Passport

margaretclare

It's not so easy to renew a passport now!

DH thought he'd renew his passport, which expires early in the New Year, in plenty of time for when we might think of going anywhere next spring.

He went online and did it that way. Today he received a form through the post - all the details already completed. Fine. He needed new ID photos. I thought there was a photo-booth at the airport half a mile away. There is, but although the machine was working, the seat was broken - no good, too low to get a photograph. We went to 2 other places we thought might have a photo booth - eventually he got 5 for £5. Very strict rules about how to get the photo taken, must be head and shoulders, grey or white background etc. He had to take the completed form, photos and his debit card along to the main PO in the nearest town, our little PO doesn't do it, nor the PO counter at Waitrose. When he got there he was told that the photo might not do - they scan your eyes in the photo when they check your passport at border control, and his might not be in the right place (if that makes any sense). To put his application through the PO they charged him £7. So, £5 for the photos, £7 to the PO for processing, and £72.50 for a new 10-year passport. After all that, it might come back and he might have to get another £5 worth of photos.

As this might be the last passport he ever needs, it has turned out to be the most expensive one ever, and a lot of running around to do it. Nothing simple like filling in a form, enclosing a cheque, and 2 photos without all the strict conditions for where your eyes are in the photo!

mumps

You still can get the form, fill it in, enclose the cheque and post it can't you? I don't think you need to get it checked at the post office, at least you didn't a few months ago. They are strict about the photos though, I know someone who had to get the photos redone. I think they had the second lot done at local photographers and complained to the supermarket where they had the first lot done. The machine said they were OK for passports but they weren't accepted, I think she got her money back but will have to check to make sure.

Bob_the_Saver

we use this for Passports and all visas, usually works out at 20p ish, never failed yet.

http://www.epassportphoto.com/

dzug1

margaretclare wrote: »

. He had to take the completed form, photos and his debit card along to the main PO in the nearest town.

He didn't. He could have sent the form direct to the Passport Office.

In fact he should have done - the form had already been checked before it was posted to him (which is all the PO really do) - the PO are really not equipped to judge on the finer points of photo acceptability - that's why they said 'might' not be accepted

Getting the photo done at a photographers is a good idea - and often costs no more than a machine

mumps

dzug1 wrote: »

Getting the photo done at a photographers is a good idea - and often costs no more than a machine

You are right about the price, our local little photographic shop is about the same price as the machines and much better photos.

callum9999

As has been mentioned, the person checking the photos at the Post Office is no more trained in the matter than you are (or it at least seems that way every time I've gone!).

I also personally just took a photo by myself (obviously following the guidelines) and printed it out on photo paper on a normal inkjet printer and it was accepted fine. The site bobthesaver posted looks pretty good for those who don't want to risk it though.

margaretclare

Thanks to all for the info. I'm pleased that there is still an alternative to doing it the way DH did it. I guess he thought it would be simpler, but it turned out not to be.

When mine comes up for renewal, not for another 3 or 4 years, I think I'll get the form and write a cheque! Didn't realise you could get e-photos, but that would certainly be simpler than running around trying to find photo-booths that were still in working order.

whitewing

Our local photographer does passport photos - not sure of the price but I don't think it is too different to the machine. It does mean that the quality criteria are definitely met before it gets sent off.

margaretclare

whitewing wrote: »

Our local photographer does passport photos - not sure of the price but I don't think it is too different to the machine. It does mean that the quality criteria are definitely met before it gets sent off.

Thanks for this. I'll certainly bear this in mind for the future.

I think the problem with the broken stool in the airport photo-booth may be that it gets played on a lot by kids, twizzling it round, and round - they think it's fun. After a while the adjustment mechanism may have broken down.