passport photo issues

I did my own against a magnolia wall. No problem getting it accepted.

Warmglovesandsocks I have the same problem saying that my eyes could not be seen. I tried on different phones with different people taking the photo and none worked, including a photo booth.
I went to a photo shop who took photos but have not yet tried to use them (as I was so bored with the problems) and now realise from posts here that I cannot use them as they are too old.
I only want a passport for ID as I do not have a driving licence. Why is it so difficult?

I had to have several photos done as I had a complaint that my eyes couldn’t be seen! Finally I went to a photo shop that solved the problem!

Doodledog I had a similar problem with taking and then uploading a recent photo….i didn’t take the photo well and just thought oh well! Continued to payment and waited for the knock back!

Imagine my surprise when my new passport arrived -they had simply used my old photo from 10 +years ago 😀

I used this passport in December 2025 and when going thru Immigration, I was nervous…they did the eye scan and thumb print and I was expecting to hear a question about my identity…but 😰 they didn’t - however they scan photos now I just don’t know how my old pic was suitable for new passport 🤔

So hopefully you will have it sorted out soon….🤞🏻

What an interesting thread this is - I don't know why
I do hope you are sorted easily.
What a palaver!

I had my photo taken at the post office as they did it all for me.
I was quite shocked when the passport came back and the photo was in black and white.
I look absolutely horrendous and I thought b&w photos were old
I started getting paranoid and phoned passport office.
Yes it’s legal but they being phased out.
I would have preferred colour photo. Why on earth use a B&W one. I shan’t be getting another one as this one will see me out.

That’s very kind, but the form says you may not edit the photo in any way. It’s rained all day so I didn’t go to the shop but I’ll be in town on Tuesday and will take it then.

If I was with you I could scan it into photoshop for you and change the levels to get better contrast. It might be worth asking someone if they can do that for you if you know anyone with those skills and relevant software on their computer. A young person might fit the bill - not that I'm one!!

I am very pale with light eyes and pale hair. I put on a lot of makeup and a bright lipstick and I was fine as it gave some contrast. I would never normally wear that amount but otherwise I seem to blend into the background. Hope you get it sorted.

I did mine on Monday online and uploaded the photo. It did say my mouth was open but the shop said it had passed and said any problems come back. My explanation was no my mouth is closed which it was. I’d go back to the shop and see what they say. I had to send back my old passport which I did 1st class they recommend it be signed for and it cost over £5. I received a text message today to say they had received it.

I ignored the message about lack of contrast on the photos that I had taken in the photo booth. My new passport was still authorised and arrived safely in the post.

23Doodledog

Thanks all. Yes, I could do it at home, if I had a white wall, but I have paid for the photos so don't want to.

Just a thought - could you hang a white sheet over a door to act as a white background? It is so frustrating having to do stuff online and then having g problems like this. 🤞You get it sorted.

.

Preferred it when (from a teenager) I could pop into the booth in the Co-Op, put in the money and have the pics taken

As I was (and still am) blonde, I would pull the dark curtain across the back.

When the curtain was removed some years later creating only the white background, I would look quite bald in the photographs!!

Ridiculous. Although at least you're allowed to smile now, which was forbidden in the past!
.

Do not use a photo booth that are in supermarkets. My photos that were said to be ok failed when uploaded.
We used a camera phone and kept retrying until the government website said yes

Fallingstar

Do go back to the shop and explain, they should be able to take a better photo taking into consideration why your pic was rejected.
I hope they can resolve this.

Yes, I agree. You've paid for a service, uploaded your code and the AI has rejected your photo. Not your fault!

Yes Doodledog, I had this problem, which turned out not to be a problem at all. Just continue on, click the button ‘ If you think it meets the rules’. A dialogue box will pop up along the lines of ‘why do you think this photo is suitable, or something like that, I can’t remember exactly. I typed in the dialogue box that all the photo booths all have white backgrounds and are verified as passport standard. Also, the photo is a very good likeness of me.

The application went through with no problems and it arrived in the post within a couple of weeks. Hope this helps.

Thank you😊

Same thing happened to me doodledog. The person who took the photo played with the settings and all was well. Good luck.

I am sure you can dispute their decision as you can disagree.This is an option which I used when the photo of my dh was refused as his shoulders were not straight. I didn’t agree and I told them he had a shoulder which had been broken and will never be completely straight. They passed it.

Mine was just taken today, so it’s well within date.

Doodledog

Thanks Margiknot. I'll go back tomorrow and see what happens. If they can't help I'll just upload it and hope for the best. My hair isn't blonde, which is why i'm confused - to me there is plenty of contrast.

The photo I took of DD on a phone was against a cream background and she is fair-skinned and blonde. It was accepted, although the one taken at an official booth wasn't simply because the code was just out of date.

Thanks Margiknot. I'll go back tomorrow and see what happens. If they can't help I'll just upload it and hope for the best. My hair isn't blonde, which is why i'm confused - to me there is plenty of contrast.

I helped DD with hers last year. She used a photo which she had had taken about six weeks previously and it was not accepted. We couldn't understand why and it turned out the photo was taken more than four weeks previously and the code was therefore not accepted.

I took one on my phone and it was accepted and I am no photographer!

By the way the photo firm tried different contrasts- brighter lighting etc and none helped.

I think you just have to say it’s a true likeness. Both my husband (whitish blond) but going thin on top and adult son ( blond) had the same issue with the online passport electronic face recognition. The passport photo firm explained it was a not uncommon problem for pale skinned faces with pale hair. The automatic facial recognition system struggles with non standard contrast ( pale face and hair or visa vers or for instance a nuns habit which doesn’t look like hair). If you are happy with the photo because its a good likeness - submit it and the photo will be checked in by a person. Husbands passport came ok - too soon to expect sons.