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Renewing British Passport and the Sizes of Passport Photos

Renewing British Passport and the Sizes of Passport Photos

Old Nov 20th 2016, 12:37 pm
  #16  
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Default Re: Renewing British Passport and the Sizes of Passport Photos

Originally Posted by Pulaski
You keep telling people that but I tried at least three pharmacies, two of them Walgreens, and had no success whatsoever in getting UK-spec passport photos. You may be right, but if the dipĀ§4!ts that the pharmacies employee don't know how to use the machines it isn't much help.
We had trouble at our local pharmacies too. Rite Aid, Walgreens, and one CVS were not able to do a UK-compliant photo last year. I think it's because they were all pretty small shops with the older photo set-ups.

Just by chance while travelling to a nearby city, we went into a giant newly-opened CVS and found the manager who claimed her spanking new photo equipment could do just about ANY passport photo in the world! So we had ours done. So ... perhaps a small road trip is in order?
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Old Nov 20th 2016, 2:14 pm
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Default Re: Renewing British Passport and the Sizes of Passport Photos

Have you tried a COSTCO?
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Old Nov 20th 2016, 4:04 pm
  #18  
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Default Re: Renewing British Passport and the Sizes of Passport Photos

I've just done a print-yourself jobby and sent them off. They're perfect versus the specs, so hopefully work fine.
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Old Nov 20th 2016, 5:01 pm
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Default Re: Renewing British Passport and the Sizes of Passport Photos

Originally Posted by kimilseung
Walgreens will do them for a few dollars to UK specifications, in a few minutes.
Originally Posted by Pulaski
No they won't, necessarily. My experience in two Walgreens, and 15-20 minutes wasted in each, says otherwise!
My local Walgreens used to be able to do them, and then they got a new photo printing machine which doesn't have the different passport size settings. Guess it is pot luck which store has what machine.
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Old Nov 20th 2016, 7:31 pm
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Default Re: Renewing British Passport and the Sizes of Passport Photos

Just got my UK passport photos done last week at our local AAA - take the specifications with you - the girl at the front desk wasn't sure, but when she asked around, one of the women who worked there was able to do them without any problems! You don't have to be a member, but you save about a dollar if you are! ;-)
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Old Nov 21st 2016, 3:51 pm
  #21  
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Default Re: Renewing British Passport and the Sizes of Passport Photos

Originally Posted by lansbury
My local Walgreens used to be able to do them, and then they got a new photo printing machine which doesn't have the different passport size settings. Guess it is pot luck which store has what machine.
I think this is correct. I used our local Walgreens in March this year where we live just north of Houston and the attendant knew exactly what was needed (no need for me to navigate the machine menus). However, the town we live in has the HQ's of many multi-national companies so I guess the local Walgreens is used to dealing with similar requests.
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Old Dec 15th 2016, 5:04 pm
  #22  
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Default Re: Renewing British Passport and the Sizes of Passport Photos

Originally Posted by Pulaski
I am not sure what you mean by "very strict".

I renewed my British passport six months ago and sent them US passport photos* cropped (by me) to the size specified by the UK passport office. My new passport came back without further ado ...
I'm going through this process now. The instructions include:
"...not be trimmed or cut down from a larger
photograph to the size of a standard passport
photograph."
Seems such an odd restriction, and obviously one they don't enforce, based on your experience. I wonder if they are just trying to eliminate non-rectangular photos hand-cut with scissors or something?


PS - it was very refreshing to see that they've removed that archaic requirement to get a counter-signature from someone in a 'profession'.

PPS - For 'dual nationals' you have to include a full-color copy of your current passport. I presume I can scan that at 200 dpi full color and print out on a decent color printer? Did you include a copy of front/back cover?

PPPS - how did you send the application in? FedEx? Any particular service level?

Last edited by Steerpike; Dec 15th 2016 at 5:48 pm.
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Old Dec 15th 2016, 8:28 pm
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Default Re: Renewing British Passport and the Sizes of Passport Photos

Originally Posted by Steerpike
I'm going through this process now. The instructions include:
"...not be trimmed or cut down from a larger photograph to the size of a standard passport photograph."
Seems such an odd restriction, and obviously one they don't enforce, based on your experience. I wonder if they are just trying to eliminate non-rectangular photos hand-cut with scissors or something? ....
I presumed that was to stop people trying to use a photo of themselves the on the beach or the office Christmas party. I don't really think that a trimmed passport photo as "cut down from a larger photograph", but that might just be my perspective.

I applied in the UK using a paper form from the Post Office it didn't ask about other passports/ citizenships and I forgot I was supposed to include a copy, and therefore didn't. Unsurprisingly it didn't cause a problem.
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Old Dec 16th 2016, 1:57 am
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Default Re: Renewing British Passport and the Sizes of Passport Photos

Originally Posted by Steerpike
I'm going through this process now. The instructions include:
"...not be trimmed or cut down from a larger
photograph to the size of a standard passport
photograph."
Seems such an odd restriction, and obviously one they don't enforce, based on your experience. I wonder if they are just trying to eliminate non-rectangular photos hand-cut with scissors or something?


PS - it was very refreshing to see that they've removed that archaic requirement to get a counter-signature from someone in a 'profession'.

PPS - For 'dual nationals' you have to include a full-color copy of your current passport. I presume I can scan that at 200 dpi full color and print out on a decent color printer? Did you include a copy of front/back cover?

PPPS - how did you send the application in? FedEx? Any particular service level?
I helped our son apply for his U.K. Passport this year from the USA.

He used Walgreens photos. (Did not resize with scissors except to cut them into 2 individual photos)

He did have to have a photo signed and the declaration section completed by a professional who had known him for 3 years and could verify that the photo was a true likeness. This was because it had been a long time (10 years) since his old passport had expired.

I scanned his US passport and printed all pages in color on our ink jet printer. Did not scan outside front or back cover but made sure all internal pages were scanned and printed. Took over 3 weeks for him to get the new passport
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Old Dec 19th 2016, 5:51 am
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Default Re: Renewing British Passport and the Sizes of Passport Photos

Originally Posted by durham_lad
I helped our son apply for his U.K. Passport this year from the USA.

He used Walgreens photos. (Did not resize with scissors except to cut them into 2 individual photos)

He did have to have a photo signed and the declaration section completed by a professional who had known him for 3 years and could verify that the photo was a true likeness. This was because it had been a long time (10 years) since his old passport had expired.

I scanned his US passport and printed all pages in color on our ink jet printer. Did not scan outside front or back cover but made sure all internal pages were scanned and printed. Took over 3 weeks for him to get the new passport
I called around; the local CVS guys said they had no knowledge of UK Passports, but the Walgreens guy said they had a template for it. Went there and got what looks to be good pics. Their self-service machine had the UK passport as an option, even. The guy took my photo then used their self-service machines to do the alignment and printing.

So I now have my photos, and the copy of my US passport. How did you send it to the UK? Can I use some FexEx service? I'm in no great hurry but want to be sure it gets there.
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Old Dec 19th 2016, 12:43 pm
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Default Re: Renewing British Passport and the Sizes of Passport Photos

Originally Posted by Steerpike
I called around; the local CVS guys said they had no knowledge of UK Passports, but the Walgreens guy said they had a template for it. Went there and got what looks to be good pics. Their self-service machine had the UK passport as an option, even. The guy took my photo then used their self-service machines to do the alignment and printing.

So I now have my photos, and the copy of my US passport. How did you send it to the UK? Can I use some FexEx service? I'm in no great hurry but want to be sure it gets there.
When did you start sending to the uk,if you live in the states washington dc british embassy is where i renewed mine,also there is setting for various passport photo sizes in some walgreens for many different country sizes,ask to show before you pay....unless your a dumb brit
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Old Dec 19th 2016, 2:51 pm
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Default Re: Renewing British Passport and the Sizes of Passport Photos

Originally Posted by osgood
When did you start sending to the uk,if you live in the states washington dc british embassy is where i renewed mine
For at least two years all passport renewals have had to go to the UK.
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Old Dec 19th 2016, 4:32 pm
  #28  
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Default Re: Renewing British Passport and the Sizes of Passport Photos

Originally Posted by osgood
When did you start sending to the uk,if you live in the states washington dc british embassy is where i renewed mine...
The UK Embassy in DC divested itself of passport renewals several years ago.

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Old Dec 19th 2016, 4:55 pm
  #29  
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Default Re: Renewing British Passport and the Sizes of Passport Photos

Originally Posted by osgood
When did you start sending to the uk,if you live in the states washington dc british embassy is where i renewed mine,also there is setting for various passport photo sizes in some walgreens for many different country sizes,ask to show before you pay....unless your a dumb brit
As I said in my post: "Their [Walgreens] self-service machine had the UK passport as an option".

Address on form is a Durham location.
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Old Dec 19th 2016, 6:36 pm
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Default Re: Renewing British Passport and the Sizes of Passport Photos

My son used Fedex to send in his application. 3 years ago when our daughter applied for her UK passport from California she also used Fedex.

It's pretty nice these days to be able to view the progress on the UK passport website and they record when they have received the documents so you don't simply have to rely on the Fedex tracking service to know that it was delivered. (The application is made online and a form needs to be printed out which has all your input data printed so the application initial status shows "waiting for supporting documention", or similar )
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