AmerLisa

We're coming up to 2 weeks (our cc was charged April 1st) Should be interesting to see if it comes this week.

anne55

I know how you feel Oh well just sit tight then and hope it will show this week:

lansbury

I was thinking the same when I read Dean's post. Wonder just how much the chech in staff know about them. Be interesting to hear from anyone who has used one.

UKng

Finally, after 2 months I receive an email rejecting the photo's sent. But as I sent in 3 passports, it doesn't say whether its all 3 or just one set that is not good. Marvelous. Beats me how you can accommodate the stupid photo rules anyway, it says don't trim to size, but most passport photo shops here only cater for US style photo's, the photographers have no idea what the Brits want and can't be bothered. Jeez, this is going to take forever.

steevun

Was it rejected for the photo size?.. It has been stated multiple times - and even by Dean - that US passport sized photos are acceptable and they will just trim them down to size at the passport processing office.

Was anyone "smiling/grinning" or was the face size too big?.. My sister got her photo taken at CVS but they blew up her head so that it covered about 90% of the photo area and I warned her that it might be too large, so she got another set taken..

UKng

As far as I remember, we checked the requirements and they met what was stated. Only one dubious was my wife wears specs, so maybe that's the one. did CVS have any experience with the requirements? We just got told, we only do US reg photos so take it or leave it.

steevun

I'm not sure about CVS.. I did my passport photos at FedEx Kinkos with regular US passport photo requirements.. I measured from my chin to the top of my head and it was exactly 29mm.. From what I've read, minimum is 29mm and maximum is 34mm..

However, when my sister did hers at CVS, it measured 39mm, obviously too large for UK requirements.. So she just did 'em again and asked the photographer to not make her head so large..

My passport application was received in Washington exactly 4 weeks ago and my money order has not yet been cashed.. I'm hoping that I don't receive an email saying that US passport photos are no longer being accepted..

UKng

Compare this UK process to the USA Passport service. $165, returned in less than 2 weeks for a new application, process tracking available online.
Why did it take 2 months for Washington to reject due to photo's?, don't they precheck appplications for accuracy on receipt? or does taking payment in 4 weeks, then another 4 weeks to process meet the criteria for saying 4 weeks processing time.

eris123

We've done 1 US passport renewal, 1 new adult (which you have to do if you got your previous one during childhood), and 1 child with custody complications passport all in under 2.5 weeks from the US government. None of those passports required long form birth certificates (only short form) or any kind of special processing times. In fact the only one that required any additional paperwork besides the application and previous passport was the child one (and I only had to send her short form birth certificate and proof that I had full custody because my ex was unavailable to sign the app). I had to order a long form birth certificate for the first time in 24 years of life to send off with my UK passport application. I didn't even know such a thing existed before 2 months ago!

Well I'm frustrated, that is all.

anne55

Don't know if this will help when getting the new photo or photos doneI got mine done at Walgreen's and they have the option for UK passport size photo's as well as US size. I am in B.m F..k Egypt Virginia, so I would think this would be available at all Walgreen's.

Bob

Probably because when they process stuff, they process stuff, till then, it's sitting in a pile with the rest.

The US isn't especially magical in their ability, it is their home turf so they've obviously got more resources on the processing.

Bob

You can't really compare the two...the US also issues new birth certificates for adopted kids, which the UK doesn't, so they need the extra info to see if a person is eligible for the passport, part of why it's a good idea to register a child born abroad.

And the US can take their time processing their passports as well, the missus had to wait 8 weeks for hers, so it's all swings and round abouts.

celticgrid

+1 for Walgreens.

They take the photo and then their machine clicks through a whole load of different options, including UK Passport, and automatically sizes the output accordingly. Doesn't cost any extra.

Unfortunately the machine doesn't improve the look of the subject...

UKng

That's some useful info, thanks!

mama4mia

Update for my son's passport. After contacting the careline for the 2nd time on Monday, I was told that they would be looking into its whereabouts and would be contacted within 72 hours. Well what do you know...the passport showed up this morning!!! It was shipped yesterday! I don't know if it was my constant hassling that did it but it does seem to be a bit of a coincidence that it showed up within the 72 hours when supposedly it still was not in the "system".
Anyway I felt like throwing a big party!! It took nearly 8 weeks from the mailing date (feb 16th) and over 4 weeks from the payment date (mar 10th).
Good luck to all those still waiting.