Renewing a UK Passport online - Photo Question

petesellit

Noticed passport needed renewal yesterday. As I was on my own came up with this.

Background =Leftover roll of Xmas Wrapping paper draped over a door the reverse side is white.
A pair of step ladders as tripod, anyone of a number of free apps from Google play for passport photos (if needed) & phone or digital camera.

You can take as many as you like (its there for 10 years!) & the site will tell you if they are provisionally OK

Total time from starting application to submitted with photo 20 mins

£5.00 saved from photo booths & choice of photo to submit.+ £10 cheaper than check & send at Post Office.

londoner2009 wrote: »

My passport runs out in approx 8 months, so time to get a new one.

I was going to do the Post Office Check & Send and already had some passport photos taken and printed - However when I looked at the passport website today - I noticed they have a Beta Service that says you can take your own photo and do the application online - it's £10 cheaper the Check & Send but the main benefit seems to be that if you use their online service it's fully trackable and perhaps a little quicker?

https://www.passport.service.gov.uk/renew/

Has anyone used this service? If so do you need to send them your old passport?

I know you're not supposed to alter your own appearance in a passport photo but can you even out the background if you've got a cloth background and a slight crease?

I didn't have a nice plain wall so used a cloth background which is for the most part excellent but there is a small area of crease which I can easily remove using lightroom - I wouldn't touch the area of my head or face at all - if I smooth this out would it be picked up by their system? Face, hair, clothes, etc would be totally untouched.

dibby20159

But how do you get into the beta site? I have started my application and have got to the point where I am asked if I want to include somene else (I do) but so far there is no mention of being able to upload my own photograph. Has anyone any experience of using this?

eDicky

peachyprice wrote: »

They won't know the photo has been touched up.

Do you know of anyone who has successfully submitted a photo that was modified in any way, including the background, since biometric facial recognition was introduced?

Edit: Sorry, just realised it's an old thread and repeating myself...

agrinnall

dibby20159 wrote: »

But how do you get into the beta site? I have started my application and have got to the point where I am asked if I want to include somene else (I do) but so far there is no mention of being able to upload my own photograph. Has anyone any experience of using this?

It's unlikely that you'll be able to use the beta service for anything other than a single renewal with no countersignatories required. I went part of the way through the online process myself at the weekend (including making payment) but because I also have a passport from another country I had to send by post both my UK and other passport, the new photos, and the form with my signature on it.

Ganga

dibby20159 wrote: »

But how do you get into the beta site? I have started my application and have got to the point where I am asked if I want to include somene else (I do) but so far there is no mention of being able to upload my own photograph. Has anyone any experience of using this?

I do not think you can apply for someone else exept a child or a person who cannot fill in the form themselves ie physicaly or mentally, but have a covering letter from a GP or similar to back this up.

skint_chick

I just used this, you still have to send physical photos -even if your appearance hasn't changed - and your old passport in the post. Once you submit the online form and pay with your card you print the form, sign it and send in the post. Mine was back in less than 2 weeks.

You don't need a check and send service for a renewal, all your details are the same and if you complete it online you shouldn't be able to leave anything out.

zagfles

dibby20159 wrote: »

But how do you get into the beta site? I have started my application and have got to the point where I am asked if I want to include somene else (I do) but so far there is no mention of being able to upload my own photograph. Has anyone any experience of using this?

I used it a few months ago but it was useless, there was no way to get it to accept a photo, there was always something wrong with it.

In the end I went to the local pharmacy for a photo which they guarantee will be accepted, but the beta site still wouldn't accept it. So I used the old method of applying online but sending the same photo in the post, was accepted no problem and got my new passport in a few days.

dibby20159

I used it a few months ago but it was useless, there was no way to get it to accept a photo, there was always something wrong with it.

Yes I'm coming to that conclusion too. The site says that "you will need a digital camera or a mobile phone" so there must be the intention of being able to upload your own photos, but it doesn't seem to accept them.

But (Ganga) you can certanly use it for making applications for other family members too - I think it quotes a maximum of seven - and indeed at the paying stage it asks you if you want to make another application.

I think I will go back to a quill pen!!!

Slinky

I renewed mine a couple of months back using old fashioned form and photo. Turnaround was under a week.

smudge56

dibby20159 wrote: »

I used it a few months ago but it was useless, there was no way to get it to accept a photo, there was always something wrong with it.

Yes I'm coming to that conclusion too. The site says that "you will need a digital camera or a mobile phone" so there must be the intention of being able to upload your own photos, but it doesn't seem to accept them.

But (Ganga) you can certanly use it for making applications for other family members too - I think it quotes a maximum of seven - and indeed at the paying stage it asks you if you want to make another application.

I think I will go back to a quill pen!!!

You can override the photo rejection if you think it's ok but the quality of online photos uploaded it terrible and usually have new ones requested
The examiner will decide if it's not ok. Selfies are not allowed and don't even think about taking the photo with any background other than a plain light grey or cream one. White background is also not allowed. Look at the photo standards either online or in th guidance booklet that comes with the paper form