Welcome to Mumsnet's holiday forum. Discuss all international travel here, including both shorthaul and longhaul trips. Related topics: UK holidays & day trips, skiing, camping & campervans.
Welcome to Mumsnet's holiday forum. Discuss all international travel here, including both shorthaul and longhaul trips. Related topics: UK holidays & day trips, skiing, camping & campervans.
Holidays
Passport photo nightmare
Frazzled2207 · 18/03/2022 11:16
Applied electronically for son's passport renewal and the photo was rejected. Am not surprised because each attempt at uploading the photo resulted in the software cropping off the top of my son's head. Is crackers that you can't adjust it yourself. I naively thought that the entire file might be sent to them not just the poorly auto-cropped version.
This morning we have taken a dozen new photos, some at considerable distance away and every single one auto-crops off the top of my son's head.
We will try more later but wondering if anyone has any words of wisdom. I just want to email them the photo but of course it's not possible - a classic case of computer says no.
To those saying go and get them done professionally - it will still be an uploaded file and no reason to think that the same would not happen. My husband is a serious amateur photographer so is no numpty with the camera although we're going to try my phone for the next batch.
Infuriating!
Would be great to hear if anyone else had this issue and managed to resolve. We are supposed to be moving house and could do without this totally unnecessary stress. Was easier to get them printed out and sent tbh, is ridiculous that it's so hard.
LIZS · 18/03/2022 14:29
You can upload from a phone but it still has to meet criteria, ie. Headshot against plain background, no hats, ears and eyes visible etc. The online process screens its suitability.
HalfShrunkMoreToGo · 18/03/2022 14:30
Echoing the photo booth posts. They have them in shopping centres, lots of Boots Stores and places like train stations. You get the print off with 4 little photos and across the top is a code that you can enter in during your passport application and it pulls the photo from the Booth system. Worked perfectly when I did it a year or so ago.
DogInATent · 18/03/2022 23:05
@ParaMonkeyNut
No, you can take your own. You shouldn't use a phone camera if you want a flattering photo though - the focal length is far too short.
ChicCroissant · 18/03/2022 23:10
You can take your own, but like a previous poster I would recommend Timpsons - they often have a shop in supermarkets and will check the photo is acceptable before you leave (and retake it if it doesn't go through for any reason). Hope you get it sorted, OP.
Frazzled2207 · 19/03/2022 14:57
So We’ve taken about a hundred today! Every single one crops the top of his head off.
However the ones with my phone IMO have a better chance of passing than my husband’s expensive camera because no shadow. Have submitted despite the auto crop chopping his head off every time because it came back as “good photo” and green tick. We’ll hopefully find out within a few days if it’s been accepted. Will report back and if no joy get the professionals in.
BirdOnTheWire · 19/03/2022 21:00
I just used a phone, and submitted once we got the green tick. Hopefully you will be ok.
It's massively easier now you can do it all online.
Frazzled2207 · 23/03/2022 15:47
Update. Two days after uploading a third photo, it would appear the application has been approved and the passport is now waiting to be printed.
I think the 'auto crop' may have been a red herring because the one that was approved also chopped off the top of his head as did the 97 others we tried to submit, no matter how far away we were stood taking a pic of him. I think the background and slight shadow might have been more of an issue.
It was the iphone photo that was eventually approved not the one taken by the extremely expensive photography equipment.
Will be intrigued to see if the chopped off head appears in the passport when it comes. Luckily not going away until June so hoping it comes in plenty of time. last minute trip in April could happen if it comes back swiftly tho.
I expect it will come back now without it chopped off, but no matter.
littleflowerabc · 22/01/2023 14:52
We are having the same issue with the program cropping the top of the head. Did your little one's photo came out fine in the final passport (i.e. the top of the head not cropped)?
Would be useful to know, thanks!
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.