How to Obtain a Passport Photo
By Keith Dooley
If you're traveling out of the country for a golf trip, you'll need to obtain a passport---or renew your current one if it's about to expire. If applying for a new one, you'll want to start the passport application process as early as possible since it can sometimes take a few months. All passport applications require recent photographs, which must follow strict guidelines and have specific dimensions. To avoid application delays It's best to have these types of photos taken by official vendors.
Instructions
Difficulty: Easy
Locate an official vendor of passport photos. Call local drugstores such as Rite Aid or CVS, as well as Fedex and UPS locations and local post office branches to see if they offer passport photo services. Most drugstores that have onsite photo labs offer this service. Also ask if you must set up an appointment---at most places, you can drop in whenever it's convenient.
Go to the location you've selected and have your photo taken. If the vendor has a digital set-up, you will receive your photos immediately. If the location has a standard photo lab, the vendor will process the film and give the pictures to you within an hour or so. If your photo is taken at a location where photo printing isn't available, the vendor may have to send the photos out to a lab for processing.
Double check your photos before paying to make sure they are compliant with the U.S. State Department's requirements. Photos must be exactly two inches by two inches square and in color. They must show a clear view of your face that is unobstructed by shadows. The background must be plain white or off-white. For examples, and a full list of guidelines, see the State Department's Composition Checklist (see Resources).
If you're happy with your photos, pay the fee. Fees vary depending on vendor. Costs range from around a few dollars to $15 or more. Submit your photos with your passport application.
Tips & Warnings
Check around. There is no reason to pay more than you have to for a couple of tiny photos. Drugstores tend to have the cheapest rates.
Certain types of clothing, like hats or uniforms, cannot be worn for passport photos. See the State Department's FAQ on passport photos (in Resources) for details.
Check around. There is no reason to pay more than you have to for a couple of tiny photos. Drugstores tend to have the cheapest rates.
Certain types of clothing, like hats or uniforms, cannot be worn for passport photos. See the State Department's FAQ on passport photos (in Resources) for details.
About The Author
Keith Dooley has a degree in outdoor education and sports management. He has worked as an assistant athletic director, head coach and assistant coach in various sports including football, softball and golf. Dooley has worked for Associated Content in the past and has been a contributing writer at Demand Media Studios for the last year, writing mainly for eHow, Trails, Golflink and Travels.
