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How to save $$$ on your Passport Photo


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I used epassportphoto.com when I needed a photo of my then 2-year old. He was pretty fidgety so I was worried that the "one" picture they took at walgreens would not work out.

 

You just take your own picture against a white background. We took a whole bunch, then picked the best one. Then upload the picture into their system. You can center it and make sure it fits all the size/spacing requirement, then they give you a .jpg that you can print yourself at home. I just printed at costco since my printer wasn't that good.

 

It worked great and was actually free like they describe.

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If you need to worry about the cost of a passport photo, you should probably be focusing your planning on a "staycation."

 

 

Yep and if you can't afford a suite stay home, and if you can't afford a $15,000 watch stay home, well where's the difference between someone wanting to save a few bucks or more to the point not wanting to spend what they don't need to.

 

Sheesh people here telling others how to live, give me a break, if someone wants to save $10 on a passport photo, that's their business.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just take my passport photo with my digital camera. Then I go to a website and it will size it accurately for you. If not, take the photo again.

 

Then upload to drug store site. It will come out at 4x6 and you pay 30 or 50 cent. One time a drug employee want to charge me $15 and I say its a 4x6! Of course he was not happy.

 

Get a straight edge and cut it. Comes out perfecto!

Edited by chong67
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Haven't tried it, but it looks like the US State Department allows to upload, resize and crop a photo for submission. http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/passports/photos/photos.html

 

OK, I admit it, I look lousy in most photos; I just do not photograph well. Passport photos are a real challenge, but I have found the solution to the $9.99-12.99 photos that most drug stores charge for a single shot--that usually looks awful!

First print out the passport application on line that shows you the exact size of the photo that is required. Find a blank white wall. Get a friend to take several photos of you with a simple digital camera. The photo taker should be between 2 and three feet from your face. Take SEVERAL photos till you get four you like, at slightly differing distances from the camera. (Delete the other bad photos).

Take the memory card from the camera, and go to a drugstore or Costco or anyplace that has those do-it-yourself Kodak camera machines. Print the four photos. When they come out of the machine, compare the size of your head to the passport application photo grid, and choose the one that fits the photo grid best.

Pay for the photos--total cost about $1.50, and you'll get a photo that you actually like!

 

This is what I did with one exception. I did a copy & paste of the photo onto a Word Doc I printed it out myself. I did takes several copies with me to the passport office though that varied in brightness. They can get picky about that. I had no problems. Easy-peasy. :)

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 5 months later...

I work at the post office and have done many passport applications. Occasionally people can do their photo right, most of the time no. We charge $15 for two photos and many other places do it cheaper. If saving a few bucks is worth the headache of being turned away and told to come back later than go ahead and do it yourself. Yes, if you INSIST on taking a chance, we will submit it against our own better judgement, most of us are honest and will give you fair warning that your application will be returned to you.

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But, your passports are good for 10 years. Do you get photos taken just so you can toss them in the trash? What am I missing here? :confused:

 

You are missing that your comment is totally ridiculous. Anyone with any common sense would know what the PP was saying. I'll spell it out for you. Every year with AAA you can get free pictures. Doesn't matter if you use those pictures to renew or throw them in the garbage. Every year they get them free. Got it? It is part of AAA benefits.

 

The PP only needs to use them once every ten years to get their passport. So, even though they are allowed pictures every year they don't need to use this benefit every single year.

 

People that argue just to argue piss me off. I've lived with a passive aggressive person for over 40 years. I can call a spade a spade without too much trouble. Sorry, maureencruiser, but that is you. Passive aggressive. Ask your friends but be aware they might lie because of your passive/aggressive behavior and don't want to get into it with you. Or, as a passive/aggressive person have hidden it well from others.

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You are missing that your comment is totally ridiculous. Anyone with any common sense would know what the PP was saying. I'll spell it out for you. Every year with AAA you can get free pictures. Doesn't matter if you use those pictures to renew or throw them in the garbage. Every year they get them free. Got it? It is part of AAA benefits.

 

The PP only needs to use them once every ten years to get their passport. So, even though they are allowed pictures every year they don't need to use this benefit every single year.

 

People that argue just to argue piss me off. I've lived with a passive aggressive person for over 40 years. I can call a spade a spade without too much trouble. Sorry, maureencruiser, but that is you. Passive aggressive. Ask your friends but be aware they might lie because of your passive/aggressive behavior and don't want to get into it with you. Or, as a passive/aggressive person have hidden it well from others.

 

 

Loosen up Uncle Stiffy. Maureen was just kidding around.

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I used the state department's passport photo cropping tool and just printed them myself. The pack of 4x6 photo paper came with my printer.

 

And I am glad I did it this way, because they rejected my first photo. They requested a new photo without my glasses. I would have been upset had I paid for my first photo!

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/passports/FIG_cropper.swf

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But, your passports are good for 10 years. Do you get photos taken just so you can toss them in the trash? What am I missing here? :confused:

 

You are missing that your comment is totally ridiculous. Anyone with any common sense would know what the PP was saying. I'll spell it out for you. Every year with AAA you can get free pictures. Doesn't matter if you use those pictures to renew or throw them in the garbage. Every year they get them free. Got it? It is part of AAA benefits.

 

The PP only needs to use them once every ten years to get their passport. So, even though they are allowed pictures every year they don't need to use this benefit every single year.

 

People that argue just to argue piss me off. I've lived with a passive aggressive person for over 40 years. I can call a spade a spade without too much trouble. Sorry, maureencruiser, but that is you. Passive aggressive. Ask your friends but be aware they might lie because of your passive/aggressive behavior and don't want to get into it with you. Or, as a passive/aggressive person have hidden it well from others.

 

And , the winner for the most uses of the phrase "passive/aggressive" in a paragraph is.....notentirelynormal. :D:D

 

Thank you for your assessment of my psychological health. It means the world to me. :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:

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And I am glad I did it this way, because they rejected my first photo. They requested a new photo without my glasses. I would have been upset had I paid for my first photo!

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/dam/passports/FIG_cropper.swf

 

If you'd had it done professionally, the person taking the photo would've known that. The upside of taking it yourself is that you save money, the downside is that you probably don't know all of the requirements.

 

The same thing happened to me in Denmark when I took my own photo... they don't accept photos where you're smiling.

 

So I guess I have to amend my previous comment... even when using an online cropping tool, there's no way to know for sure that your photo will be accepted. There are so many reasons other than format that could cause it to be rejected.

Edited by ExpatBride
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You are missing that your comment is totally ridiculous.

 

 

People that argue just to argue piss me off. I've lived with a passive aggressive person for over 40 years. I can call a spade a spade without too much trouble. Sorry, maureencruiser, but that is you. Passive aggressive. Ask your friends but be aware they might lie because of your passive/aggressive behavior and don't want to get into it with you. Or, as a passive/aggressive person have hidden it well from others.

 

First off all her comment was a joke, to which I spotted immediately.

 

Secondly I'm sorry to read that you live with someone who has a passive aggressive disorder. However, by no means does it give you the right to blow up on someone because you have to live it yourself. You want to call a spade and spade, look in the mirror and you will be surprised at what you see. It is unfortunate that sometimes the inflicted become the inflicter.

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  • 1 month later...

Costco is the cheapest around here. It was about $5 for 4 copies of the photo.

I don't really want to futz around with trying to print it myself or make sure the ratios are correct on the photograph.

My first photograph turned out awful, but it's because I wore white which washes me out, not enough makeup for the camera which washes you out, I also had my hair down, and didn't "smile with my eyes" so while my mouth was smiling, it just looked odd.

 

For the second photo I did everything opposite. Wore black, a little more makeup, hair up, and since i had blinked for the first photo I was laughing some which translated to a better photograph.

 

$5 is super cheap for a photo imho, especially since they are more everywhere else. If it isn't turning out well, then maybe look at the photo and get one of yourself you like and look at the differences to see if you can change anything.

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  • 2 months later...

Here's a tip if you hate your chin or jowls like I do...

 

Get 2 flesh colored Band-Aids...on either side of your face, just under your jaw, stick the Band-Aids, left and right, and pull them back some to just under your ears. Instant face lift! MUCH more flattering Passport pic too - especially since you can't even smile any longer. :p

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 months later...

I downloaded free iphone app called passport photo. Have someone take your photo in front of blank wall. The camera shows chin line and top of head line. Save photos to your email, upload to Walgreens, use their 40% off coupon and get 2 sets of passport photos in one hour for 35 cents!

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  • 2 weeks later...

If you have AAA they will take your photo for free at any AAA office. It is the correct size and background so there is no chance the photos won't be approved by the U.S. State dept.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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