My new passport, needed for my forthcoming trip to Romania as my then current passport expired on 19 August, arrived the other day, renewed using the ‘beta’ on-line service; very pretty and apart from one ‘blip’ a very efficient service.
I chose to use the on-line service because it is £10 cheaper, and I thought it would be quicker. It may have been quicker and certainly would have been except for one unexpected holdup.
As we don’t have a suitable ‘blank’ background at home for a passport photograph I decided to go to a passport photo specialist rather than risk my photo being rejected, which you are warned could result in delays.
Faulty photo recognition ‘robot’?
The first step in the on-line process is to submit your photograph. It was rejected on the grounds that it appeared that my mouth was open. Looking at the photo with a human eye this was clearly not the case. I wrote back to the service saying their ‘robot’ obviously had a faulty algorithm. Nevertheless, I had the photo redone and submitted the new one. It was rejected again.
As I knew the photo was a good likeness and met all the criteria I decided to submit my application with the ‘rejected’ photo. From thereon the service was extremely efficient.
Tracking your application
You can choose to ‘track’ progress of your application by receiving either an email or a text message. I chose both. Sure enough I received messages such as that my application had been received, that my expiring passport had been received (a condition), that my application had been accepted, and finally that my new passport had been despatched. All very efficient. It arrived a day after the final message and my cancelled ‘old’ passport a couple of days later.
The ‘new’ passport has an increased number of security features which I’m sure will make it extremely difficult to forge or to change. Among these are that the extra pages are really ‘pretty’, featuring scenes such as ‘iconic British innovations’.
So, all-in-all an excellent service but that photo recognition robot needs a brain transplant!
PS. I have no idea why the IPad changed the colour of the passport cover from maroon to blue; we’re not out of the EU yet.
Grumpytyke 
August 25, 2018 at 6:05 pm
I renewed mine recently. A new one wasn’t due till January, but I am travelling in February. Interestingly, my photo from a specialist photographer was also rejected – “a problem with the light”. I could see that it had come out light and short of contrast. The photographer’s was very apologetic and the second try was accepted. They suggested it might be that my eyes weren’t wide enough, which would be problematic as over the years my eyes have narrowed. I tried to open them unnaturally wide. But also the light balance looked better. This one was accepted. From then it was all very fast and open. I really liked the clear explanations in Plain English in the online form. My only criticism was that unlike with some forms, you didn’t seem to be able to save and return. Old passport and new came very promptly. Yippee, still burgundy. I much prefer the colour and I voted Remain!
August 26, 2018 at 4:17 am
It’s clear that the photo recognition ‘robot’ needs some work, as I have fed back to the service. As I said in my post a human eye saw nothing wrong with my resubmitted picture that the ‘robot’ rejected.
After a couple of weeks here in Romania wrestling with the EU bureaucracy overlaid onto that of Romania well-known to me, I’m even more convinced that I was right to vote to leave this inefficient, money-wasting, even corrupt, organisation. Every Romanian I spoke to was of the same opinion now they have experienced it. Even the free movement is a nonsense – previously there was free movement as getting a visa when necessary was not a big deal and I visited every European country before the EU was ‘invented’, basically to protect French agriculture as it still does; the visa requirement kept out criminals and other undesirables. At least WordPress agreed with me; I’ve no idea why it changed the passport colour to blue 😂😂.
August 26, 2018 at 9:50 am
We won’t get into a long argument on the EU. But despite the bureaucracy, its decision-making processes are more open than the UK’s and leaving exposes us to bullying by Trump’s heavies to abandon environmental and safety protection. Leaving while staying in various things means like Norway, we have to follow the rules, but we get no say in forming them.
July 1, 2018 at 10:34 pm
Interesting. We have an opposite situation. No pictures from other saloons are accepted! Only they can take a picture for a passport! No online submission available! Before this, every photo studio could make a picture.
July 2, 2018 at 5:57 am
Could you apply to be an ‘official passport photographer’? It wouldn’t be difficult for you, you will have the studio setup necessary so no investment necessary. With your cutting skills you wouldn’t even need a passport photo cutter initially. It could provide a useful income.
July 2, 2018 at 9:48 am
No, I told you – No one is allowed to do passport photography. They do it in office where you order passport – at the table – they make picture for passport! You can’t come with your own picture nor saloon picture!
July 2, 2018 at 11:20 am
I didn’t understand. Here you can submit any photo providing it is the right size as a print (or can be cropped to that as head and shoulders) or can be submitted as .jpg with an on-line application providing it meets criteria, eg size, pixels, etc. It can be taken anywhere, eg in photo booth or by a friend, even a ‘selfie’ if you can do it.
July 2, 2018 at 9:57 pm
🙂 not in Latvia!
July 1, 2018 at 10:21 am
Does a beard confuse the online application photo? Nice to have an updated passport isn’t it? Passport photos are a bit unforgiving, so it’s great to have another chance to improve. Older faces? Like a fine red wine……… the lived in, dusky, homely visage… deep, synergy that dances and a rich afterglow. Brings a smile and improves with age.
July 1, 2018 at 5:47 pm
“Facial hair” is said to be one reason; if so they need to catch up – half the male population of the UK now seems to be sporting it :-))
July 1, 2018 at 11:33 pm
Men? We’ve reclaimed our art of manliness. Maybe not as food filled but more scented and groomed. But a great feeling not to have to rip our skin to ribbons everyday with a double edged blade. Mind you. Me? Goatee with a gap. Johnny Deppish. Still requires a Merkur and Indian Lime though.
July 2, 2018 at 6:04 am
Like me, but I don’t shave the other bits every day by any means. As I use natural soap made by my blogger friend Eddy’s wife Gosia in Poland (in fact for everything) I don’t need to put on anything else. It all went in the bin long ago.
July 2, 2018 at 6:09 am
PS. For those soaps see:
https://winkos.wordpress.com/soaps-autumn-2016/
July 3, 2018 at 11:17 am
Looked at your link. Great combinations. My wife owns Dyfi Wholefoods in Machynlleth (alongside 2 business partners). Sells many soaps very similar to these. I get to try quite a few. Favourite? Any with Geranium included. Glorious smells.
July 3, 2018 at 2:54 pm
Now isn’t that something. I’d say “what a coincidence” if I believed in coincidences, but I do not.
Of all of Gosia’s soaps the one I use exclusively is goats’ milk with geranium 😜!
I remember you telling me about your wife’s shop when we first ‘met’.
July 3, 2018 at 4:00 pm
As you know, I study essential oils and aromatherapy. Whilst people are individuals and each individual smell or combination synergy of multiple smells make people react in different ways….there seems to be similar reactions and responses to what is held under the nose. I love Valerie Ann Worwood and have a few books of hers. The Fragrant Mind (Aromatherapy for Personality, Mind, Mood and Emotion) is thought provoking. A bit like astrology, Virgo, Taurus, etc. traits….she perceives oil personality profiles. Geranium Personality Profile? If your typical to her thinking, I now know you more than you thought 😉 Don’t worry. Apparently you’re friendly, comforting, create a feeling of security and stability and not in any way extroverted or over-talkative. There’s a couple of pages with other character highlights……but in the main we, because Geranium is my first love too (Cedarwood a close second), are warm, kind, generous of personality and deserve to be appreciated for the very special people we are.
July 3, 2018 at 4:18 pm
Well, what do I say to that? I hope that is indeed a part of me. I’m having quite a day: Lofty’s tantrums are driving me crazy, on the other hand I’m getting delightful messages from one of my Romanian students of 25 years ago who says that she is now an English teacher thanks to me, and now this!