Passport ordeal

Renewing a passport is no big deal right but creating a new passport for a baby??!!!

Let's say it wasn't too bad going online and typing all the details on and then printing the forms off. It was the passport photo that was creating the havoc. The instructions are

• show the baby or child awake, looking straight at the camera with mouth closed and no pacifier.
• show both edges of the face clearly (no toys, blankets, chair backs or other people visible) and no hair across the eyes.

Hmm that was the hard bit, not only was Jaeminkins was feeling extra chatty on the day of his passport photo was being taken, he was also extra fidgety. So with a yellow muslin draped behind him in the pram, wearing a bib as he was being quite dribbly, this set the scene for his passport photo.

The post office employee had a hard time trying to get a photo that he was happy with. After about 5 tries, he prints the one that he thinks will be approved. So what do you think about the photo?? I don't even think it looks like my child.

Now putting in application forms, I can't believe how picky the post office staff are. One of the signatures was in blue ink and not black ink and I was told that the application could be rejected on that basis. I was going to blame Pepe for that one as he was the one that signed in blue ink.

The signature of the witness on the application and the back of the photo didn't quite match so it could also get rejected on that basis. And the baby photo, it could get rejected as it didn't quite comply with the instructions but 'c'mon it's a baby' and I have no control over his facial features.

So my ordeal was to either to outsource the photo as it may not get approved but then in that case it may get rejected as the post office didn't do it. So I decided to risk it and go with the photo taken by the post office staff.

I was advised by friends what they went through to get a child's passports and it is at times an ordeal and chuckled at their stories but I thought I'd wait it out and see what happens.

Two weeks later, I was rewarded with new passports for myself and Jaeminkins. Let's say that Pepe chuckled a lot after checking out Jaeminkin's photo. Interesting to know that a child's passport only lasts 5 years. Its a tragic photo but too funny not to share.