Tag: affordable passport photos

Safety tips for a stress-free trip abroad

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

We all have a tendency to get lazy about security when we travel – it is a break from real life after all! But there’s nothing worse than running into problems when abroad. Taking a few simple cautionary steps can help prevent incidents, and ensure they won’t ruin your trip if they happen.

1. Have copies of important documents

Should something happen and you end up losing important documents like your passport, credit cards, national ID, and other sensitive documents, there are steps you can take to ensure you can get these documents replaced quickly. You should always travel with photocopies of these types of documents, and extra prints of your passports photos from Paspic. This will make getting replacements much easier. Having copies will also make it easier for your embassy or security abroad to help you get home.

2. Spread money around

When you pack, both for your trip and just when packing your backpack or purse for the day out, try to keep your money spread around. If you have two credit cards, leave one in the hotel safe. If you have a lot of cash, divide it up to put in different places. This reduces your risk of losing everything if you are pick-pocketed or robbed.

3. Invest in a good purse, bag, or backpack

Nothing makes travelers a better target than when they have their carrying bags open, loosely at their side, or not secured. The best purses for travel should have a zip, buttons, or magnets (or more than one of these things). Backpacks should also have more than just a zip, or at least not lots of smaller zip pockets that could be easily opened without you noticing. If you’re especially worried or going to a less safe area, invest in a money belt or other device that you can wear under your clothes to hold valuables.

4. Look into travel insurance

If for whatever reason, you know you will be traveling with valuables, it doesn’t hurt to look into traveler’s insurance. You can often insure single items of value or insure yourself for any accidents that could happen while abroad. This can give you complete peace of mind while you travel.

Photo: Tourist by iantmcfarland licensed under Creative commons 2

Do I need a passport to travel by train to Canada?

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

Travel to Canada has become a new favorite vacation destination for American families and couples. In fact, it has been steadily growing in popularity over the past decade. The diversity of Canada’s ten provinces and territories has won over Americans looking for a new perspective on our northern neighbor. An emerging trend in tourism to Canadian is by train.

Why travel to Canada?

Top travel professionals rave about the benefits of vacationing in Canada. The country is home to sophisticated urban destinations and quaint countryside villages. The natural wonders of the Canadian landscape include mountain ranges, lakes, and forests. Rarely known fact: in addition to its arctic terrain, there is some desert in Canada, too. Camping, hiking, fishing, and snow sports are popular with locals and tourists. Events and festivals draw a large crowd and loyal following. Gardeners love the flower shows, and the arts and music aficionados gravitate towards the independent film and music events.

Ready to book your trip to Canada?

American citizens should note the passport requirements for entry into Canada. According to the United States Department of State, entry into Canada is bound by Canadian law. Regardless of if you travel by air, train or bus, the law requires that “all persons entering Canada carry both proof of citizenship and proof of identity.” There are several official documents that can satisfy the requirement. American citizens who intend to cross the United States-Canadian border must have of these documents: a passport card, a valid U.S. passport, or NEXUS card. Note: children that are younger than 16 only need proof of present U.S. citizenship.

Fortunately, obtaining the required travel documents to cross the Canadian border are easy. Whether you travel with a passport or passport card, PASPIC will quickly process your passport photo. PASPIC makes the procedure simple. Upload your photo, order your prints, check out and await delivery. Our passport photo experts manually review your uploaded photo to guarantee it meets the US Department of state requirements. Once approved, PASPIC will post your prints and ship first class within two days. Ordering passport pictures with PASPIC is the smart traveler’s choice for quick, quality passport photos at a competitive price. Get your passport photos today to start your adventure tomorrow!

What to do if you lose your passport

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

The worst has happened. No matter where you look, you cannot find your passport. Losing important documents happens to the best of us, and depending on where you are in your travel plans, a lost passport can be a devastating blow. Replacing such an important piece of identification is necessarily difficult, but by keeping calm and following the steps outlined by the state department, you can be traveling sooner than you think.

Is it lost or stolen?

Determining whether your passport is simply misplaced or may have been stolen is an important step. If stolen, your passport may be used in illegal activities such as identity theft and unauthorized travel. In either case, it is important to report as soon as possible. Once reported, it will be invalidated so that it cannot be used or misused.

Fill out the appropriate forms

Depending on where you are and when you need to travel, you may need to take immediate steps to replace your passport. If it is going to be more than two weeks before you travel, you can make an online appointment at a Passport Acceptance Facility such as your local post office or courthouse. If more expedited travel is necessary, you will need to apply in person at your Regional Passport Agency, which may require some travel itself. The form you will need to fill out is DS-11: Application for a U.S. Passport, and it will generate either a DS-82 or DS-5504 depending upon eligibility.

Make sure that your passport photos are acceptable

When applying for your new passport, you will need new passport photos that adhere to the strict standards outlined by the state department. Great care will need to be taken in the following areas

– Exposure of the photograph, not over or underexposed
– Positioning of the camera and subject of the photo
– Overall clarity of the photo and lighting of the subject

Given that these guidelines are so strict, a professional passport photo is often the best way to go. If you need to guarantee your passport pictures are acceptable, use Paspic today to avoid any additional delay to your travel plans.

5 tips for a trouble-free international vacation

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

International travel can be a lot of fun, but make sure you take the time to protect yourself against trouble along the way. A little prep work goes a very long way towards keeping your overseas holiday entertaining and stress-free.

1. Take care of passports early

Make sure you’ve secured passports for everyone going on the trip well in advance, just to be safe. Especially for the passports of any children; a child passport photo can be quite tricky to get through regulations. Consider using an online passport solution so you can use your own camera and handle things on your own schedule.

2. Read up on expected weather

Weather isn’t necessarily going to be like what you see in movies or travel brochures about your destination. Warm climates get chilly or rainy, hot climates get cold, etc. Make sure you know what sort of clothes you should REALLY be packing before you get there, or you’ll spend your trip miserable.

3. Know what can and can’t cross borders

There are a lot of treaties, customs officers and travel safety rules out there between you and your destination. Make sure you don’t get caught up by any of them along the way; rather innocuous items can be a big problem (and things you’d expect to be problems can be totally fine).

4. Make sure you have embassy information handy

If you’re contacting an embassy during an international trip, things aren’t really trouble-free, but it’s better than needing to contact the embassy and not being able to figure out how. Write it down, save it in the phones of everyone traveling with you and do whatever it takes to make sure if anyone needs them, they can reach them.

5. Check up on phone service and other details

It’s easy to get used to certain services being available everywhere – but not every service travels well. Whether it’s your phone service, certain aspects of your health insurance, or any of a dozen other little things you take for granted, not all of them are going to work the same way you expect them to when you start crossing borders. Make sure nothing you’re dependent upon is going to fail you.

Vacationing on a budget: tips to save money on your trip

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

Traveling the world is a unique way to gain knowledge and enrich your life through experiences. While many dream of traveling to their favorite destinations they are often discouraged when considering the cost of traveling, lodging and vacation excursions. These beneficial tips will help you plan your next budget-friendly vacation.

Plan your vacation properly

Planning your vacation will have a positive impact on your bottom line. Be sure to secure your passports and ensure that your passport photo has been approved. If you need to do this in a hurry, use a service like Paspic to make sure your passport photos are suitable for use and avoid any delays. If you can, be sure to schedule your next trip in advance. What places will you visit? Will you stay at a resort? Does your destination experience extreme seasonal changes? Questions such as these will help determine the cheapest time to go and therefore your travel budget.

Travel discounts

While last-minute vacation deals pop up on a regular basis, these discounts are not guaranteed for your date of travel. Make sure you plan your travel far in advance. The more flexible you can be with your travel dates, the more money you can save. Purchase your plane tickets in advance. Make sure that you factor in the cost of carry-on luggage, checked luggage and preferred seating. Don’t wait until you reach the airport to check-in, these fees could increase at the airport.

Use your connections

Social media can be your best friend when it comes to traveling on a budget. Follow major airlines on social media to stay on top of specials and available discounts. Visit the tourist websites of your future travel destinations for discounts and free vouchers to explore tourist attractions and historical sites.

Check the forecast before you go

Weather and temperature changes can not only scupper your travel plans, but they can put a significant dent in your travel budget. Being proactive can save you money in this area. Whether traveling to far-off destinations or taking a quick road trip, make sure you are properly monitoring the weather so you can pack accordingly and avoid unnecessary outlays on new items of clothing and accessories. This will help you determine if you should bring a raincoat, an extra jacket or your snow boots with you. This prevents the need for purchasing these items when you arrive at your destination.

4 places to keep your passport safe

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

How is it that the most important documents of our lives are the same size as a candy bar? Shouldn’t they be the size of a wall to match the weight of their importance? If you’re suffering from a scattered brain before an international flight, you might be even more anxious about bringing your passport because you’re aware of the very real possibility of losing it. That means you’ll want to keep your passport and other important documents in a place you’ll never forget about – such documents include spare passport photos which you should have with you while traveling in the event of an emergency. Here are our top four places to keep your passport.

1. An ankle wallet

Long gone are the days of fanny packs (and good riddance). Now there are ankle wallets you can wear under your clothes, not only assuring that your passport will be safe and sound, but that it’s physically attached to you. So instead of looking like your nanny at an amusement park, you can travel on the sly like Sean Connery as James Bond.

2. A workout band

Not only is this a handy way to store your phone, but you can go even more incognito by slipping your passport behind it in a flexible arm band. The best part about this method is its breathability. Where an ankle wallet may weigh you down and cause you to perspire, which is probably no good if you’re planning a hike up to Machu Picchu, an arm band is usually designed with breathable material.

3. Sew a special patch in your wallet or purse

If you’ve traveled a lot, you know that you should only own one wallet or purse that you use expressly for your adventures. Especially if you’re the “designated mule” who’s in charge of everyone’s stuff! If you’re opposed to carrying your passport or other important items as physical extensions, we recommend you sew a brightly colored patch into your purse or wallet (depending on its size). The action of creating this will definitely leave an impression, and if you chose a nice bright neon or deep red, then you will surely never forget it!

4. Shelling out a book

Ever seen those cute, wooden chests that look exactly like a book? Bring a spare book or Bible and hide the one in your hotel. Arm yourself with an X-Acto knife and cut out a small chunk of the pages, as large as you want, that can fit all of your important items: keys, cellphone, tickets, spare passport photos and, of course, your passport itself. If your hotel room is ever broken in to while you’re on vacation, this cool trick helps conceal your passport and important documents.

3 common sources of holiday travel headaches

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

Thinking about traveling for the holidays? Make sure everything goes smoothly by eliminating your holiday travel headaches BEFORE they arise. These three common sources of woe aren’t the only things that can go wrong while traveling, but they’re very common sources of trouble and are very easily dealt with if you plan in advance.

Poor packing

Whether it’s a suitcase full of flight contraband, inadequate laundry for the trip, forgotten toiletries, or broken electronics, poor packing can turn holiday cheer sour in a hurry. Take the time to read up on both general packing tips for safe and effective packing and tips specific to your travel route, to avoid various headaches with airport security, customs, and gatekeepers. You might be surprised by what can’t travel in a cargo hold or cross national borders legally.

Passport woes

One that takes many people traveling across national borders by surprise, passport headaches can become holiday-ruining nightmares if you don’t plan ahead. Perhaps the most important tip for dealing with passports in general would be to read up on all the finicky details. Whether it’s the long list of minor imperfections that can render your passport photos unacceptable or the strict rules governing paperwork, it’s easy to mess up at any stage if you don’t do your homework, but trivial to keep up with it all if you do. Read up, use a reliable passport photo service, and you’ll be fine.

Failure to keep tabs on travel changes

Make sure you have a reliable source of notifications for your travel route. If your plane, train, or bus is going to be delayed, you need to know immediately. If your driving route is closed due to an accident, dangerous due to a storm, or frozen solid – you need to know immediately. The better you can stay informed of conditions along your route, the faster you’ll be able to make adjustments and get back on track.

The holidays are supposed to be fun, so don’t let holiday travel become an annual nightmare you dread. Take your time, plan right, and make the whole thing move along smoothly.

I lost my passport traveling! What do I do?

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

There is no worse feeling while traveling abroad than discovering your passport isn’t where you left it. If you don’t find it after digging through all your portable belongings, there is a good chance it is either lost or stolen. Now, this is a good time to remind you to always have a photocopy of your passport stuffed safely away in another area of your luggage. With that said, here are the steps you need to follow should you no longer have your passport.

Contact the Embassy

First, you need to contact the U.S. embassy in the country you are in. You may need to put some travel on hold as exiting the country you’re in is likely not a possibility. When you contact the embassy, you need to tell them your passport is lost or stolen. While talking with the consular, you need to inform them if you were directly involved in a crime (is there a police report?) or if the passport is simply misplaced. You’ll also need to tell them when you’re planning on exiting the country. This is important as the embassy can issue either a full passport or an emergency passport.

Take a new passport photo

You’ll need to head out to the embassy. Thankfully, this is easier to do in most countries as there is a U.S. embassy in most large cities. Take passport photos before going. You’ll be able to find passport photo locations at most photo or travel centers. Again, it is a good idea to have backup passport photos with you while traveling internationally.

Complete the documentation

When you visit the embassy, you’ll need to fill out a statement regarding what happened to your previous passport. You’ll also need to fill out an application for a new passport. During this application, you need the passport photos, a form of ID (your driver’s license works), travel itinerary (your return plane ticket works) and evidence you are a U.S. citizen. This is where having the photocopy of the passport or birth certificate helps. In a pinch, your driver’s license may suffice.

Pay and wait

You’ll need to the $140 fee for a new passport. You’ll also need to wait a few days for the new passport to be issued. The emergency passport will be issued in 24 hours, but that only lets you get into the U.S. If you can, wait the few days for the new passport.

Passports for internationally adopted children

Published on in photography, travel by Paspic

Over the years, US families have had the interest of adopting children from different countries around the world. It is a good way to help families to grow, but because of child trafficking that has hit the world, there are legal procedures that must be followed for a child passport to be issued. Obtaining passports, citizenship, and visas are some of the things the new parents should ensure the adopted child has. So as the child can be eligible for a passport, some criteria should be followed because the children were not born in the United States.

Obtaining citizenship

So that the child can be issued with a passport, citizenship must be proofed for the child who is adopted. There are countries which participate in Hague convention, and if a child is adopted from such countries then obtaining citizenship can be easy. The admission of the children in the country is under IH-4 visa or IH-3 visa, whereby IH-4 visa is for children adopted in the U.S while IH-3 visa is for those that are adopted in their country. As long as they have the visa, it is lawful.

The process of application

If the child is from a country not involved in the Hague Convention, there are some forms which should be filled so that they can be granted the visas. Once the documentation is through, for them to obtain a passport, it is the same process as for an American child. Some of the relevant documents include certificate of citizenship of the child; a certificate of adoption; photographs of the parents; passport photo; and consent from both parents. Initially, the application must be submitted manually by those concerned, since there is legislation that does not allow children who are under the age of 16 years to renew their passport through mailing.

A DS-11 form must also be filled, and the submission should be through a legal and approved passport office. Though one may feel that obtaining a passport for children who have been adopted internationally is a complicated process, it is not. All you need is to be thorough with the course of getting citizenship, and you follow suits just like the other citizens. The process can be hastened by working with a passport office.