Passport Know-it-alls

[Reyneth]

I am FED up with certain SC types regarding passport photos.

Let's make a few things clear.
1) We do anywhere from 2-8 passport photos a day. EACH associate.
2) We are very aware of the rules and regulations, seeing as it is part of our job and.....see #1.
3) The Post Office in the area actually sends people to US knowing that 95% of the time they are correct, and the other 5% are flukes that we'll fix with no difficulties.

Ok. So we know what we are doing. Why do people try and argue with us? Or tell us what they need? "I need a US Passport photo" is sufficient. I don't need to hear that you need two copies, the size, etc. We are also only set up to do US standardized photos - we'll try and fit other regulations for other countries, but that is not what we do and there are no guarantees. Do NOT take it out on us when we can't fit the requirements.

The other night, I had a lady coming in with a CD. So I start to walk her over to our counter kiosks so she could select her photos......no, (did you guess by the above rant?), she has a photo on there she wants as a passport photo.

Me: There are very specific regulations for passport photos and there are no guarantees it will be the right size if we don't take it.
SC: It's in color, it's fine.
Me: (It's in color? That doesn't tell me diddly)
Me: Ok, I'll try and see what it looks like
(import photo into our computer)
Me: This photo won't be accepted, you need to have a white background. (It had a blue swirly background)
SC: No, all the paper said was it had to be color!
Me: It must be a straight-on photo also (hers was not quite a 3/4 shot, definitely an angle)
SC: NO, all that matters is that it is in color, it's on the application!

Me: (Getting ready to tell her fine, I'll do it but she'll pay for the redo, she won't get her money back)
Me: We do 4-8 photos a day, ma'am - I know the regulations.
SC: I have the paper in the car, I'll show you!

She walks out, I do a quick google and come up with the regulations - color OR B&W photo on a plain white or light-colored background........
Had it up on the screen for when she came back.

Never saw her again. Guess she took a good look at the paper while she was out there and realized she was dead wrong.

I wish we could just any SC who thinks they know more about our product, services, or jobs than we do!

[FenigDurak]

Mom and I had to have Visa pictures taken recently (our passports are still valid) for our trip to Cambodia. While at the photo center, Mom had her granny reader glasses on her nose, sunglasses on her head (yeah, my Mom is one of those) and thought nothing of having her picture taken with the above still on. I figured that Visa photo and Passport photo regs were similar,so I told her I'd hold them. She gave me this quizzical look and said "But I'll likely be wearing these with customs sees me." The photo lady and I had a good giggle.

[Reyneth]

You can wear your glasses for passport photos - as long as there isn't a large amount of glare and the eyes are visible. I'm fairly certain the same is for visas - although the sunglasses would have been a problem!

Oh yeah, we also get so much grief over the new rules that you can't show teeth when you smile. Seriously. We don't make this up. It's the requirement. So stop complaining about it and do it, ok?

[danegrous_21]

to me this is all strange, i find americans odd when it comes to this(im orginally from toronto, ca but i live in the states for 13 yrs now). 95% of the people i know dont have a passport or even left the country. 50% of these people havent left the state( and i mean in there entire lives, some people i know this is upwards to 35 yrs)there is a world out there and a passport is how you see it. go out and see the world

[Sofar]

We got enough world here.

[Barefootgirl]

There's never enough world.

*has itchy feet*

[FenigDurak]

Hehe! That's what I told Mom when she told me to smile. I smirked a little, closed mouthed, and just got the picture overwith. I wasn't expecting it to be glamor shots or anything.

Her glasses aren't perscription, just the 2.0+ readers that can be bought anywhere. They make her look like a young Mrs. Claus. Hehe. No matter, Visas are submitted and we leave in 2 weeks!

[Ljt09863]

95% of the people i know dont have a passport or even left the country. 50% of these people havent left the state there is a world out there and a passport is how you see it. go out and see the world

ive lived in a few different states, and have traveled through the majority of them, but i have never left the country. i can't afford to. i want to leave the country and explore, but for that, you need money. i don't have the money... the only reason ive moved around and traveled in the states is cause my dad was in the navy. i could have lived in Japan for six months, but my mother didn't want us going so she made my dad go by himself.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Yeah, it's not like over here we can hop on a train and in a couple hours we're in another country.

I've been out of the country twice, but lemee tell you, it takes some doing and some $$$. And both times, I was out on someone else's dime.

And we DO have "a lot of world here." (that made me smile!)

People used to argue with me about passport photos, too. I used to say "We do these a lot, don't worry." But I'd still get boneheads who knew better than me. I'd just let them go do what they wanted. It's no skin off my nose if they end up missing their vacation because they wanted to be a butt about it. I'm only willing to advise them. If they are determined to doom themselves to lost time and more hassle, far be it from me to stop them.

The worse bit of poor planning I've ever seen from a customer regarding passport photos was the dude the showed up with a pot leaf on his t-shirt for a passport photo.

I didn't say a damn thing.

[LostMyMind]

...the dude the showed up with a pot leaf on his t-shirt for a passport photo.

I didn't say a damn thing.

Maybe he enjoys cavity searches

I don't have a passport

Well, back in the day, you really don't have to have a passport to leave the country or to get back in. I've been out of country twice, one by land, the other by sea. Both times custom said, "Valid driver license is fine." Of course this is all pre-9/11.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

"Maybe he enjoys cavity searches "

Yeah, you know, I was thinking the same thing.


Actually, in all honesty, an American passport photo is so tight, I don't think much, if any, of it showed up in the photo. Maybe the very tip top part of the leaf. But still.

[Becks]

Oh yeah, we also get so much grief over the new rules that you can't show teeth when you smile.

Good to know. Hell, I probably wouldn't even smile in the first place. Who knows?

[protege]

95% of the people i know dont have a passport or even left the country. 50% of these people havent left the state

There's a reason for that. Many Americans do not travel to foreign places, simply because it's expensive to fly to Europe I'm 30, and I've only been out of the US twice--both times to Canada. Since those trips were pre-9/11, the only ID I needed was my driver's license.

Travel out of state is another story--I've been out of PA on numerous occasions...mostly to NJ on vacation, or down to WV to chase trains around Grafton

[Reyneth]

Well, there are new regulations starting in January that you need a passport to go to Canada, Mexico, if you go on a cruise to Alaska that might stop in Canada, etc. Not just a driver's license any more. A lot of people have been getting them "just in case" because I live just few hours from the Canadian border so you want to be prepared for a weekend trip.

Add that with the two school trips - one to Spain, the same one I took for my Senior year, and a local band to CHINA (I am muchly jealous about that, I tell you!) and we get mighty sick of the things.

[MystyGlyttyr]

That reminds me of a story my mom told me about my grandfather. He went to get a new picture taken for his driver's license and (being my grandfather) he wouldn't smile. The lady taking the picture was apparently one of those chirpy happy people who was going "Smile, sir!"

He apparently turned his gaze right on her and said "Ma'am, the only reason anyone will see this picture is if they pull me over. And if they pull me over, I won't be smiling!"