uknobby

Hey all,

Know this question has been asked hundreds of times but i'm confused. Read all old threads and they all contradict themselves with different info has anyone renewed there UK passport from the US lately and what size pictures did you send.

Some posts say send US size its ok and some say print your own some say walgreens can do some say they cant lol but on the UK site it states they must be 45x35 mm and they must be printed professionally.

My passport expires in December and just want to get this done so any help would be greatly appreciated.

ian-mstm

US size is fine, and they don't need to be done professionally.

Ian

uknobby

Thanks for that Ian

Bob

US passport size is fine, they'll get scanned and resized as needed by the passport processing folks.

All that other info is on people who want to get photo's done by someone else, you can do the pics yourself if you want and either print them yourself, or use something like epassportphoto.com to string out a bunch and get them printed yourself or use somewhere like target/walmart etc, whatever you fancy.

Linda44

We used Walgreens for our sons visa renewal and he had to get them redone at the embassy as the background was too light. I scanned them into our computer to upload when I completed the visa application, but I didn't alter them in any way.
I wonder why it's Ok to use US size passport photos when the website specifically says "please make sure your photos meet IPS standards"?
http://www.direct.gov.uk/prod_consum.../dg_174925.pdf

Curious as our son will need to renew his next year.

ian-mstm

Because the web site and PDF file were never altered for those situations where the UKC is applying for a UK passport from outside the UK.

Ian

LA12345

I just got off the phone with the UK passport office. It's actually a "pay as you go" outsourced company that the passport office evidently now use. The agent "Steve" 100% assured me that any photos sent in as either 2x2 or cropped in any way, professionally or otherwise, would cause the application to be rejected.

He said they were aware of the problem in the USA of finding 35x45 mil photos without cropping, and added somewhat unhelpfully that the advice they give is to find a "specialist" (sic) photographer with the ability to print at 35x45 without cropping.

I see a few other posts that say they sent in 2x2 photos that were accepted. It sounds like it depends who you get on the day, and how pedantic they're feeling.

Here's the "passport advice line" number. It's 24 hour.

+44 20 8082 4721

Bob

He was probably just a lazy shit.

Seems far more people, including the Brit Consul, here, have sent in US sized photos without issue, just as long as everything else fit the requirement.

The actual size of the picture isn't really an issue as it is scanned and resized these days anyway.

LA12345

Yep. As I said, it sounds like you pays your money and takes your chances. There are people on forums saying they had theirs returned, and as you say, just as many people saying they had no problems. It probably comes down to whether or not you have the time to risk the 3 weeks added that it takes to send it all in again.

I have time so I'm gonna roll the dice and risk the 2x2. I'll let you know which side of the proverbial line the ball bounces. With the disclaimer that my finding the right or wrong guy on the day is no indication of someone else finding them too, for good or ill!

Cheers

BritInParis

As long as all the other requirements are met, the spare space either side of a US passport photo doesn't matter. It's cropped out when it's scanned anyway. Worst case scenario, they'll ask you for another set.

MattySD

Thank you all for this thread - my UK passport is due for renewal in March of next year so I'm thinking ahead and will be applying just after Christmas, which should leave plenty of time. When I saw the differences in passport photo size standards - 51mm x 51mm vs 45mm x 35mm it concerned me, however in the light of what's here I will send US standard photos and hope I don't get an overly fussy person processing my application!