Passport photo

loulou41

Where can I get a passport photo taken? Is it ok to use the photo boths? Thanks

busiscoming2

Yes they are fine to use as long as you make sure the background is correct - grey curtain I think, but read the info on the passport form to be sure.

Most large supermarkets and post offices have the photo booths.

Marauder999

Sometimes some of the photos are refused for one reason or another even though they look perfectly acceptable. When we have needed passport photos we have gone to a photography shop for them to take them (just one that sells cameras etc.). The one we went to had a guarantee that the photos would pass inspection or they would take some more for us.

Our local Sainsburys has a dry cleaning company who provide a similar type of photo service and I think they have a similar kind of guarantee.

thegirlintheattic

Most booths have a passport option, you just need to read the instruction.

loulou41

Thanks, been quoted nearly £10 at snappy photos.

Ximian

Are you applying for a *British passport? If so, photo booths are fine, three of my family members have used the photo booths and all applications were successful for British passports, £5 at our local Sainsbury's.

More info for British passport requirements can be found here:
https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports

*reason I asked is that some photo requirements for non British passports might be different to what the photo booths have.

moneysniffer

In Money Saving style, you could get a friend to take photo of you against a white/grey background (like a wall, or a sheet draped over a door) then get it to the right dimensions on a site like epassportphoto. You just put the image it generates on a USB stick or memory card, then take it to Boots or some other store with a self service photo printing machine. It then prints out 4 passport size photos onto a normal sized photo, which only costs about 30p or so (can't remember exactly how much a single print costs).

The best thing is, you can take unlimited photos and choose your best one to upload (you aren't limited like in booths), or even do what I did and photoshop out your spots before uploading I received my passport no problems, so it certainly saved me a lot of money on using the passport photo booths!

peachyprice

I always take our photos and print them on my photo printer, as a family of 5 I've saved a fortune over the years on photos for passports, driving licences, oyster cards etc., never had one rejected.

DigForVictory

+1 for shoot 'em yourself.
digital camera, white sheet (or bathtowel if clean & enough light) & then take preferred shot to asda or boots for passport prints. Change from a pound but you need to read the rules on photos.

InsideInsurance

The people that check the photos can be very random on what they accept or reject. I had to get mine done using their express process this year and a guy who was sat next to me had used the passport office's own photo booth and they had rejected the photo because the collar on his shirt was too high so he'd had to take another set. Now if it had been a Harry Hill style shirt maybe it could have been understandable but it was a totally normal casual shirt and looked very similar to the one in my picture. My picture was accepted no problems.

Cheapest way to do it is print at home, havent done this for a British Passport but did for an Indian visa and had no problems. Second cheapest is going to be a photobooth somewhere like rail stations, post office, supermarkets etc. Using a "pro" like Happy Snaps shop is going to be by far the most expensive and unlikely to deliver any benefit

pompeyrich

I recently used Max Speilman for my daughters passport/visa photos. they were £5.99, which was only 99p more than the booths. They take as many shots as they need to get the right photo and no hassle of unruly kids entering the booth/pulling the curtain etc. that always seems to happen to me!

I was impressed with the service, they even cut them to the right size and didn't need to make an appointment. A guaranteed re-shoot if they don't meet the required criteria too.