passport photo issues

No, I’ve always been able to upload. Mind you I’m “blessed” with round rosy cheeks, so maybe stood out more!

I don't have white hair - I don't understand it really.

Unless anyone knows a workaround, I'll try again tomorrow (following the 'have you tried turning it off and on again?' routine, and if that fails I'll go back to the shop and see what they have to say.

Also, the passport office form says I can upload an explanation if I have religious grounds to do so - what is that about?

You can upload your own photo if someone could take your photo against a white background, did this recently for my son as he had the same problem.

mummytummy

You can upload your own photo if someone could take your photo against a white background, did this recently for my son as he had the same problem.

Thanks, mummytummy, but I've just paid for the photos and the code number so the process is easy. I don't have any white walls, so it would be a nuisance to try to get a photo. If I can't make it work later, I'll go back to the shop. Maybe they could take another photo with different settings or something. Or I could get some fake tan or heavy make-up😀

Hello 👋 Doodledog, if I remember correctly, (sometimes I don't!🤣), you enter your photo code number and your photo appears, as if by magic?

Doodledog

I'm trying to renew my passport, and got a photo with a code from a local photo shop. It passed the checks in the store, and I'm trying to upload it to process the application, but apparently the image (ie my face) and the background are difficult to tell apart. I can't see why, as it is clearly a person taken against a white background. Admittedly I am pale-skinned, but not to the point where I blend with a whiteboard 😀.

Has anyone else had this issue? I can go back to the shop, but it's a bit of a pain, and I don't want to pay £17.99 for them to do the application for me. As I say, the chap in the shop ran the checks to make sure the photos complied with the regulations, and they did.

A very nice lady in our local post office took the photo and added it the application form, and then completed the form for me. I only paid about £6 above the normal passport price.

Can you not do it at home & upload on your phone?
Put some blusher on.

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.

Yes, you enter the code and the photo appears, which it has done, but the site is telling me there is not enough contrast, which is the problem.

I’d have thought the onus is on the shop who took the photo, if they said it ‘passed’.

Let’s face it, that’s what you’ve paid for.

They should re-take it if necessary, I think.

Yes, I'll call in tomorrow and see what they say.

I just wondered if anyone else had had this problem and knew of a solution.

I just typed in the code and the photo uploaded.

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.

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.

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

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!

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.

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.

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

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.

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

Thank you😊

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.

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!