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Parenting

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Original poster

Has anybody renewed the dc's passports recently?

26 replies

MilaMae · 13/03/2009 19:48

Got to do our 3 which we did 5 years ago when they were all babies. We did our own photos then.

Are they more strict now,can you do it online and just uploads said photos?

How much is it and how long does it take?

TIA

OP posts:

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Lastyearsmodel · 13/03/2009 19:55

Just got DS's back today after nail-biting 2 week wait as we've booked a holiday soon.

They are (or have the power to be) veeeery fussy about pics and forms. Download the full detailed pic guidelines from the passports site. I ended up using the Post Office check and send service athough normally I object to paying someone to check things for me. Glad I did as they aim to return it in 2 weeks and they picked up points that could have got the form returned to me (like mine and DP's renewal pics - we'd chnged so much in 10 years we needed them countersigning ).

emkana · 13/03/2009 19:57

def use check and send

they are veeeery fussy

one example: the seven must be written without a line through it

ChippyMinton · 13/03/2009 19:59

I used the local photo shop, as they can re-size the picture to meet the strict criteria. It was only a pound more than a booth.

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ChippyMinton · 13/03/2009 19:59

Think the photos have to be counter-signed also.

Original poster

MilaMae · 13/03/2009 20:00

Does that mean if it's wrong they'll pay for it?

Can you just e-mail pics?

We did the dcs on a cheap point and click(non digital)last time and they were fine,have things moved on since then?

OP posts:

Lastyearsmodel · 13/03/2009 20:00

God, yes - I always cross my 7s but as the forms are computer-read to start with, I had to fill them out again.

My top tips would be collect loads more forms than you need and get the passport pics done somewhere like Klick or wherever is locally recommended for knowing what they're doing. I took ours and uploaded them to Passpics - ended up costing the same as having them taken professionally and still took 4 days to arrive.

Aimsmum · 13/03/2009 20:00

Message withdrawn

Aimsmum · 13/03/2009 20:01

Message withdrawn

Original poster

MilaMae · 13/03/2009 20:02

Jesus!!!!!!!!!

49 bloody quid, I've got to do 3 !!!!!!!!!!

OP posts:

Lastyearsmodel · 13/03/2009 20:02

AIms - they want normal 7s not continental crossed ones.

The good thing is even with returns for mistakes or more info they were still really fast.

Aimsmum · 13/03/2009 20:05

Message withdrawn

MrsWeasley · 13/03/2009 20:10

I did my DCs online. Well I entered all the details on line, they print out a form and send it out to you for signing and counter-signing. It was simple! (Filled out online, received paper copy, signed and returned and new passprt arrived all within 2 weeks)

Check the prices because if you bought one 5 years ago it was probably a 10 year one that you renew after 5 years due to children changing so much, (it used to be free for the renewal)

TaurielTest · 14/03/2009 10:26

If you have a digital camera you can take the photo yourself, upload it and get it checked for validity online by this company, then posted out to you - I did it for DS's first baby passport a few months ago, then again to renew my own, thought it was great - especially as all the local photo places charged loads of money for their baby photo service.

cluttered · 14/03/2009 20:52

Countersigning of photos-don't ask someone with an Irish passport to do it! Instructions say either a British or Irish passport-holder can do it but we asked our neighbour who is Irish and after waiting for the recommended 2 weeks and hearing nothing we found out that they had to fill out and fax across an additional form which had not been mentioned in the instructions or by the Post Office! We felt really bad about asking them to go to all that extra trouble for us and it ended up taking about 6 weeks!

bananabrain · 14/03/2009 22:14

Just got ds2's first passport back. We took the photo ourselves on a mobile phone, printed out to the right size on photo paper, and sent in countersigned with the form - all ok.

bananabrain · 14/03/2009 22:15

And got the new passport one week after posting!!

gemmiegoatlegs · 14/03/2009 22:16

they are more flexible on children's photos. ds was looking off to one side on his andt they said it was ok. they sent dds back because her head was too small in the photos (she was 9 months old!)

SoupDragon · 14/03/2009 22:22

Children's passports are only valid for 5 years. You can not extend them any more, MrsW. Sems to be "only" £46 though.

I love the online form. Even if it does translate our surname to "yes" on the page it displays for you to check the details I also love passpic, as linked to further down. Great service.

SoupDragon · 14/03/2009 22:23

they are only flexible on children's photos under 6 years old. 6 and over have to meet the full adult criteria except that if they're under 11 the head size between 21mm and 34mm high, instead of the adult requirement of 29mm to 34mm high.

SoupDragon · 14/03/2009 22:24

Which reminds me, DS1's is up for renewal again this year.

Lancelottie · 16/03/2009 10:25

Hmm. Anyone know if they're flexible for specials needs kids? My oldest (ASD) hates having any photos taken and is unlikely to cooperate with the exact requirements.

SoupDragon · 16/03/2009 10:35

I don't know TBH. You should contact them and ask them I guess. There must be reduced requirements in that and many other SN situations .

I'd suggest taking them yourself and having a few goes over a longish period of time - you can take as many as it takes then. You may manage to catch a good one in a split second without causing a meltdown. the basics are looking straight forward, must be able to see the eyes, neutral expression. If you get it in front of a pale wall, you can adjust it to get the right head size.

SoupDragon · 16/03/2009 10:36

That should have started "if there aren't reduced requirements..."

ChopsTheDuck · 16/03/2009 11:01

lancelottie, I wondered about that too, not looking forward to trying to renew ds1's. IT says on the site to call the 24-hour Passport Adviceline 0300 222 0000.
I managed to get mine to sit, but he looks demented in his blue badge photo!

They are really fast atm, had to do dp's recently and we got ours back in about 5 days with the check and send service.

handbagqueen · 16/03/2009 11:16

I used www.paspic.com for the passport photos as they will tell you if they are okay before they send them to you. Very quick service.

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