PASSPORT PHOTOS - TAKING YOUR OWN

[Suze1 366]

PASSPORT OFFICE PHOTO EXPERIENCE WARNING

Many passport acceptance agencies/locations offer passport photo taking services.

And many pharmacies, copy shops, and photography studios do, as well.

As long as you know the requirements, you can also create your own.

Don't feel overly pressured by anybody to use their "services".

 

Here is what our experience was like recently:

 

We took our own passport photo, at home. We took a lot - Some in the garage, some outside, some in the living room, some with a white board behind, etc.

 

When we got to the court house to submit the application, the clerk said she thought the background was too dark.

We did not think so, but we went back home, and took some more.

We even went to a CVS where they do passport photos. But when we compared their samples with ours, ours looked better.

 

When we went back to the court house with the newer, even better one we took, she still said, "It was not like the ones she is 'used to seeing'".

She went in the back of the office to speak with her supervisor, we saw the supervisor nod (agreement-type nod), and when came back out she said it "might" be okay, and then repeated her line about "Well...it is just not like what she is used to seeing'.

We told her we think it is fine. We have both had many passports and we know what a passport photo is supposed to look like.

So, we told her we are going with the one we had. She shrugged her shoulders and accepted the package.

 

The whole time she was pushing hard for us to pay for their photo-taking service. The photographer was right there, and the photo-taking room was right in front of her station.

We felt like she was trying to push her photo services and was biased.

 

Between the two visits, we ran into the photographer in the hallway, and showed him our photos, and he said they looked fine to him, too.

We made the call and went with the one we took.

And we got the passport with no problems whatsoever.

 

So, you can just go with their photographer, or not. Don't get railroaded by anybody.

 

(Not that it is very expensive, but, don't fall for any nonsense. We are DIY kind of people.)

Edited July 18, 2020 by Suze1

[Suze1 366]

GOT NATURALIZATION CERTIFICATE BACK!!!

Just got naturalization certificate back! A little bent here-and-there, but overall in decent shape.

Except for updating SSA and DMV am TOTALLY DONE now. YAAAY!

 

[kiwibean 43]

I always take my own passport photos, and I've never had any problems with them.   I've had my husband hold up a white sheet in the background, and also used a white(ish) wall.