thebrit123

Well, I went to Walgreens this morning to get my passport picture done. My current UK passport expires in Jan 2009. I came to Walgreens prepared with my old passport and what the UK passport centre requires for picture dimensions.

It took the first person about 4 attempts to get it close but she started getting confused with the machine. Luckily, her co-worker came in and took the picture per the standard. What I noticed is that my old passport picture, from 1999, showed my head a little bit smaller and did not match the sizes that they seem to require. Does anyone know if the passport picture dimensions have changed since 1999. He did make another set, free of charge, which has my head smaller.

I will submit the ones, that have me with a bigger head, as they closely match the dimmensions that they require. Hopefully, they won't get rejected.

Also, is it advisable to get the pictures co-signed? My face looks similar except for grey hair and less of it on top.

Also, is it okay to mail them out using the United States Postal Service?

JAJ

http://britishexpats.com/wiki/Obtain...ports_overseas

Jerseygirl

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...50&postcount=9

MsElui

as far as i understand the current regs are for the new chipped passports so they likely standardised measurements when they started to produce those types of passports which is only the last few years. so i would say you were correct it could well have changed.

if a person off the street could tell it was just an older version of you still in the photo its fine.

thebrit123

Thanks for all the information. I will be mailing out the forms with old passport today.

Manc

For what it is worth.

I went to get passport photo's done in Jan 2008........
I just got regular US passport photo's

sent them in with my form

new passport came back no hassles.

thebrit123

Thanks for the info. I am not all that worried about the photos that Walgreens did. I compared the picture to the one in my US passport and the head size are about the same. It must have been a different standard back in 1999 as the old passport picture has my face a lot smaller.

robin1234

I'm not sure how much the British care about the picture. When I got a UK passport here about 12 years ago, I went to a professional photographer, paid about $12, and she came up with a nice picture that conformed with the standards. Then a year or so ago, with my next passport application, I foolishly decided to save the money for the photo and produced one myself, just printing it from my computer on a regular printer. The photo came out very dark but I sent it in anyway. It was accepted, the passport came back, you can barely see my face... with the plastic lamination and the watermark, you have to squint at it from an angle to even vaguely see a face there. I've entered the UK a couple of times with it, no problem, but I wish I'd spent the money to get a decent pic, since I have to live with it for a decade!

Dan725

I always take my own pics - have done all the way through Visa app/green card renewal/citizenship/US passport; and my last UK passport. No hassles whatsoever.

But unlike Robin here, mine are good quality pics....

thebrit123

Walgreens used a off-shelf digital camera to take the picture. I am pretty confident that it will be accepted by the passport centre. Just wish that it didn't cost $205 for the passport as that it almost double to US one. We shall see how long they take.

thebrit123

On Jan 3rd, it states that the USPS attempted to deliver my passport ot the Biritsh Embassy Passport Centre in Washington. When I track it via the tracking number it states that a "Notice was left".

It has been over a week and the USPS tracking information is still stating the same information "Notice left". should I be concerned that it has not been updated. Personally, it is looking like my passport is still at the post office. I thought the post office would make another attempt to deliver. Is the information on the USPS tracking link wrong? Has anyone elese had this problem?

It is worrying me since I travel out of the USA on March 25th and I would like to get the passport renewed. I don't want it held up by the post office. If it is in the post office, then how long before they send it back to me if the passport centre does not pick it up?

Jerseygirl

Have you tried to contact them and find out?

thebrit123

Yes, I just tried calling the USPS. You can't call the USPS in Washington as the local number is out of service. It took me about 10 minutes of frustration to get a "Real & Breathing" person on the phone. They said that they can't do anything and is up to the Embassy to send someone to get the package. It will get shipped back to me after 15 calendar days if not picked up.

I have not tried calling the embassy yest as I don't have the passport number handing and also it costs $2.60 per minute,

thebrit123

It looks as though the passport office in Washington must have received my passport. I have checked my online Visa credit card account and can see that they have processed the payment of $205. The strange thing is the USPS has not updated the status of my package. It still states "Notice left". You would think that if the passport office picked it up then the USPS would change the state. Basically, don't rely on those confirmation status's at the USPS.

Mummy in the foothills

I don't go by the USPS tracking too much ether.
I've had parcels delivered to me and if I check the number on the site it still says, USPS has been notified to expect a package for shipping