turns out that the hack worked well for a lot of people and they shared their experiences in the comments section. @orinoire said, "Call your congressperson ASAP, y'all! I called on a Tuesday and had it by Friday via overnight shipping."

You can follow Gabriela (@picturesofgabsdoingstuff) on her Instagram page for more insightful travel content.