Passport Ordeal

by lilbusgirl (follow)

Travel (27)      holidays (11)      Ups and Downs (10)      One Thing (3)      Passport (1)      Baby photo (1)     

Renewing a passport is no big deal right but creating a new passport for a baby??!! Let's say it wasn't too bad going online and typing all the details on and then printing the forms off. It was the passport photo that was creating the havoc.

The Photo

The instructions for an appropriate baby photo are:

• Show the baby or child awake, looking straight at the camera with mouth closed and no pacifier.
• Show both edges of the face clearly (no toys, blankets, chair backs or other people visible) and no hair across the eyes.

That was the hard bit, as not only was Baby J being extra chatty on the day that his passport photo was being taken, he was also extra fidgety. So with a yellow muslin draped behind him in the pram, wearing a bib as he was being quite dribbly, the scene was set for the joys of passport photos.

The post office employee had a hard time trying to get a photo that he was happy with. After about 5 tries, he printed the one that he thought would be approved. So what do you think about the photo? I don't even think it looks like my child.



The Forms

When it came for dropping in the application forms, I just can't believe how picky the post office staff are. One of the signatures was in blue ink and not black ink and I was told that the application could be rejected on that basis. I blame the husband for that one as he was the one that signed in blue ink.

The signature of the witness on the application and the back of the photo didn't quite match so it could also get rejected on that basis too. And the baby photo itself, I was informed, could also get rejected as it didn't quite comply with the instructions; "It's a baby" and I have no control over his facial features.

So my ordeal was to either outsource the photo as it may not get approved but then in that case it may get rejected as the Post Office didn't take the photo. So I decided to risk it and go with the photo taken by the Post Office staff.

I was advised by friends what they too went through to get a child's passport and it is at times an ordeal and chuckled at their stories. For myself, I thought I'd wait it out and see what happened with my application.

Two weeks later, I was rewarded with new passports for myself and Baby J. Let's say that hubby chuckled a lot after checking out Baby J's photo. Interesting to know that a child's passport only lasts 5 years. Its a tragic photo but too funny not to share.

Anyone else have a tragic passport photo they want to share?

#Travel
#Passport
#Holidays
#Ups and Downs
#Baby photo
#One thing

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