Passport Renewal Problem

[mintymow]

Both mine and my husbands passport need renewing. We got the pack from the PO and filled out all the relevant details. When it came to the photo there were a large number of guide lines to follow but nonetheless we decided to do our own. We had decided to use the PO Check and Send service at the PO and when we first presented the renewal it was refused because our eyes on the photo were not within a specifically specified area which was not set out in the booklet. We duly made the necessary adjustment, took it back to the PO and paid our £8.15 per passport to have them checked and sent, successfully this time. We have since had a letter from the Passport Office saying that the photos were not of a professional quality and that only photos taken by a professional photographer were acceptable. This we have now done, paying £10 for two sets. My query is, since the PO accepted the photos and sent them off, and that now they have been rejected, do we have the right to claim back our money. Surely the PO should know if only professional photos were acceptable. The Passport Office even hinted that the photo booths were not acceptable. Has anyone else had this problem, I would appreciate your comments.

[jd_here]

Bit like Ryanair Minty, they make up their own rules to help you part with your cash as often as they can!

[douglas9401]

I've just sent away for a digital tachograph card which, like the passport form, has an adhesive panel for sticking the proper sized photo to the form. I had the photos done at a local shop who advertised passport, licence etc approved prints. I ended up having to trim the beggar to fit. Seems you can't win.
The PO give the impression that they know what they're doing but request something like a proof of posting certificate and you may find, depending on the operative that they either do or no longer do those.
Hope it's sorted soon and you have a good holiday. :)

[rojash]

"saying that the photos were not of a professional quality and that only photos taken by a professional photographer were acceptable"

This is taking the p1ss. When we renewed ours I was surprised that they wouldn't accept a digital picture, so off we went, paid a fortune to have pics taken by a pro. Back came our passports. They'd scanned the photos to convert them to digital images, and mucked around with them to the point where the cheapest mobile phone could have produced a better and more accurate result.

[ChuckFickens]

They don't claim to check the photograph is OK.

http://www.direct.gov...information/DG_174154

[ichkeria]

That's very odd.
Photo booth photos are self-proclaimed passport standard, high-quality digital.
If you go to a "professional" photographer he/she is going to take -- high quality digital photos. I've used both recently and they were indistinguishable in quality.
If the PO sent off a sub-standard set of photos then I'd have thought you could indeed claim.

[kaw69]

Last month my passport came up for renewal for a hol planned for in Dec.
Went to P.O. for form and was told by the cashier that the photo booth costs £4 and that for £4.99 I could get a guaranteed photo from a local Max Spielman, Boots, Timpson shop and if in the unlikely event it got rejected they gave you another set free of charge until it got accepted, good advice from the cashier.

[paddywak]

When we renewed our passports the local PO had a guy who took the photos in shop he printed them out and checked them with a lay over grid While explaining the different parameters they had to meet for the biometrics to work. Took three times for Trish two for myself. Cost a Tenner and got the passports back within a week and we also each got a pair of spare photos

[mintymow]

Thanks for your comments everyone. It seems we are probably between a rock and a hard place. Will probably try to claims back the money from the PO, but won't hold my breath.

[boxtops]

My OH has recently renewed his - he had the photos done in the photobooth at the PO and sent the forms in via the PO service - no problem. His new passport was back within the week.

Mine - I took the photos in said booth and the PO criticised my hairstyle and that I had my specs on (which go dark with flash) - so I had another set done immediately - in a bad mood - with hair scragged back and no specs. I look like a demented Russian grandmother, but disappointing the PO (and the passport checkers) seem to think it looks like me :-(

[mintymow]

I know where you're coming from Boxtops, with mine I'm only missing a number running across the front. They say the camera never lies but I' hoping to does :)

[theshedman]

When I renewed ours I just took a dozen or so photos taken against a white sheet and picked the one that looked most like the one on the passport application form, printed it out and sent that in. I used printer settings to get it the right size. They accepted that with no problems.

[cathfromsaron]

i would certainly make an official complaint and expect to get my £8.15 returned, if i followed their advice and it was wrong!

[spudqueen]

When I renewed my passport earlier this year I paid for the Post Office check and send service, and they checked my photographs. However, the application was returned to me by the Passport Office as my photos weren't right - apparently my head was 'tilted or to one side'. I had to get new photos done, but I'm sure that when the Passport Office wrote to me they also included a letter for me to take to the Post Office (along with my receipt from them) to claim back the fee.