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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think the Passport Office is discriminatory

91 replies

cheapskatemum · 06/01/2017 09:33

Against people with frizzy hair? They've rejected my photo because the outline of my head isn't distinct! To make it thus, I would have to lard it with product such that the photo wouldn't look like me, certainly not like me after a long flight in aeroplane air, which surely defeats the object?

OP posts:

Latenightreader · 06/01/2017 12:33

I used to work in a Boots photocentre and was there the year that small children had to have individual passports rather than being named on their parents'. To photograph babies we placed a changing mat on the floor and then layers of blankets, the top one being white. We then had to hover over them with a polaroid machine, which weighed a ton and I was always terrified I was going to drop, without creating shadows. The focus didn't work downwards, only when the camera was upright, so you just had to keep taking pictures and waiting for it to develop until something worked. I particularly remember one small baby who had just learned to roll over and managed to do so as I took the photo every single time... I loved that job!

JoeMaplin · 06/01/2017 12:36

A friend, who is of afro -carribean descent, had their photo rejected for being too dark.... They found it highly amusing.

insancerre · 06/01/2017 12:36

Lol at rhombus shaped head!

MadisonAvenue · 06/01/2017 12:37

My son had curly hair as a toddler and his photo was rejected for his first passport because there was the slightest shadow of a curl on the background.

lovelearning · 06/01/2017 12:37

the case in NZ where they rejected an Asian guy's passport photo because his "eyes are closed"

Mr Lee posted an altered picture of his face that magnified his eyes, captioned: "I hope they accept this one."

To think the Passport Office is discriminatory

viques · 06/01/2017 12:49

I accidentally joined Costco a few years ago, and had to have a photo taken for the card. Honestly, if I had sent it to the FBI it would probably have cleared up most of their unsolved serial killer cases and served as a warning to kids to not do drugs.

My passport picture however is quite good, though unfortunately it doesn't look anything like me.

BraveDancing · 06/01/2017 12:51

I have glasses and hugely curly red hair.

In my passport it is slicked flat with so much product I look like a brunette and my glasses are off. I've actually once had someone refuse to accept my passport as ID because "that's clearly not you".

carabos · 06/01/2017 12:52

I did check and send at the Post Office for my recent renewal and my photo was rejected by the counter clerk because "it doesn't do you justice ". . She asked me if I didn't want to "look my best". I told her I didn't care and she sent me away to have it done again. It's ridiculous. Since I've had the new passport I've been told twice, once at the airline check in desk and once at border control that I should consider having the photo replaced as "it looks nothing like you".

I don't know what the answer is.

LuluLovesFruitcakes · 06/01/2017 13:05

I love this thread
My drivers license photo had all the same issues...had to position my head at a weird angle and scrape back all my hair. It looks absolutely nothing like me! Which is a mare really...when it's supposed to be photo ID

lovelearning · 06/01/2017 13:15

"it doesn't do you justice "
"it looks nothing like you"

A friend of mine had a similar story with her passport photograph

Once, a border official looked at the photograph

Looked at her

Looked at the photograph again

And burst out laughing

Latenightreader · 06/01/2017 13:18

Another one here who had to remove the glasses I always wear and stuff my hair behind my ears... Unfortunately my passport renewal, new dvla photocard, work ID card and railcard were all about the same time and I couldn't be bothered to take extras so the photo follows me everywhere. Provides a laugh for friends, colleagues and officials though...

MadisonAvenue · 06/01/2017 13:19

My passport photo was taken a year ago as I needed to renew my passport. I should've either pre-empted the situation or held back a few months (which I could've done but wanted to beat the Summer rush) as I'd just started to grow out a pixie cut so I now have horrible 'in between hair' on my passport photo for the next 9 and a bit years.

My son's photo was taken when he was 11. He's now 16 and looks nothing at all like the little baby faced boy in his passport but we've not been pulled up on it.
Having said that, he has a discount bus fare pass which will last him until he's 20 and when reapplying for his 16-20 one I mistakenly used his old photo which was taken at junior school when he was 10

ExplodedCloud · 06/01/2017 13:20

My uploaded photo was rejected for being fuzzy. It wasn't. I think it was the hurriedly applied concealer that did it.

MadisonAvenue · 06/01/2017 13:23

I suppose that the only good thing I can say about my passport photo is that I'm wearing my favorite lipstick.

Bluebolt · 06/01/2017 13:24

Probably need to make frizzy hair a medical condition. DS2 passport photo follows none of the regulations but they accepted with covering letter and evidence.

NoArmaniNoPunani · 06/01/2017 13:29

I'm fair skinned and ginger, a white background is not a good look for me. I look like a serial killer in my photos

BaronessBomburst · 06/01/2017 13:36

A friend of mine has 4 DCs. After DS3's photo was rejected for the second time she dug out one of DD1's old photos and used that instead. It was accepted.
All babies look the same, especially related ones.

ThisisMrsNicolaHicklin · 06/01/2017 13:40

I had my photo rejected 4 times because I was too pale and shiny. Eventually I joined forces with an other lady who was having a similar nightmare but with her fringe - I lent her my hair band, she gave me a blob of her foundation

Mynestisfullofempty · 06/01/2017 13:41

viques "I accidentally joined Costco a few years ago"

Huh? How can you "accidentally" join Costco?

AndNoneForGretchenWieners · 06/01/2017 13:41

Mine was rejected for being too pale. I have dark hair, but almost see through skin and I had to make myself up like I'd been tangoed before they would accept the photo. Result is an orange face that looks nothing like me!

K425 · 06/01/2017 14:05

My current passport photo has blue hair. It wasn't supposed to - I did the photos on the way to the hairdresser, but the P.O. Check and Send rejected the shots. So blue hair it is. Border control managed to recognise me when I had pink hair.

If frizz is going to be an issue, I'd better get my next photos done before my hair grows any longer and the curls go wild!

BikeRunSki · 06/01/2017 14:10

I have frizzy curly hair and glasses.
In my passport photo I have neither.
They still let me back in the country though.

Deploycharitygoats · 06/01/2017 14:10

With my previous passport, I frequently had to pull the same face as in the photo to be allowed through security (a particularly fine specimen of Fuck Off Face mixed with a lions mane of hair).

This time around, I look like an evil android, with all my frizz slicked into a bun. The effect was compounded when I got the photos by there being four of me, all looking like I'd kill you, your family and the rest of the world without needing to stop for so much as an oil change.

unicornpoopoop · 06/01/2017 14:16

My passport is me with blonde straight hair... I now have my hair natural - brown, long and extremely curly... Everyone questions it! Il need a new one soon, never thought that my hair could cause a problem on it though

SaskiaRembrandtWasFramed · 06/01/2017 15:07

My passport photo is quite nice, I look really glamorous with glossy blonde hair. Unfortunately, that is not what I look like in real life.

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