Unusual Passport problem

[GlenandVal]

Help what can I do We have misplaced the passport pictures we did back in April, I started chemo the following week, and now am Bald, have barely any eyebrows, no eyelash hair, I do not want a passport picture that last 5 years with me looking like this

but so far everywhere we have looked we can not find the pictures we both ahd taken back in April before Chemo, of course dh isnt as bothered by this as I am.

 

we have a cruise booked January 2 2006 and our passports expired this sept, now it looks like I may need to get a new picture while I am Bald

I am so upset this may sound vain, but my chemo is over and my hair will slowly grow back meanwhile I have to renew my passport now

 

does anyone know if I can wear a wig in my passport picture ??????

 

from a distance it looks like my natural hair colour.

[doone]

I understand your dilema, my sister did chemo and radiation and its no fun. I am happy your done with it and now have a wonderful cruise to look forward to. I'd wear the wig to have your new pictures taken, just be sure to wear the wig when you go to get your passports done and you certainly can pencil in your eyebrows. Who's going to know.

[cwc]

I don't know if you have a passport agency around you, my MIL renew her passport in person and receive the new passport the same day.

 

So you can wait till your hair grown back and do the renewal the last minutes. Or turn your house upside down and find the picture.

 

Good luck!

[GlenandVal]

hi

thanks

I may wear the wig as in canada the passports can take 4 to 6 weeks toa rrive, on average though it has been approx 2 weeks,and with my hair just starting to grow back in it will be awhile before I have much to show.

I may wait now til oct when I have an inch or so of hair and see then deiced onwearing the short wig or now n use the fancy make up I recieved from the look good feel better program at the cancer agency.

 

for now will continue to tear hosue apart and hope one of us didnt throw it out by accident

[doone]

Good luck to you and I hope you find those pictures.

[ger_77]

If I were you, I'd get my passport photo taken with your wig. If your hairstyle at sailing time doesn't match the one in your photo - who's to say you can't have changed your mind and cut most of your hair off after your photo was taken?

 

Some of the wigs today are so realistic looking that people really can't tell you're wearing one. A good friend of mine is nearly through her chemo and was visiting us the other day - now remember, I KNOW she's wearing a wig, but my mind was on other things, I guess. I mentioned to her that she might want to get her bangs trimmed as they were a little long and over her eyes. She smiled and simply reached up and readjusted the wig. We had a great laugh over that - I hope you can see the humor in it too. :) Keep smiling, but not for your passport photo!!!:D

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[smilin47]

Hi SilverVal...

As a fellow Canadian speaking from experience, do not mail your passport application and do not send it through your MP's constituency office. I live in Ontario and I started the process of obtaining my passport in October and had to drive to Mississauga to pick up my passport two days before my very first cruise in February. If you are anywhere close to your passport office and there are only 4 (Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver and Victoria), I would recommend that you drive there to apply in person. They will tell you on the spot if your photos are acceptable, if you have proper documentation, etc. And they will likely advise you that your new passport will be delivered to you within 10 days and if you are willing to pay a bit extra, they may send it registered mail.

I have looked at the on-line passport application and although it doesn't say "wigs" specifically as being unacceptable, it does mention that "head coverings are not permitted". I would suggest that you get a picture taken with your wig but also get one taken without it, just in case they get "sticky". And don't forget to have both sets signed by your guarantor. Most passport application offices are located near photo shops that do passport photos and even though it only takes about 15 minutes to get a photo taken & processed, it is stressful enough to stand in the long lines in the passport office without having to leave & come back again.

The rules on passport photos are very strict now. If there are any shadows, they may not accept your photo. My original photo had a shadow running along the side of my face and they rejected it. My second photo had the same shadow but was a far worse photo of me and yet they accepted that one. Most passport photos can only be described as "prison pictures" or mug shots and that is true with mine.

 

Good luck with your photo. Perhaps you will find the one from April & not have to worry about it at all.

[KruznKel]

Hi SilverVal...

As a fellow Canadian speaking from experience, do not mail your passport application and do not send it through your MP's constituency office. I live in Ontario and I started the process of obtaining my passport in October and had to drive to Mississauga to pick up my passport two days before my very first cruise in February. If you are anywhere close to your passport office and there are only 4 (Richmond, Surrey, Vancouver and Victoria), I would recommend that you drive there to apply in person. They will tell you on the spot if your photos are acceptable, if you have proper documentation, etc. And they will likely advise you that your new passport will be delivered to you within 10 days and if you are willing to pay a bit extra, they may send it registered mail.

I have looked at the on-line passport application and although it doesn't say "wigs" specifically as being unacceptable, it does mention that "head coverings are not permitted". I would suggest that you get a picture taken with your wig but also get one taken without it, just in case they get "sticky". And don't forget to have both sets signed by your guarantor. Most passport application offices are located near photo shops that do passport photos and even though it only takes about 15 minutes to get a photo taken & processed, it is stressful enough to stand in the long lines in the passport office without having to leave & come back again.

The rules on passport photos are very strict now. If there are any shadows, they may not accept your photo. My original photo had a shadow running along the side of my face and they rejected it. My second photo had the same shadow but was a far worse photo of me and yet they accepted that one. Most passport photos can only be described as "prison pictures" or mug shots and that is true with mine.

 

Good luck with your photo. Perhaps you will find the one from April & not have to worry about it at all.

 

I agree I would call the passport office closest to you.. or go there with your pictures.. I live in Ottawa and it took me 7 business days from being in the office until my passport was delivered by CP registered mail.. cost of $87.. You do not want to go thru the whole process and then have to get the pictures re-done.. getting two sets is an excellent idea!! Happy Cruisin!!:)

[GlenandVal]

thanks for all your responses gives me something to think about,

I will ask our caa office about new photos if I cant find the ones we took in April,

we live in new westminster not far from surrey office I will go in person since I am still off,

but hope I can use wig or find old pictures as a bald picture bothers me

even if peopel think im cute bald

[GlenandVal]

DH found the passport applications and pictures HE had moved them to a SAFE place, but did n ot ell me, so I thought my chemo brain had misplaced tehm, especially sicne he couldnt rememebr if he had put them anywhwere,

well they will be sent this week as soon as we can, or I will go in person, its done, that picture wasnt a godo oen as my hair was caught ina r ain storm that day but I had hair and look normal except wasnt allowed to smile as we are not allowed to smile in passport photos any more.

sure looks like a mug shot now

 

thanks omg I was soooo upset

 

Val

[Big Al B.]

Heaven forbid we show ourselves as happy :P.

[smilin47]

I'm glad you were able to find your pictures, but I still recommend a visit in person to the passport office if you possibly can. It honestly isn't worth the aggravation, not knowing whether your documentation is acceptable, etc. You will once again have to provide all the documentation required as they do NOT just issue the passport again like they do with driver's licences. They have to do the entire security check and all that stuff all over again. The other thing that bothered me a lot was the fact that I had to give them my marriage licence and my birth certificate. They had those documents for the entire 4 months and all I had were photocopies. I don't think the border crossing agents will accept a photocopied birth certificate as legal to cross into the US had I been going to do Christmas shopping. If you go to the office in person, they check your documents on the spot & give them back to you immediately.