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Q: Passport photo retardedness
When we visited the local photo shop to get our family's passport photos taken, I should have been more careful. Unfortunately, the haphazard way by which I'm notified about what we're going to do each day, made it impossible for me to prepare in full.
Guidelines for passport photos can be strict, but many of you know how much trouble it can be to get Chinese workers to follow the INTERNATIONAL rules pertaining to THEIR profession that they SHOULD be more aware of than you. A simple snapshot of a webpage would have sufficed (to know the dimensions of a valid photo), but this page doesn't load on my mobile unfortunately.
My wife reassured me that the workers knew what they were doing:
"This is the most professional photo shop in town." [oh, that just means they're expensive]
"Most famous in the county." [then they're arrogant twats who will argue with you if you're not immediately happy]
"They do all the photos for the local government." [ah crap, they got their jobs through hongbao bribes]
I was already tense from hearing their overvalued background, so I struggled to add some substance to the superficiality. To their credit, they did manage to get my young boys to look into the camera, for a respectable snap. No goofy looks, and it all seemed to be going smoothly
But in the other room, they started photoshopping the pictures immediately. Passport requirements clearly state that images cannot be altered in *any* way. "They're just cleaning up the background. Make it look nice." - Yeah, how nice will the background be when my kids' passport applications are sent back due to doctored images. What if we delayed by accusations of attempting fraud based on this? China and it's bloody obsession with appearances supercedes all rules, it seems. I wasn't going to launch into a verbal assault against my family+staff because of this, so I just crossed my fingers hoping the alterations would be too minor to even be noticed.
Upon receiving the photos, I noticed that the heads of my sons were a lot bigger on the picture than me and my wife. I was worried they might be too big, but without the means to review the rules at the time, it was an aspect I couldn't investigate.
Tonight I'll meet my kids' countersignatory. A person of 'respected profession' with a western passport. He's literally the only one who could possibly sign it, because nobody else has known me for over 2 years here. I baked him a Dutch apple pie as thanks. Since it was time to gather materials, I looked more closely at the passport pics. And checking online, I saw that the international passport guidelines state that the head must be between 29-34mm, top to bottom. Both my sons' pictures have big round honkin' 35mm heads. Bloody marvelous.
A stroke of luck is that my countersignatory is a project manager, with all the equipment he needs to run an internet company at home. He offered to reprint the photos in the correct size. One little thing that went right, was that the photo shop stored both the unaltered and doctored images on my wife's USB. I insisted that they at least do this, a little thing that wasn't so hard to do.
It's these annoying little things that can make living in China (and getting out) an agonizing experience. Don't assume people know their jobs. Don't take anything for granted. Prepare all the information you could possibly need in advance, because by the time you know what's happening next, it's time to do it already, and there is no time to prepare.
Next time you should just go to a random alley photo store. They're in business because they know what they're doing.
coineineagh:
Probably true. I just wish I could get that stuff out of my wife's head, that whichever shop advertises itself as #1 best in town most professional award-winning government-approved and whatnot, is probably a far bigger waste of time.
Next time you should just go to a random alley photo store. They're in business because they know what they're doing.
coineineagh:
Probably true. I just wish I could get that stuff out of my wife's head, that whichever shop advertises itself as #1 best in town most professional award-winning government-approved and whatnot, is probably a far bigger waste of time.
That was rant for nothing man. Nothing bad has happened yet!
I could see the rant if it is denied. But even a denial is common enough.
I prefer to take a wait and see approach before blowing my top. Id also prepare time and money for these things to get denied a few times.
coineineagh:
You call this a rant? You can't handle a rant! This was me being nice, haha.
"A stroke of luck is that my countersignatory is a project manager, with all the equipment he needs to run an internet company at home. He offered to reprint the photos in the correct size." I don't know about the picture requirements for your embassy, but Canada requires the official stamp of the photo place to be on the back of the pics with the address and date.
coineineagh:
no such rule. i read the 40-page guide on how to fill in the application, as well as https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports
Why do I remember having to get photos with a bar code? I think it was for my RP.
They have a thing in China where the studio gives you a slip of paper with a barcode with your photos, I think the stidio puts the photo on a Government site to make sure you dont doctor the photos between the studio and the PSB. I am sure they can cross check the database with the photo you hand in.
I have no idea why they do this. Its not as if the studio checks your ID.
coineineagh:
your RP here, or your partner's RP for abroad? I can't recall anything like that, but my wife might have received it. My Chinese isn't that good after all.
ScotsAlan:
Yeah Coin. I just remember having to go to a specific studio so we could get a barcode with the photos. I am sure it was to do with checking the photo has not been doctored. Maybe it was when we applied for the mortgage to buy the apartment. I remember that was a massive notary paper chase.
hi2u:
Yes the paper with the barcode is used for lots of things including renewing the residence permit. It's to make sure the photo was taken within a certain date, doesn't matter if it was photoshopped as the photo on the paper is the same one they print out after photoshopping.
ScotsAlan:
Interesting. If its a date thing why do they not just compare the photo to the applicant?
Here is how to get good passport photoes in China.
Take out your digicam, do a selfie in front of a white wall. Print on photopaper. You might waste a couple of attempts to get the print in the right size but you will get an actual usable passport photo. I feel more comfortable ignoring where the guidelines say "cannot be home printed" (because the staff at my embassey don't give a turd as they only require a picture stuck to the application, the actual photo in the passport is taken by them upon submission of biometrics) than letting photoshoptwats photoshop the spot on my nose and adjusting my hair because they can.
coineineagh:
I should've asked advice from a selfie-expert. Plenty of semi-professionals here who know how to do that!
jetfire9000:
Getting a selfie stick is a good idea for multiple reasons! Selfie sticks are pretty impressive.
Scandinavian:
actually all my own home made passport photos have all been done with a DSLR and not as selfies, but I see no reason why a mobile phone wouldn't do as good as a photoshop dude would
Governments around the world are only getting more anal when it comes to passports. I have come up with a list of requirements for the USA 2025.
1. Appointment must be made online between 60 - 90 days prior. No access to internet. Go fornicate yourself.
2. One 10cm lock of unaltered pubic hair for DNA test.
3. Blood sample (drawn on site) to test for disease and just to make certain that you are not a vampire.
4. English language test. TOEFL only. 98 percentile. Must be able to define 'glib' to interviewers satisfaction.
5. Arrive consulate at designated time. Those arriving 30 seconds too early/late must start process from scratch and pay application fee again.
6. 496 photographs of applicant in every possible size, color, and contortion of body. Documented by sitting Supreme Court Justice.
7. Application fee: 2000 USD in new, unfolded, unspindled, unmutilitated bills.
*feel free to add your own
ScotsAlan:
8. A right hand index finger print. Must be in Apple file format. 9 . An NRA membership card.
And that's why I always follow rule NUMBER #1 -
It has got me out of a few bad situations this week alone.
What's that rule again?
NEVER EVER TRUST A MAINLAND CHINESE PERSON... EVER!
Not because you don't like them, or they seem shady or even disloyal... but because more than not... they have no real clue what they claim they know to be true lol.
This includes your wife unfortunately... not her fault... just a victim of the system. I can't count the times this rule has saved me. Solution is usually:
- do it yourself if you can
- show them exactly what you want with no room for error (I know, could not find it at the time)
- prove them wrong (with solid proof) and if they don't admit fault.... walk away
- show them how to do their job if you think it would cause less trouble than trusting them
- watch them closely and let them know you are watching (they got to feel like Big brother is watching them lol)
But alas, keep your head up... you are almost out of here!
coineineagh:
The sad truth is, your rule is more easy and effective than any balanced, moderate, considerate opinion could be. Works like a charm.
Robk:
Yeah,
This should be a rule printed and given to all foreigners when they come to Mainland China or deal with Mainland Chinese. But they have to understand that it isn't cloak and dagger trust... it is more like trying to work with little children that protest they know everything and then bugger it all up at almost every turn.
And it turns out I was wrong, at least in part.
My German friend printed passport pictures with 36mm heads. I said in essence: "hey this is even worse than the photo shop job."
It turns out that German passports have photos with heads up to 36mm large. The rules are *not* universal, and perhaps the Chinese shop was doing an acceptable job by their standards...
Robk:
Well, you should still NEVER touch a passport photo with PS, so I would have to say they are still in the wrong.
Some countries have people with keen eyes and can tell if an image was modified (as they have been trained to watch out for).They will take you aside and generally make your stress levels rise...
