Really stupid passport help

[harijes]

Ok so DH and I have not been abroad in twenty years. We now have four small people.

I am starting to think about travel again.

passports.

I am fairly comfortable online. We will have two renewals and four new child passports.

is this best done by me online?
do I have to create a new account per person or could I do everyone’s under one email or account?
photos. It says smart phone in guidance but is it easier to use a passport photo place and get a code?

or none of the above and do paper.?

I hate the thought of six different “account” type system, if that’s what happens.

what is the easiest way to do this. Please 🙏

You do each application separately but can send all your documentation together. There is guidance for applying as a family.
I’ve just done 3.
you don’t create an account, just need an email address and you get your updates via email and use your email address to track your applications.
I found it easier to take the pics myself, especially with the kids

Online is definitely better, phone pics make it easier, but two of mine are autistic so comfortable for them. I think there is something about family passport renewal on gov.uk

I took photos on my phone and then paid £2.50 to Boots online photo checker and got a code. Seemed worth it to avoid the hassle with the passport office.

How small are your small people? I’ve found kids photos easy to take myself, but babies are tricky. SnappySnaps was really worth it for them.

And to do family is it ok if mixed renew and new. This is so helpful thank you

I did one renew and name change and two new.
one kids pic got rejected even though their pre assessment tool said it was ok because of a shadow but I photoshopped it out, resent and it was printed that day

Thank you this is great. I just didn’t want to start and end up regretting it and everyone say oh you should do paper and x y z.

Do yours and your husbands first, because when you do a child’s one they ask for parents passport numbers. They’ll also need the email address of someone to verify the kids’ identities.

Phone photo is fine - white background no shadows so take them in the day time. When you upload it tells you if it’s likely to be accepted.

We did ours recently, adult renewal took 5 minutes (though we had a recent passport), and they came back 9 days later. The price goes up on Thursday!

Yes, last week I submitted one renewal and a new application together with no issue (simialr situation at our end!). You can send all the supporting documents in the same envelope to one address to save on postage (they might give you multiple addresses but all the centres process the documents and upload it to the same database). Just make sure you send a cover letter giving all the PEX reference numbers and which document relates to which application.

Ooo that's interesting as my two kids' photos also rated as "good" on the tool. Hopefully they're not rejected as it took ages to get them to agree to pose for the original ones 😅