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Original poster

Online passport renewal photo question

19 replies

TurcoiseNails · 13/03/2022 13:04

I need renew my passport and think I will do it online for the first time. I’ve always just sent a paper application in the past.

Just a question regarding the photo. If I go to a photo booth for the photo, is it just a case of entering the ID number issued? Does this actually work?
I’m asking because I am pretty clueless with tech and if I start the application online and have to upload stuff I might struggle.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 13/03/2022 14:04

You can take a picture with your phone (get someone else to take it for you against a light background) as part of the application.

I think the booths give you a code to put in the application too if you want to do it that way

Beees · 13/03/2022 14:09

Yes. I did mine a few weeks ago. I went to the machine, got 4 photos printed which also has the code on it. The I came home and started the online application, when prompted I typed in the code and it brought up the picture on the online application. It was incredibly easy.

Aroundtheworldin80moves · 13/03/2022 14:09

A photo booth or a photographer can give you a code. The machine also tells you whether it meets standards.

But DIY is easy too. Just make sure there's no shadows. (I actually got the best ones in a brightly lit shopping centre!)

Muchtoomuchtodo · 13/03/2022 14:12

I tried several times to take a photo at home but it never passed the online standards so I nipped to my local supermarket which has a photo booth.

It prints out the photos but also had a code on. I added the code to my online application and the photo was automatically added which was accepted - very clever and very straightforward !

Echobelly · 13/03/2022 14:15

I'd get photo done professionally or in booth - it is surprisingly hard to get lighting and distance right at home. But the code thing works just fine, I've done it for DS and yesterday for me - you see the photo after you put in the code so you can check it is the correct one. Online application is super easy.

GrimDamnFanjo · 13/03/2022 14:16

I went to Boots and it was really easy.

TheTeenageYears · 13/03/2022 14:16

You can do it yourself and when you upload the photo it will say if it's likely to pass checks. Timpson's take photos and give the code. I did that for DD's passport last year and all went smoothly.

bigbluebus · 13/03/2022 14:19

I did my own - and I'm not particularly tech savvy! It gives clear guidance on how to take the photo and then crops it. It even rejected mine as it said it couldn't see my outline - blonde hair against a light background isn't great - but I was able to ask for an overrule by typing in the reason I thought the picture was OK and it was accepted.

sofakingcool · 13/03/2022 16:23

Yes the code thing works fine. Weirdly though DS's photo recently got rejected at the first stage, even though the booth said it was fine - we had a warning that it wouldn't pass etc but could try anyway - and it came through ok

Original poster
TurcoiseNails · 13/03/2022 17:00

Thank you all. That sounds good and I will give it a go.

OP posts:
PupInAPram · 13/03/2022 17:25

I took my own photo on my phone, for an online renewal application just over 2 weeks ago. I got an email yesterday saying my passport is being printed. I'm in my 60s and not particularly tech savvy.

StCharlotte · 13/03/2022 17:30

@bigbluebus

I did my own - and I'm not particularly tech savvy! It gives clear guidance on how to take the photo and then crops it. It even rejected mine as it said it couldn't see my outline - blonde hair against a light background isn't great - but I was able to ask for an overrule by typing in the reason I thought the picture was OK and it was accepted.
I had exactly this but was able to overrule. It should have been rejected on the basis that it's a truly horrible picture though Grin
Westfacing · 13/03/2022 17:30

If you have a photocard driving licence they can use that photo - Passport Office somehow has access.

I did this - only problem is the driving licence photo is awful so now I have two official documents with the most atrocious image of me!

dementedpixie · 13/03/2022 17:40

Is it not the other way round? They can use the passport photo for the driving licence. Dont think it works the other way.

SouthOfFrance · 13/03/2022 17:45

I just took our own photos with my phone. Was so straightforward and it accepted the first one I took. All I did was made sure there was a white background behind me. I wouldn't go to the bother of going to a photo booth.

PuppyMonkey · 13/03/2022 17:49

I know a couple of people who’ve been having a nightmare getting their photos accepted by the online thing, they both ended up giving up trying to take their own and going to Max Spielman for a proper one with a code you input.

Sumlove · 13/03/2022 17:52

I did my own last week and it didn't like the light grey wall 🙄
I used a passport photo app that will adjust it for £6, sent the revised pic yesterday and got an email today to say approved. Worth doing if you can't be bothered going out for a pic (like me) 😊

Meredusoleil · 14/03/2022 21:56

We had a hard time getting dd1's approved years ago. It was because of the glare from her glasses! In the end, she had to have the photo without her glasses on.

Dd2's was accepted first time from my phone just recently. But then it was a nice white background and no glasses, so 🤷

kitcat15 · 14/03/2022 23:51

Used my DPs iPhone.... took 5 photos...4 said poor andc5th said 'fair' ( not one was good🙄....although they all looked OK to me) ....anyway uploaded the 'fair' one and it was fine....my Samsung photos were all discarded when I got my passport

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