JulianWard

They must have a reason. I think it would be unwise not to comply.

I would never use a photo booth for passport photos as you have no control.

In Spain there are many shops which take ID photos, it being part of the system, ID cards etc. They are cheap and usually good. One also has the chance to have several pics taken if you don't like the first ones when you view them on the camera.

Fred James

They probably have the time and staff. We are not dealing with the passport office here - probably 2 girls at the Embassy.

MikeJ

Only new applications need a countersignature on the back of the photo.
The reason the background has to be non-white ie cream or grey - is to provide the correct contrasts for the cameras at the auto-passport reader machines. The reason you sometimes get away with white is that the passport examiner will correct the background for you rather than send it back. However they do this as a favour and to avoid too many refusals but they are not obliged to accept a white background, if you catch them on a bad day you'll get it back.

Full details on how to renew can be found at:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAn...port/DG_174097

JulianWard

Thanks Mike. I had never realised that. I just looked it up:-


QUOTE Do you need to get your application countersigned?

You need to get your application countersigned if you are applying:

* for a first passport
* to replace a lost stolen or damaged passport
* to renew a passport for a child aged 11 or under
* to renew a passport when your appearance has changed so much that it would be hard to recognise you from the photo in your last or current passport

Fred James

One thing to watch out for is if you wear glasses as it is now recommended that the photo should be taken without glasses.

It is possible that the old photo might not meet the new standards.

The reason is that the new biometric passports with a built in chip can use facial measurements to check out whether it is really you. The photo you submit is scanned to compute this data.

These are encoded on the chip and the CCTV camera looks at your face and compares it to the measurements on the chip. Of course this only happens if you go through the special checkout that only exists in a few airports so far.

JulianWard

Fred, I am sure that one needs a new photo, but if it can be seen that it is the same person as in the original, then it is not required that it be certified.


Quote :- * to renew a passport when your appearance has changed so much that it would be hard to recognise you from the photo in your last or current passport

MikeJ

Actually, just as a point interest to us ARs, it is biometrically compared at the desk as well by the control officer who will have a biometric reader and he will compare the face in front of him with the one that appears on his screen. Only in very few countries, mainly third world, do they still rely on the MRZ (machine readable zone) only.

Mitzyboy

I mean where you go for your NIE / cert of residence, walking to it from the hospital end

Sir John

OK Thanks!

paris

Sir John

ok gotcha thanks.

paris

Sir John

Thanks to everyone for thier help and input much appreciated.

paris

EsuriJohn

When I attended the passport office for photo and fingerprints for my now defunct but still so usefull in Spain UK ID card I had to sit at a specific point against a light grey background and remove my glasses they then positioned my head against a template in the camara, a sort of elongated oval, mouth shut, no smile, no teeth showing. A really glum photo.

I have just gone into a photo booth at Tesco to do new pics for my passport renewal and the booth was almost a mirror image set up for position and height and background colour. Thus armed with the booklet sent out when you fill in your renewal app online I could get an almost identical mugshot to the passport office a real children scarer so I will let you know if I get a re-newed passport or I have to do it all again.

Sir John

Good point you raised,i am going to the uk shortly i wil get my passport photos done there i think.
cheers

megmet

That begs the question.....then why did you try to carry it on with me via private messages?

Sir John

Looking at a post here,a a lady says she had her passport photo done in tesco's photo booth when in the uk with grey background ,i'll look into that when i go over soon.
Was it inside a shop you mentioned mitz or a photo booth for passport photos,sorry to drag it on.

paris