Passport Know-it-alls

[Crosshair]

+1 for the going outside the country. It is just too expencive to fly across the Atlantic just to get beat up by Soccer Hooligans. (Wasn't me, was a classmate from years ago that had that happen to them. Interesting story, though I never did get the complete version.)

Joking aside, in the US you are much better off spending your money traveling around inside the US because your money goes alot farther and you don't have those long, expensive, Trans-Atlantic flights. Many people I know take a weekend trip to Minneapolis every few months.

As much as people say the world is shrinking, it is still very costly to travel halfway across the globe. Many people have found that it is better, easier and cheaper to take several smaller vacations rather than one big one. Also, with modern communications, people can talk to each other, share photos and videos of each other, etc instead of taking frequent trips to see relatives. My dad does this, he has alot of nightime minutes on his cell phone that he never uses and free long distance. He talks to his sister, who lives 300+ miles away, for hours at a time in the evening. I can see how this would be much better than talking to each other after one has had a long trip. Plus you can do it more often.

Change subject.

I wore this T-shirt when I went to get photos for my North Dakota CCW (Consealed Carry Weapon) Permit. I was going to wear it when I got photos to put on my ATF Form 4 for my TAC-16 suppressor, but I got them done when I was on lunch at work so I just had on the green shirt for work that day. On my CCW Permit you can only see the top of the kitties head because they crop it so much.



/Owns two of these shirts.

[Pagan]

There's never enough world.

*has itchy feet*

Or....or....or...."The World is Not Enough"?!

[Reyneth]

I have a suspicion that customers get really paranoid about passport photo specs because they are coming to you after they already got one set of photos rejected.

That is possible. Not in all cases, but it does happen.

On the flip side is that the Post Office (ie, the place rejecting the photos) sent them to us. That would imply we know what we are doing, right? But that's logic again for you......

The worst I've seen is always the size - faces waaay too big or too small. Obviously the person taking the photo wasn't trained on actually *how* to do a passport photo.

[BusBus]

I remind them that *nobody* looks good by the time they get to customs. Most get a good laugh out of that.

Last time that I went through customs, I had spent most of the 9.5 hrs flight feeling very ill (I even took the barf bag with me for the bus ride home). I don't think the customs officer would have recognized me if my passport had a glamour shot in it

[pbmods]

I have a suspicion that customers get really paranoid about passport photo specs because they are coming to you after they already got one set of photos rejected.

At the chain of stores I work for, convenience is the top priority. In other words, if you can get a borderline-passable photo out in 5 minutes, go for it, even if you would have a much better photo after 3-4 extra minutes of work (I actually got yelled at for this; customers in fact called in to complain about how long it took to get their passport photos).

I have seen some absolutely horrible passport photos go out. Reddish tint (like, "Holy crap the building is on fire!" red), OBVIOUS shadows, horrendous glasses glare. And I'm pretty well convinced that the only reason they don't come back is because they go to a different store to have them redone

[Tanasi]

Three of the times I've been out of the country I was shot at and one time I received shrapnel in my legs. My passport expired years ago and I'm not interested in leaving again. For the most part I've seen what I've wanted to and I don't feel right when I'm not on Rocky Top.

[Imogene]

He said they could crop that out, I thanked him because otherwise I would have to go home and change in order to get another picture.

Couldn't you have just turned the shirt around? Wear it backwards? No more 'Homicide', no need to go home...

[Darkmage]

Been there, done that

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.

I did something equally stupid a number of years ago. My brother-in-law is a police officer, he got me a black T-shirt with the word HOMICIDE, the Chicago PD logo underneath, and underneath that "Our day begins when yours ends". I thought it was hilarious. Went to get my FOID (Firearm Owner ID) picture and without thinking, was wearing that shirt. I didn't notice, the photographer didn't notice, took the picture, both of us looked at it and started laughing. It had my face and underneath it just the word HOMICIDE. He said they could crop that out, I thanked him because otherwise I would have to go home and change in order to get another picture.

[Reyneth]

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!"

HEHEHEHE When people are obsessing that their photo has to be perfect (I try and get a good one, but a studio portrait it ain't) I remind them that *nobody* looks good by the time they get to customs. Most get a good laugh out of that.

[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!"

[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.

[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

[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?

[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.

[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.