Renewing passport rant

[John105]

For the first time in my life, I let mine expire during the pandemic. Imagine, I've been to Canada 1000 times before yet unable to go there.

I did my renewal online, took my own pic with the front facing cam on the iPhone 13 Pro in an undershirt, and it came back I think in 6 weeks? No complaints.

I couldn't help but wonder, why all those previous times, did they need the actual passport, and birth certificate? They got neither this time around, which was November 2022.

 

[y_p_w]

Yep, pretty much any "Photography 101" book with a chapter on studio lighting will describe it pretty much the same way. The idea is to get away from the typical on-camera flash which results in lousy portraits and (often) shadows on the backdrop.

I laughed when the Passport website recommended against shooting our own photos.... So I took it up as a challenge.

They seem to be far less strict about it now. I'm guessing with higher quality cameras just on the average smartphone, it's good enough.

A few years back I took selfies with a dSLR and a flash against a white wall in my hallway. I was concerned because I couldn't get rid of the shadow on the wall behind me, but it didn't otherwise obscure my face or my ears and was still accepted. It's also strange because I'd seen drug store passport photos being taken, and what I remember one time was just a small digital camera but with a professional background screen. Just the camera's piddly little flash. I'm sure it wasn't even as good as the ones that I was taking.

But the State Department still is adamant against any kind of "processing" that attempts to change the image composition, such as color or post photo redeye (but not a redeye reduction setting) or background modification. But digital photography is inherently about image processing. What a Bayer sensor captures is not a full image but all this stuff that has to be interpreted along with all sorts of things to perform light and color balancing. I've taken a series of photos and for whatever reason some were really dark, others washed out, and even others with odd colors. So changing it slightly doesn't seem to be that bad. I did do a rotation (with someone kind of leaning to the side) once before I cropped the passport photo, but that was probably OK.

I've helped family members get visas where there was an online submission of the photo. One country required that the background be eliminated electronically. It wasn't that easy finding a way to eliminate the background into pure white. I found some websites that did it, but the first only gave a tiny sample where I had to pay to download the full resolution version. I did find one that worked pretty well and was free, but that took quite some time digging around. Most use some sort of AI algorithm to figure out what's the background and what's the subject.

 

[John105]

They seem to be far less strict about it now. I'm guessing with higher quality cameras just on the average smartphone, it's good enough.

A few years back I took selfies with a dSLR and a flash against a white wall in my hallway. I was concerned because I couldn't get rid of the shadow on the wall behind me, but it didn't otherwise obscure my face or my ears and was still accepted. It's also strange because I'd seen drug store passport photos being taken, and what I remember one time was just a small digital camera but with a professional background screen. Just the camera's piddly little flash. I'm sure it wasn't even as good as the ones that I was taking.

But the State Department still is adamant against any kind of "processing" that attempts to change the image composition, such as color or post photo redeye (but not a redeye reduction setting) or background modification. But digital photography is inherently about image processing. What a Bayer sensor captures is not a full image but all this stuff that has to be interpreted along with all sorts of things to perform light and color balancing. I've taken a series of photos and for whatever reason some were really dark, others washed out, and even others with odd colors. So changing it slightly doesn't seem to be that bad. I did do a rotation (with someone kind of leaning to the side) once before I cropped the passport photo, but that was probably OK.

I've helped family members get visas where there was an online submission of the photo. One country required that the background be eliminated electronically. It wasn't that easy finding a way to eliminate the background into pure white. I found some websites that did it, but the first only gave a tiny sample where I had to pay to download the full resolution version. I did find one that worked pretty well and was free, but that took quite some time digging around. Most use some sort of AI algorithm to figure out what's the background and what's the subject.

Both for my son and my wife, when I used a dSLR, and printed out pics at CVS for 19 cents, postal clerks said dunno this will likely be returned too dark, shadows, yellow background, and that's not even a pic of your wife. Was never a problem. But the online selfie with iPhone is even better, why spend that 19 cents at all when an uploaded image is free.

 

[y_p_w]

For the first time in my life, I let mine expire during the pandemic. Imagine, I've been to Canada 1000 times before yet unable to go there.

I did my renewal online, took my own pic with the front facing cam on the iPhone 13 Pro in an undershirt, and it came back I think in 6 weeks? No complaints.

I couldn't help but wonder, why all those previous times, did they need the actual passport, and birth certificate? They got neither this time around, which was November 2022.

Not if it's a DS-82 mail-in renewal or the online renewal programs. But previously a previous passport had to be submitted. I've never heard of a birth certificate (or naturalization certificate, Certificate of Citizenship, etc.) being submitted for a mail-in renewal. The instructions say that the previous passport (and or card) is the only proof of citizenship. For the online renewal they need the passport number and are more or less taking it in good faith that nobody is engaging in identity fraud with something like a stolen passport.

For an online renewal they have all that information already. Or at least verification that someone is a US citizen through their previous passport.

 

[y_p_w]

Both for my son and my wife, when I used a dSLR, and printed out pics at CVS for 19 cents, postal clerks said dunno this will likely be returned too dark, shadows, yellow background, and that's not even a pic of your wife. Was never a problem. But the online selfie with iPhone is even better, why spend that 19 cents at all when an uploaded image is free.

I used to use ePassportPhoto.com. At least for US passports they started off with 6 square prints for a 4"x6" print. Later they partnered with a photo printing service with shipping, but still had a free option where one of the squares was replaced with some graphic about the website. It wasn't a big deal since I never really needed more than two photos anyways. I think over the years I got those (or their visa photos) processed at Target, CVS, and Costco when they all had real wet process photos. At least once someone checked the photos before letting me pay, and commented that it looked really good and was much cheaper than their passport photos. I think once I just did 3 prints at Costco for 13 cents each, and it was less than 40 cents for three of them, even though it had the "summary" print using up an entire 4"x6" sheet.

But I don't think there's really any way to patent something as basic as composing a passport photo. All these tools all have basically the same kind of interface, although I've seen adjustable ovals around the face or bars to mark where the top of the head and chin should be. I did have one that did seem to care about the composition though. I was just trying it out and used a photo of my kid riding on a merry go round. It rejected it as being unacceptable for a passport photo.

 

[TiGeo]

I renewed mine last year - it only took a few weeks if I recall to get it back. Got my photo at Walgreens but I believe you can take your own now.

 

[y_p_w]

I renewed mine last year - it only took a few weeks if I recall to get it back. Got my photo at Walgreens but I believe you can take your own now.

Depends. With paper photos, the hard part is getting the format and photo quality correct. I'm sure that some have tried using home color inkjet printers on 20 lb multipurpose paper and had that rejected. I suppose some of the better home inkjet printers might be acceptable if the user loads heavy weight photo paper - preferably with some sort of coating to reduce ink bleed. But that stuff isn't cheap. I miss being able to find real prints using traditional color photo paper, but that's really hard to find now. I did find that the prints from a photo printer at Walgreens, the quality was almost that of a traditional photo paper from a wet silver emulsion process.

At my local Walgreens they seemed to have multiple DNP photo printers that used paper rolls and that deposited specific sizes into collection slots. Like this setup.



One question I've seen asked is why the State Dept still asks for a 2"x2" image that will then be scanned and the provided photo shredded. It obviously goes back to the time when the provided photo was actually used as part of the passport - either glued and pressed into the page with an embossed seal or laminated into the page. But a 2"x2" image is kind of poor, especially when it's going to be scanned anyways. The online photo requirement is for a square image with a minimum resolution, which makes a lot more sense than a tiny image that will be scanned with a lot of loss of photo quality. I would suggest making it 4"x4".

 

[spackard]

 

[Ragingbull99]

Applied for my passport on 3/7/23 using the online portal. I think they shut it down on 3/8/23. Received on 4/18/23. They say the are over whelmed due to increased over seas travel now that Covid restrictions are over.

 

[y_p_w]

So I helped them out today with the photos. Found a well lit room with lots of natural light and a white wall. Asked my parents to stand further away from the wall to reduce shadows. Photos ended up nice and sharp without excessive shadows. My tool didn’t like the native HEIC format that Apple uses, so I had to convert to JPEG for the editing/cropping tool to load their photos. Set up an account at Walgreens and sent the order online and got a message that it was ready in less than 15 minutes. I think it’s automatically printed but then put in envelopes by hand.

I just got another message from Walgreens that they got my order for the photos. Which I've already picked up.

 

[Donald]

I checked my passport status online maybe two days ago. It had not changed since its status which said they had received my application and were processing it. Also noted I had signed up for email notification of updates to the status.

Today I checked and it said it was approved and they were in the process of printing it and would be giving it to me soon.

It arrived today.

Looks like the only useful info with respect to the passport application status is knowing they received the application. For people renewing it's doubly important that you know they received the application as the old passport needs to be sent as part of the application. I can imagine it would be a pain to renew if you lost old passport.

And my old passport is still valid for a few weeks until it expires if someone got their hands on it.

Have yet to any email notification.

 

[John105]

I checked my passport status online maybe two days ago. It had not changed since its status which said they had received my application and were processing it. Also noted I had signed up for email notification of updates to the status.

Today I checked and it said it was approved and they were in the process of printing it and would be giving it to me soon.

It arrived today.

Looks like the only useful info with respect to the passport application status is knowing they received the application. For people renewing it's doubly important that you know they received the application as the old passport needs to be sent as part of the application. I can imagine it would be a pain to renew if you lost old passport.

And my old passport is still valid for a few weeks until it expires if someone got their hands on it.

Have yet to any email notification.

As mentioned I went through the process last November. My understanding is as soon as the application is accepted, the old passport is immediately invalid. That would bother me wasting what I already paid for, except my passport had expired for a year already. So if anyone were to use your old passport they should be in for a rude awakening…

 

[eljefino]

And my old passport is still valid for a few weeks until it expires if someone got their hands on it.

Have yet to any email notification.

When I renewed my passport through the mail they clipped a little corner off. That would symbolize to someone in-the-know that it's been in, and returned.

I did my own photo with DSLR, printed it at walmart for nine cents. Knowing I was getting a 4x6 print I cropped my original-- actually added a white border, so anti-cropped-- using the pixel position tool in Gimp (photoshop) to measure from the top of my head to the bottom of the chin. Math then got me to scale it to the right size, between 1 and 1.375 inches as printed.

Used a plain white background of poster board. Cranked up the contrast (curves) so a small shadow went away. Used a coffee filter a couple inches in front of the on camera flash for a diffuser. They took it.

 

[PimTac]

I can imagine it would be a pain to renew if you lost old passport.

It is a good idea to make a copy of your passport picture pages and keep that in a safe place.

 

[John105]

When I renewed my passport through the mail they clipped a little corner off. That would symbolize to someone in-the-know that it's been in, and returned.

I did my own photo with DSLR, printed it at walmart for nine cents. Knowing I was getting a 4x6 print I cropped my original-- actually added a white border, so anti-cropped-- using the pixel position tool in Gimp (photoshop) to measure from the top of my head to the bottom of the chin. Math then got me to scale it to the right size, between 1 and 1.375 inches as printed.

Used a plain white background of poster board. Cranked up the contrast (curves) so a small shadow went away. Used a coffee filter a couple inches in front of the on camera flash for a diffuser. They took it.

I didn't want to start a new thread....

I did the above with a DSLR, for myself and my wife, no issues. My son, maybe 2017 as well.

During the pandemic, for the first time in my life, I let my passport lapse. So November 2022, instead of using the DSLR, I used my iPhone 13 Pro, front cam, and an app. I was in such a hurry to get through the process, which was online, that I literally took my pic wearing an undershirt. Class act. It is what it is. It worked, and the process was fast, I believe 5 weeks. Normal, not expedited.

One of our issues has always been a white background and shadows. The times we did have to go in person for my son, we were warned by the USPS the background is questionable, it's not white.

So I wimped out in 2023 for my son, paid $15 for the pics at FedEx. I see the passport is coming today, which means 6 1/2 weeks since we went to the USPS on 10/7. It's terrible trying to make an appointment. For whatever reason, when we went without an appointment, there were signs all over appointment is required. So I said to my wife I bet the website is wrong.

At any rate, we were 3rd in line. Upon leaving, it was 30 min. from closing, and there had to have been 12 in line. It's every 5 years for a kid unfortunately....

On a scale of 1 to 10, with a 10 representing how difficult it is to recycle used motor oil in PA, this process is a 5....