Not a personal experience on this passport photo subject, but an observation. My daughter and her husband are about to apply for a passport for their four-month-old son, in preparation for a trip to NZ next year. It seems from what others have said that they are going to have to attempt to get the "perfect" photo of their very active and fidgety little boy, and then the photo is valid for 5 years! By the time they travel next year it will look nothing like him. He's already changed out of all recognition .... so why the pernickety 'rules'. What a crazy system. - John Wilson, Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan
I also used Check and Send to renew my passport, which was due to run out in November. On September 19, I paid £47 + £7 for Check and Send. One week later the Passport Office wrote to say that my photograph did not meet their requirements, and as I was due to go abroad at the end of the month in order to receive my passport on time I would have to pay £48. So it cost me £95 in total. I went back to the Post Office to complain and to ask for a refund of £7, they were not at all pleased, but they did give me £7 refund saying that they could ill afford to do so - C Armstrong, Surrey
I needed to renew my passport recently - because of trips and time slots available to me I decided to do this in person in London. I obtained the renewal form from my local Post Office, and because we had previously used the Check & Send service successfully for another family member, I also used the photo booth there. I had read the guideline sheet on photos, and as I wear glasses I took particular care, which resulted in three attempts before I was happy with the result – happy, that is, that I hadn’t contravened the guidelines, though the colouring was weak and somewhat bleached – but I put this down to vanity – after all, I was 10 years older. When I went to the London office for my appointment I was told that the photograph was not acceptable, as there was a slight shine on the top of my glasses, though my irises could be clearly seen. As I’d planned a day off work to do this errand I wasn’t pleased, but followed the advice to use the photo booth on the same floor of the building. Good advice too, as the result had much better colour reproduction, and was accepted back at the counter with the comment “that’s much better, you looked quite ill in the other one” – which I have to say was quite true. When I received (only days later) the completed passport by post, though, the whole photo was covered with a hologram with the symbols of the UK over the centre. Lesley Bright, via e-mail
I just had my photo taken at the Post Office for $15. The clerk took me around the side of the counter and had me stand in front of a blank wall. I'm 6'3 and she was 5'3. I had to bend my knees with my torso pressed against the wall in order to line up with the viewfinder. The results are pretty gruesome. It'll be just my luck that the photos will be accepted. - Prentice Slaten, Los Angeles
I re-newed my passport in person at the Passport Office - but was told my photo was unacceptable as one ear was covered by my hair. Luckily the office has a photo booth for such incidents. In the (accepted) replacement photo I made sure my shoulder length hair was pulled back but both my ears were still no less visible as I am not exactly Dumbo. - Caroline Mair, London
I am getting the runaround. First photos taken at the Co-op turned out to be far too pale; second time, trying to make the photo darker, my face turned a shade of caramel. Another quick photo, another store, my hair completely disappeared into the background. Next time, sitting in the middle of a large studio, a professional photographer took the picture - seemed perfect at the time, but, oh no, returned by the Passport Office because my head was too small! Tried again, the following week, this time, at another local shop and picture taken by assistant. Sent it off but expecting it to be returned because I have brown eyes and maybe they will disappear also. Will keep you posted and it's a good job I'm not going on holiday until next year! - Name and address supplied
We were planning to go to Spain for Christmas, so required a passport for our 10 month-old son. We spent about three hours trying to get the right photo. (Eyes open, sitting up, mouth closed, looking straight at the camera, no one holding him, etc. etc.). We had everything checked by the Post Office, and despite his tongue sticking out a bit, they reckoned it would be okay. On Saturday we received a letter from the passport office because the photo was unacceptable. My son's head wasn't straight enough – it was tilted by less than five degrees to the right. We will have another photo marathon this week, but if they don't accept the next photo, then we will have to wait until our baby can understand enough to hold his head straight, not blink, keep his tongue in and all the other constraints he has to meet to pass the passport office requirements. Simon Willis, Wokingham
I applied for a passport for my one year-old daughter and also used the check and send service at the Post Office (extra £7). There was a query as to whether her photo was too close but it was checked with the manager and said to be okay. I received a letter on Wednesday to say that her mouth was open with her teeth showing (her mouth was slightly open and you can only just see her two bottom teeth). This angered me as the photos were taken at an official passport office photographers. I called the passport office and was told that the computer does not recognise teeth (I thought that a photo was to recognise the person not the teeth) and that the photo is unacceptable. I took her back to the shop to have some more photos taken (at no extra cost, courtesy of the manager), and after about seven or eight attempts we managed to get a photo with her mouth shut. So now we are waiting to see if this photo is acceptable. Andrea Frederick, Middlesex
Like many his age, my son has rather prominent front teeth. His adult teeth have emerged but his jaws have not yet grown to adult size. Visible teeth proved to be unacceptable by the passport office. The rejection was on the grounds that the face must be expressionless. It was, but I assume exposed teeth are regarded as indicative of a smile. I sent a replacement photo, he had to pucker his lips to hide the teeth and his mouth looks like a cat's arse - but that was accepted. Rob Hindle, Sheffield
Two weeks ago on Monday I filled in the forms, got my photo's from the local chemist, made out a cheque and sent them off with my current passport for a renewal. I was not travelling for at least four weeks, so I assumed this would be long enough. It was! Friday the same week a nice lady personally delivered my new passport five days after the old one left my hand. Do everything right and the system really works. Brian Childs, Leicestershire
Sorry if this goes against the grain, but I am delighted with the service I received when renewing my passport. Posted on Tuesday and returned on Saturday. My first thought was that I had made an error in the application, but no, all was in order. My second thought was that the passport agency must be overmanned and underworked, but that is an extremely unfair way to reward diligent service! Cameron Miller, Edinburgh
A nail-biting few days waiting for the postman on the lead-up to a holiday are my enduring memories of renewing a passport. My only advice to readers - leave twice as much time as you are told to get a new passport - and check the expiration date months before the holiday, not hours before take-off. Jean Haly, Southampton
Yes, my passport photo was indeed rejected, on the basis that I was smiling. This was not the case at all, I had a closed mouth with the tiniest upturn on the edges, quite like the gentleman in the brochure they supply. In the photo they accepted, I look absolutely dreadful, a real sourpuss. But at least they're happy - Karen Foster, Marlow, Bucks
