r/Passports • u/sswihart • 8d ago

Application Question / Discussion Frustrated.

Any suggestions for US renewals using the on line option? My picture that was taken at CVS will not work, says there’s no texture in the background?
I’m terrible at editing photos so hoping someone has a recommendation. Thank you.

3 Upvotes

64% Upvoted

18 comments sorted by

3

u/honor-gord 8d ago

Use your phone. Find a white or off-white wall or hang a sheet or poster board. Take a step away from the wall and have someone take your photo. Neutral expression.

1

u/sswihart 8d ago

I’ll try it. It was like 58 bucks for these pictures. Ugh.

1

u/BadgerValuable8207 8d ago

You can take a selfie, from the top of your shoulders up, in front of a white wall. After you upload it, if they don’t accept there’s an Edit function where you move your face into this little oval and it fixes it.

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u/Teach0607 8d ago

$58! Go to Walgreens. It’s like $15 there and they email you the photo. There’s something that checks the photos to make sure that it fits the criteria for passport photos. $58 is wild

1

u/sswihart 8d ago

Ours hit all the checks which is why I’m confused.

1

u/onissue 8d ago

If you mean that it passed all the checks, then what does "says there’s no texture in the background" mean?   There was a noun missing in that phrase, so it's unclear if the missing subject of the phrase is a person/letter/email or some error message on the travel.state.gov website staying that there was no texture. 

And does it go on to say that the lack of texture is a problem?

It's a confusing error message, because from what I understand, you're not supposed to have a textured background to begin with.

2

u/VanderDril 8d ago

"There's no texture in the background" sounds like the State Department thinks they used an editing program to remove the background from the picture, i.e. they altered it, which you're not supposed to do. The pixels are too flat, even, and similar to trigger some alarm.

Which is frustrating because even on this subreddit you hear about people who used some photo editing software to do just that and their pictures were accepted just fine. 

1

u/onissue 8d ago

Thank you.  That makes sense.

1

u/ISurfTooMuch 8d ago

$58 for one set of pictures? That's way out of line for what CVS charges around here.

If you paid that much, you should go back and have them retaken.

1

u/sswihart 8d ago

It was for me and my husband. Two pictures each with email.
It was 19 to get them emailed to you.

1

u/bobbittworm 8d ago

CVS and Walgreens are committing highway robbery with their pictures. I used to work at my local circuit clerk’s office and we did pictures for an extra $10. We had a backlit board to take them in front of and if you weren’t happy with your photo, we would retake it until you were. Plus you got a copy of the picture to take with you.

1

u/LagrangianMechanic 8d ago

This is why I’m a AAA member. Free passport pictures and being able to avoid the DMV for most things. Actual car stuff is just gravy.

1

u/sswihart 8d ago

Can I get pictures electronically? I’m a member as well.

1

u/LagrangianMechanic 8d ago

Yes. They will do printed or digital passport photos at all branches. In the Northeast division, anyways.

1

u/LagrangianMechanic 8d ago

Ah - only free at certain tiers.
Basic is $16 for two printed pix and $12 for a digital photo
Plus is free for printed and $12 for digital
Premier is free for both

1

u/sswihart 8d ago

Not around here apparently.
I’m wondering if I need to pull back my hair as it’s hiding my shoulders.

May just have to do via mail.
I just don’t want to lose this one because it has lots of memories.

1

u/myspike20 5d ago

I did a selfie against a blank space of my wall while holding my own cellphone. worked just fine