Month: June 2019

It’s become a common practice for people to filter their photos. This is thanks to apps like Snapchat and Instagram, both of which have software that gives quick and varied ways of making a picture truly unique before it’s posted online. The question is: can you use a filter on your passport photo? Here’s what you need to know as you prepare to snap your picture.

Are filters allowed?

No, unfortunately not. While this might be bad news for some people who love nothing more than adding a filter their photos, the passport guidelines are pretty clear that the image must be a ‘true likeness’ of the person in the picture. This means that even the slightest tint can flag up questions over whether the photo is accurate enough to be processed along with a passport application.

Has this been tested?

You’re not the first person to question putting a filter on your passport photo. In fact, the passport office was so overrun with filtered photos in 2017 that it had to release further guidance on the matter. A spokesperson said: “The latest Snapchat trend is perfect for happy, funny social media posts, but we must remind the public that these photographs are entirely unsuitable from an international security perspective.”

What can you do?

You’re probably keen to use a filter so that you can guarantee you’re happy with your passport photo. This is understandable. Luckily, this can still be achieved now that you can take your photos at home. It allows you more opportunity to take several images and inspect them all thoroughly to lock down one that you’re happy with. This beats visiting a photo booth, only to find yourself rushed to use the facility and move on.

One last step…

Once you have taken a picture that you’re happy with, your safest bet is to then send it over to Paspic. You’ll be given assurance that your image meets the official guidelines before you send it off with your passport application. In addition, you’ll also be able to get the hard copies posted straight to your address.

There might well come a point when you just can’t stand to look at your existing passport photo. Whether it’s because you’ve matured a lot since it was taken or whether you’ve changed your style, the sight of it might very well cause you to cringe. If the picture really gets you down then you might want to take action. The question is: can you change your existing passport photo? Let’s look at what you need to know if you choose to go down this route.

Can you change it?

An adult passport lasts for 10 years under most circumstances. During this time the only way to change the picture would be to apply for a renewal. This would mean going through the passport process again and that any time you have remaining on your current passport will be lost.

How much does it cost?

The price varies depending on which way you renew your passport. It’s £75.50 if you do it online or £85 if you fill out the paper form. You will incur additional costs if you go through a fast-track process.

It is worth it?

This question can only be answered by you. You might be particularly sensitive about the picture if you regularly use your passport as a form of ID or if you go abroad quite often. Ultimately, an unfavourable photo is upsetting but it’s up to you to decide whether you can live with it.

Where does the process begin?

You can move ahead with your renewal at any point. Judging by your circumstances, you will probably find it beneficial to first start by taking a new passport photo and ensuring you can get it right. This time you should take it in a place where you’re comfortable, like your own home, before having it checked over by Paspic.

It’s your decision!

If you do decide to move ahead with a passport renewal, don’t forget that you can take advantage of the service provided by Paspic. You’ll not only have peace of mind that the image is suitable and will be accepted alongside your application, but you will also have hard copies sent to your address.

It’s never been more convenient to secure passport photos. After all, you can now take the photo from your own home! Since you no longer need to visit a photo booth, the only thing you really need to do to start the process is to find a suitable spot in your property. The question is: where’s the best place to take a passport picture in your home? This is what you need to know to make sure things run smoothly.

Think of the background

Unfortunately, you can’t just take your picture in any old place like you would with a normal selfie. Instead, you’ll have to position yourself in front of a suitable background. The official guidelines state that the spot you choose must be ‘a plain light-coloured background’. This rules out any spots where there may be patterned wallpaper or brightly coloured paint in the shot.

Watch out for light

It’s vital that you pay close attention to the lighting when choosing a place in your home. This is because your photo might be deemed unacceptable if ‘there are any shadows on your face or behind you’. If it’s determined that there are shadows in the image, it’s possible that your picture will be refused and you will have to submit another.

Find somewhere quiet

The actual passport guidelines don’t specify that you should take your photos in an area that is quiet. However, it’s certainly in your interest to do so! There are quite a number of rules to familiarise yourself with before getting in front of the lens and you’ll need to focus on adhering to these as you pose for the photo. If you’re distracted or struggling to concentrate it’s likely that you’ll fall short of meeting all the criteria.

Good luck!

Don’t worry, you’ll find the process to be simple and convenient. The best part is that after you’ve taken a passport photo that you’re happy with you can have it checked over by Paspic. This will give you peace of mind that it’s suitable, as well as ensure you have hard copies posted straight to your home.

It can be notoriously difficult to sit a child down for a passport photo. In fact, the passport office has even recognised that it’s no walk in the park by making some guidelines age-specific. For instance, anyone who’s six or under don’t have to be looking directly at the camera or have a neutral expression on the image. As you familiarise yourself with these rules, you should probably start thinking about the perfect opportunity to take your child’s passport photo. How about right after school when they first get home? Here’s how this timeframe could potentially make the task much easier.

Polished appearance

Your son or daughter will be guaranteed to look dapper on their passport picture if they’re wearing a smart school uniform. Yes, they might need a comb running through their hair and a tissue to wipe their nose, but after this, you’re probably looking at a generally presentable passport photo. Don’t forget, the image can always be used for non-passport purposes, such as if you were to share it with relatives.

Little energy

It’s rare that a youngster ever appears to be running low on energy. However, you might find that they take a while to snap out of first gear after finishing a day at school. There’s a small window where you can hopefully convince your child to sit still without fear that they’ll be raring to do something else.

Free time

You and your child can take your time when you choose to snap a passport photo after school. After all, in the morning you’ve got the school run and in the evenings you’ve got dinner time, bath time and bedtime. You should find that the process runs much smoother for everyone involved if you’re less pressed for time. It also reduces the likelihood of submitting a picture that will be rejected for not meeting the guidelines.

Good luck!

Hopefully, you won’t need luck if you’re well prepared for taking your son or daughter’s passport photo. Remember that you can always have its quality double checked by sending it over to Paspic. This way you’ll have assurance that you won’t need to go through the rigmarole again, as well as benefiting from the convenience that comes from taking the photos at home.

It’s more than possible to independently complete the majority of your passport application – that is until you require a countersignature. This is a person who can vouch for your identity by signing the back of one of your passport photos. The problem is that this individual can’t just be anyone from your life. Instead, it has to be a person who meets certain strict criteria. With this in mind, let’s take a look at which people can sign a passport.

Who can you choose?

It’s not as easy as just picking any friend, neighbour or family member and hoping that this person will suffice. Instead, the countersignature must be someone who you’ve known for two years or more, who isn’t a family member and who doesn’t currently live at your address. In addition, you can’t be in a relationship with them. They must also be a ‘person of good standing in the community’. Ultimately, this means that they must be part of a certain profession.

Which professions qualify?

There are more than 40 professions deemed acceptable to make someone qualify as an appropriate countersignature. The list of occupations includes police officers, doctors, barristers, journalists, civil servants, airline pilots and funeral directors. You’ll need to familiarise yourself with the full list to decide which person from your life would be the most suitable and practical choice.

What do they need to do?

The countersignature just needs to write ‘I certify that this is a true likeness of [title and full name of adult or child who is getting the passport]’ on the back of one of your passport photos, with their signature and the date. This then means that your passport application can be processed without any doubt over your true identity.

Good luck!

Don’t forget that you’ll first need to have suitable passport pictures before you can recruit a countersignature. The best way to do this is by using the service provided by Paspic. This way you’ll be able to take the photos from home, be confident that they meet the government guidelines and have the hard copies sent straight to your address to be signed by your countersignature.

It might have been quite some time since you last took a passport photo. Due to this, you’re probably wondering if the process has changed since the last time you posed for one. The answer is yes – especially if you previously went to take yours at a public photo booth. With this in mind, let’s look at how you now get a new passport photo.

Where do you start?

You could always go to a photo booth to attain the pictures that you need for your passport. This, however, is no longer the quickest and most efficient way to go about it. Instead, you can now save time and money by taking your passport photo yourself at home or at another location that’s convenient for you.

What should you know?

It’s really as easy as it sounds. The first step will be to read over the rules surrounding passport photos, paying special attention to the instructions about the angle of the shot and how your facial expression should be. You’ll also need to choose a spot in your home where there’s a clear background.

What if you’re unsure?

You’d be right to question whether you’ve managed to take a picture that fully meets the guidelines. Thankfully, you can get assurance on this by sending the photo over to Paspic. The service is there to guarantee that the picture will be accepted and that there will be no delays to your application.

What comes next?

Paspic will provide you with both the digital and hard copies of your passport photos. You’ll then be able to submit them with your application depending on whether you complete the process online or by paper.

Is that the end?

Paspic has an amazing record, with 99.5% of pictures being approved upon first submission. This means that the process will be over until the next time you require a new passport picture, which if you’re an adult potentially won’t be for another 10 years.

Good luck!

It won’t be long until you’ve got your new passport in your hand. Hopefully, you’ll likely find the picture-taking process to be rather straightforward and without problems – especially if you use the service provided by Paspic.

Your child will need a passport if they are to leave the country – even if they’re just a few days old. Due to this, you’ll need to go through the passport application process if you want to take your baby abroad. You might ask: how much will this cost? Here’s what you need to know about the price of baby passports and what you can expect when applying.

What’s the cost?

Your baby will require a child’s passport, which is currently priced at £49. This might seem like a hefty sum but it’s still cheaper than adult passports, which will set you back £75.50. Unfortunately, you don’t quite get the same value for money because a child’s passport is only valid for five years before it must be renewed. This will be the case until your son or daughter turns 16, when at that point they’ll be eligible for an adult passport, which lasts for 10 years.

How long is the process?

You can expect to have the passport in your hands around three weeks after submitting the application. If you are in a hurry then you can go down a fast track route, which takes just one week. However, this will bump up the cost considerably and you’ll be faced with a bill of £122 for the passport.

What else should you know?

You can speed up the process by getting your head around the passport photo rules, which are different for babies than they are for adults. In particular, babies do not have to be looking at the camera or even have their eyes open. This should make the picture-taking process run a little smoother and less stressful. Best of all, you can even take it at home! Afterwards, you can further eliminate any possible delays or expenditure by having the picture checked over by Paspic to ensure that it will be accepted along with the application.

Good luck!

The baby passport process shouldn’t be too difficult, especially if you enlist the services of Paspic. We’ll give you peace of mind that the passport photos you’re submitting meet all the guidelines, as well as send you the hard copies of the picture.

You’ll need a headshot to support your passport application. This is a picture that meets the strict government guidelines which needs to be flashed when you leave or enter different countries. The majority of people are understandably quite precious over the photo and want to submit one where they look their best. The question is: where can you take passport photos near you? Let’s explore your two main options.

Head out

A photo booth was traditionally the only real means of a person securing a passport photo before going abroad. You can still go down this route if you want, but it will first mean tracking one down. Photo booths have historically been found in supermarkets and shops, however, there are now fewer machines dotted around than ever before. Depending on where you live, finding a photo booth might rely on going into numerous stores or possibly asking your friends or neighbours if they know where one is located. This might make for a time-consuming and frustrating process, so you’ll soon discover why photo booths have become a rarity.

Stay in

Where can you take passport photos near you? Well, funnily enough, you’re probably already in the best spot to take them – your home! It’s now easier than ever to stay put and snap the images without stepping out. The process just starts with familiarising yourself with the government guidelines (including information about your facial expression) before taking the photos against a clear wall. You’ll have plenty of time afterwards to make sure you’re happy with your appearance. The images can then be analysed to make sure that they’re appropriate and will be accepted if you submit them to a service like Paspic. Don’t worry, the hard copies will also be posted to you so you’ll have these in your possession in no time whatsoever.

It’s your choice!

Ultimately the decision lies with you when it comes to where you take passport photos near you, but you’ll surely agree that the convenience of taking them from work or home – or wherever you are – is just too much to resist. Once you’ve snapped the pictures, be sure to take advantage of the service provided by Paspic.