Passport renewal

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I appreciate all your kind comments. My new passport is on its way

sazz1

I had a nightmare with renewing mine online. Stood against every white wall in the house, 15 photos rejected! Sat on the sofa and took a last pic. Was accepted straight away. Think the glare from white walls was what got the others rejected. Next time will go to a shop that does it.

I made the mistake of using lots of Touché Eclat and the light just bounced off my face! I no longer wear it if I need an official photograph.

I had a nightmare with renewing mine online. Stood against every white wall in the house, 15 photos rejected! Sat on the sofa and took a last pic. Was accepted straight away. Think the glare from white walls was what got the others rejected. Next time will go to a shop that does it.

It’s a really important document so there is always that worry. But I’m sure it will be fine. I always do ‘worst case scenario’ about everything. It’s mentally exhausting but my theory is the more I worry the more likely I am to getting a good result: a sort of penance. I reckon that, in a previous existence I would have been a sin eater or one of those people who wore hair suits (flagellants; or did sin eaters have to do that too ie were they separate occupations?).I could always add your passport worry to my worry about my plastic box delivery never arriving and give you a day off if you like…x

Thanks for all the messages. I guess I'm just being paranoid and expecting it to get lost by the courier .

Easiest to either take your photo while applying or take one that suits the rules and just use that. If you go to have it taken in a Photo Booth or a place like a pharmacy may do it. You are given a number which you put in your application.Best to get a photo sorted before applying as you can be “timed out” if you have trouble getting the right one as we did. Shadows are a nuisance to avoid. Also stand straight, my dh has a shoulder which was broken at one time and the refusal was because of him not being straight. I explained this in the form and it was accepted. No fuss, immediate acknowledgement with reference number.





I had to redo it but that time I had the right

Greciangirl

I know passport photos are never usually flattering, but had mine taken at the Post Office.
Well,it was dire. I looked like a witch and it was in black and white.
I was shocked as last photo was coloured and much more flattering.
Is black and white the norm now?
Please anyone let me know if their renewal photo was in black and white.
Thanks.

The photo you submit must be colour. The actual passport displays the same photo 3 times, 1 in colour, 2 in black and white.

Renewed my passport a couple of months online, it was back in under two weeks, I was both pleasantly surprised and pleased by the efficient service.

I know! I'm happier now in the automatic passport booths as I've had my cataracts done so don't wear glasses. When I had to wear them it was always difficult having to take them off. I couldn't see what to do. I was blind as a bat!

Aveline

My DH has a lovely head of white hair. When photographed at Timpsons it disappeared into the light background making him look like an egg with glasses. What a laugh. Eventually the man managed to capture him with his hair too.

As I understand it you can't wear glasses in a passport photo unless things have changed since my last one! Mine is due next year so I will find out then!

Our photos were in colour, Greciangirl.

I did mine wholly online myself
The first photo was rejected as was the 2nd but the third was accepted.
It came back very quickly indeed but that was may time not the height of summer

I know passport photos are never usually flattering, but had mine taken at the Post Office.
Well,it was dire. I looked like a witch and it was in black and white.
I was shocked as last photo was coloured and much more flattering.
Is black and white the norm now?
Please anyone let me know if their renewal photo was in black and white.
Thanks.

My DH has a lovely head of white hair. When photographed at Timpsons it disappeared into the light background making him look like an egg with glasses. What a laugh. Eventually the man managed to capture him with his hair too.

I renewed my passport last year and had hours of fun with the photo. I tried several variations and they used different excuses to refuse it and suggest I go to a photo booth. Eventually I used the "I cant go to a photo booth as I am a disabled non driver and you are discriminating against me" approach. It was approved within 5 minutes of my sending. Its an automated process and you have to fill in the box to make a human look at it.

Cagsy

We did ours at a Post Office too, small charge but worth it as you know your photo is accepted and all completed and sent electronically, they return your old passport too. All very efficient.

My experience exactly

We did ours at a Post Office too, small charge but worth it as you know your photo is accepted and all completed and sent electronically, they return your old passport too. All very efficient.

Did mine at the local Crown post office where they take the picture and check the form is correctly filled in. No problems.

Nana56 As I remember (it was 6 years ago, so things may have changed) the Timpson man took the photo and sent it off, gave me a code number then I went home, filled the form in online, typing in the code on the request for a photo and sent the old passport back myself.

The booth we used in Tesco was a Max Spielman one! It gives you 10 chances to get a photo you like enough to use. You get the actual photos and a code with them and then use the code in your application.

I have said this before ,but it's true that if you look like your passport photograph, you are not fit to travel.

LOUISA1523

You can get your photo done at max spielman...they email you a code...then you apply online and put the code in when you get to the photo bit ....easy to track when you've done it online...you get regular text updates

They also take quite flattering photos too! I started using them after a series of disasters using photo booths.

You can get your photo done at max spielman...they email you a code...then you apply online and put the code in when you get to the photo bit ....easy to track when you've done it online...you get regular text updates

I did it online but photos were refused several times before I got it right, was a bit of a faff for this reason but quite easy after that.