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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

17mth old DD passport photo, you can see my hands holding her up. Will application be returned?

26 replies

Snufflebabe · 10/02/2012 10:18

Trying to arrange a passport for my DD. she is 17 months, and can sit up fine, but in the photo booth in the post office this morning, I had to turn the little swivel seat to the highest setting, and it still wasn't high enough. They didn't have anything to sit on top of the seat, so as the photo booth already started taking the photos, and you only get 3 shots, I just crouched down and held DD high enough to get her photo taken.

She is looking directly at the camera, but you can see my hands holding her. Cant see my face though, just hands.

Is there rules for this, I've had a nosy online and can't see anything. Has anyone else done this and had the application approved? I just don't know how else you would do it?

Thanks

OP posts:

Original poster

Snufflebabe · 10/02/2012 10:19

AIBU to even post this photo with her app, is it a known no no?

OP posts:

JoantheFennel · 10/02/2012 10:20

I think they will be rejected. Put a open at the front top on her and hold her under that.

IUseTooMuchKitchenRoll · 10/02/2012 10:20

Take it to the post office and pay for their check and send thing. They will tell you if it's ok or not for definite, or you could ring the helpline and ask.

TheVermiciousKnid · 10/02/2012 10:21

I doubt they would accept it, sorry. Give the helpline a ring, I've always found them really good.

hackmum · 10/02/2012 10:21

Ha, I had this problem trying to get a photo for my DD when she was six months old. The photobooth ones were hopeless. In the end I got one done at a professional photo place - they lie them on the floor and just take a head and shoulders shot.

I don't know the exact answer to your question, but ime they tend to get strict and it would probably be disallowed with hands showing.

iwantbrie · 10/02/2012 10:22

Hi, I know what you mean about the seats, I had to do a photo for my daughter (6yo) & had to put the seat up to the highest setting and then stick my leg over the seat for her to sit on so her face could be seen! They really should make those seats a bit taller..
I found the pasport helpline to be brilliant, they should be able to advise you.

lynniep · 10/02/2012 10:22

I dont think this would be ok to be honest but I'd call to check (For help, call the IPS Passport Adviceline on 0300 222 0000.):

The rules for passport photos

The photographs you supply with your application must:

show you with a neutral expression and your mouth closed (no grinning, frowning or raised eyebrows)
show you on your own (babies should not have toys or a dummy, and there shouldn?t be other people in the photo)
be in colour, not black and white
be identical
be taken within the last month
be 45 millimetres high x 35 millimetres wide - this is the standard size when you have a passport photo taken in a photo booth or studio (you should not trim a larger photograph to meet this condition)
be clear and in sharp focus, with a clear difference between your face and the background
be taken against a plain cream or plain light grey background
not show you with red-eye
be of you facing forward and looking straight at the camera
not be torn, creased, or marked 
be printed on plain white photographic paper
be free from shadows
be taken with your eyes open and clearly visible (no sunglasses or tinted glasses and no hair across your eyes)
be free from reflection or glare on your glasses, and the frames must not cover your eyes - the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) recommends that, if possible, you remove your glasses
be professionally printed (photographs printed at home are not acceptable)
show your full head, without any head covering, unless you wear one for religious beliefs or medical reasons
be taken with nothing covering your face - you should make sure nothing covers the outline of your eyes, nose or mouth
be a close-up of your head and shoulders with a recommended head height (the distance between the bottom of your chin and the crown of your head) between 29 and 34 mm
not have any writing on the front or back, except on certified photos - trademarks or photographic printing on the back must not show through

PuraVida · 10/02/2012 10:26

Lie her on the floor and take the pic looking down on her

Obv no good for a booth but our local photography shop did this for ours

GwendolineMaryLacey · 10/02/2012 10:29

I got DD1's passport done when she was 3 months old and it was a giggle holding her up in the photo shop without my arm being seen . Stupid rule.

TimothyClaypoleLover · 10/02/2012 10:31

Sorry snufflebabe but they will not accept the photo if your hands are in it. What we did with our DD's passport photo was to take a picture of her lying down on our bed at home (cream sheet background) and then uploaded to Photobox who do a passport photo option for about £3 I think (and you get 6 passport photos).

SpongebobLynnpants · 10/02/2012 10:34

I had this problem last year. I did the check and send at the post office - the first was rejected because my fingers were visible on my DD's arm.

We tried again but her arm was sticking out to one side so I phoned the advice line who said they were likely to get rejected.

After many many many attempts at getting the photo right, we eventually got one accepted. And this was done on a digital camera at home!

Definitely get the post office to check before you send it off.

Tiggles · 10/02/2012 10:34

They will almost certainly reject it.
We got ours done at Jessops - they were fab with all the kids - white mats to lie babys on etc. Took them several times to get them right. If for any reason they are rejected by the passport people they will take them again for free. Wasn't much more expensive than a photo booth about £7 at the time and much much easier.

valiumredhead · 10/02/2012 11:39

Mine were rejected. I went to get them done at a proper camera shop for about £7 ish.

IloveJudgeJudy · 10/02/2012 11:55

I used the photo booth for DS2. I put a towel all over me and held him through the towel. photo was accepted.

Aribura · 10/02/2012 11:57

Don't bother with the Post Office check and send. They're not somehow super knowledgeable about it all, they just charge a bung to read the guidelines and tell you if you followed them. If you can't read the guidelines then I'll do a reduced rate on the Post Office service and charge you a fiver.

(The guidelines say no hands visible!)

Spenguin · 10/02/2012 11:59

I feel your pain. The rules on photos are absolutely ridiculous.

I think you should chance it. I know the Passport Agency isn't known for being reasonable, but I think any border official can tell that your child doesn't have an extra pair of hands at its sides.

How else do they expect babies to get their photo taken?

cestlavielife · 10/02/2012 12:00

no get them re done at a snappy snaps or other local photo place where they can lie her on floor

CaurnieBred · 10/02/2012 12:02

I also did the take photo at home on a white sheet when DD was ~1 month old. When we needed to update when she was turning 5 we used the photo booth but instead of having the seat all the way up (which was still too low), I had DD kneel up on the seat instead which brought her to the correct height. I was being a tightfisted mummy who objected to paying £10 to Snappy Snaps for the pleasure of them doing it.

dreamingbohemian · 10/02/2012 12:03

I can't imagine they'll accept them. I'm afraid you'll have to take her to a photo shop and get them done -- snappy snaps is good and not too expensive.

We did this when DS was 4 weeks old -- they really know what they're doing!

Agree that the post office checks are worthless.

Fuzzywuzzywozabear · 10/02/2012 12:05

If you go to a professional place it's not overly expensive and they will click until the shot is exactly right

soaccidentprone · 10/02/2012 12:10

No they won't accept them. DS1's photos were rejected 'cos he'd turned his head v slightly and you could only see 1/2 of 1 of his ears, rather than 2 whole ears.

Better to do them again using more flexible photo place and get it right first time.

Quenelle · 10/02/2012 12:11

We had DS's photo done at a local photography shop too. They put him in a bouncy chair and held him in position from underneath. He was about 10 weeks old at the time. It cost £5.

Also used check and send at the PO, which was just as well, because I'd enclosed the wrong part of the birth certificate.

FWIW the photo looks absolutely nothing like DS, if I hadn't been there when it was taken I would seriously wonder if it was the same baby.

IgnoringTheChildren · 10/02/2012 12:19

I agree with Aribura about the Post Office check and send not being worth the money. A friend was told her DD's photo would not be accepted so got new ones taken which also didn't exactly match the guidelines on the acceptable facial expressions. Went to the passport office direct and discovered that they would accept either photo as they aren't completely ridiculous when it comes to photos of babies and toddlers. So long as there are no hands visible...

SoupDragon · 10/02/2012 12:22

I agree that it will be rejected. I take all passport photos myself and print them using paspic.com. You can take as many as you need to get them right.

Glittertwins · 10/02/2012 12:22

Yes, it will be rejected even though it's not as strict as for the over 6yr olds. Lie her on a plain sheet or something else plain and take a photo yourself then load it up to paspic.com. They will check it and send back first class if suitable otherwise they will let you know and you can try again.

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