Passport Question-Dark Photo

[ichoose2believe]

I couldn't find an answer when searching so I thought I would post here.

I recently received my first passport (US) and the photo is really dark and I look more like a shadow. (I do have darker skin) I am curious if anyone has had their passport rejected during the online check-in process because of something like this. As a note: the photo that I sent them was not this dark. I would think because it was approved and sent to be by the state department then it should be fine, however, I worry. Any help would be great.

 

[happycamper47]

I don't think they actually reject it since any uncertainties are reviewed by a CM. Also any issues can be resolved when you arrive at the port and present it to a CM at the check in desk. I agree since it was approved and returned by the State Department it should be fine. How much time before your cruise? I would try and contact them. 1-877-487-2778 They are there 8 am to 10 pm M-F

 

[ichoose2believe]

I don't think they actually reject it since any uncertainties are reviewed by a CM. Also any issues can be resolved when you arrive at the port and present it to a CM at the check in desk. I agree since it was approved and returned by the State Department it should be fine. How much time before your cruise? I would try and contact them. 1-877-487-2778 They are there 8 am to 10 pm M-F

60 days. I did call and they said if I wanted an update I would have to apply for a new one. I don’t really want to take the risk since I am so close and previously paid for expedited processing.
Glad to know they don’t reject. May bring birth certificate as backup.
Thanks

 

[dwg]

I just completed the online checkin Friday night. I am in the same situation waiting for the review process to be completed. I worry about my passport picture too. I was very disappointed with how the passport came back as the color of the picture is very washed out making it hard to see that it is me. It is even worse in the picture of the passport that I uploaded. One good sign was that the information on the passport populated immediately upon uploading the photo of the passport. I took that as a sign the photo of the passport was good enough for what DCL needed. I have read in the online checkin thread that the upload did not always populate the required information on the first upload attempt.

I have used the passport when checking in at the terminal on a pre covid cruise and going through customs for that cruise and nobody said anything but this time I am assuming a computer is reviewing the documents and it could get rejected. I did contact DCL prior to doing the online checkin to ask questions and she was not concerned about the passport picture.

Another thing that concerns me is how long the review process is taking to complete. As someone who likes to plan ahead and stresses about details it is very stressful waiting until almost the day of the cruise to find out you cleared the review process. It does not give you anytime to correct issues prior to the cruise.

 

[ichoose2believe]

I just completed the online checkin Friday night. I am in the same situation waiting for the review process to be completed. I worry about my passport picture too. I was very disappointed with how the passport came back as the color of the picture is very washed out making it hard to see that it is me. It is even worse in the picture of the passport that I uploaded. One good sign was that the information on the passport populated immediately upon uploading the photo of the passport. I took that as a sign the photo of the passport was good enough for what DCL needed. I have read in the online checkin thread that the upload did not always populate the required information on the first upload attempt.

I have used the passport when checking in at the terminal on a pre covid cruise and going through customs for that cruise and nobody said anything but this time I am assuming a computer is reviewing the documents and it could get rejected. I did contact DCL prior to doing the online checkin to ask questions and she was not concerned about the passport picture.

Another thing that concerns me is how long the review process is taking to complete. As someone who likes to plan ahead and stresses about details it is very stressful waiting until almost the day of the cruise to find out you cleared the review process. It does not give you anytime to correct issues prior to the cruise.

Thank you for letting me know your experience with the check in process and your call to DCL. I have also read on a few posts about the all clear taking a while to be approved. On our last DCL cruise it only took a few days and that was with a birth certificate and DL. Fingers crossed that things go well for both of us and we have a wonderful vacation!

 

[RedHead0186]

If anything is rejected you'll be notified and have a chance to upload a new photo. And, if that still doesn't work, you'll have the opportunity to sort it out when you get to port (you have to bring your passport anyway). I know it'd be nice to have the all-clear ahead of time, and it makes sense that if the State Department approved that DCL should too. Just know that if it doesn't work during online check in you can still fix it at port.

 

[tink1970]

If anything is rejected you'll be notified and have a chance to upload a new photo. And, if that still doesn't work, you'll have the opportunity to sort it out when you get to port (you have to bring your passport anyway). I know it'd be nice to have the all-clear ahead of time, and it makes sense that if the State Department approved that DCL should too. Just know that if it doesn't work during online check in you can still fix it at port.

Thanks-I've been waiting for 2 weeks now and it is resulting in a bit of anxiety. I hope safe passage is quicker...

 

[RedHead0186]

Thanks-I've been waiting for 2 weeks now and it is resulting in a bit of anxiety. I hope safe passage is quicker...

Ours didn't get cleared to sail until maybe a week/week and a half out? It takes a while, so I would try not to stress about it. Safe Passage was much quicker for us, I got approved in a couple of hours and my parents within 24 hours.

 

[ichoose2believe]

If anything is rejected you'll be notified and have a chance to upload a new photo. And, if that still doesn't work, you'll have the opportunity to sort it out when you get to port (you have to bring your passport anyway). I know it'd be nice to have the all-clear ahead of time, and it makes sense that if the State Department approved that DCL should too. Just know that if it doesn't work during online check in you can still fix it at port.

Thanks. This help to ease some of the worry.

 

[stout]

My daughter has one that is very light and ghost-like. Never had a problem. They chuckle at port, but no problems with clearing ahead of time.

 

[TinkAgainU]

The "passport photo" requirements can be super fussy - I had mine done at Staples for $15 and the person taking photos seemed to know what to look for - they actually redid my photo because my ears were not showing thru my hair lol. I would Not use a photo someone took who was not familiar with the requirements. Resubmitting might take far longer or require more energy than just getting it right the first time Disney, on the other hand, just wants to make sure they have a photo which allows them to identify you.

 

[MomOTwins]

Interestingly we just got passports for our twins and the pictures have the same problem. Not at all like my passports or my third child’s passports. The passport is a completely different material and design than it was a couple years ago. Evidently the state department has redesigned passports and it is like this for everyone now. Maybe it makes it more difficult to copy/forge this way.

 

[auntlynne]

The “pending review” status can seem interminable. I am experienced in checking in and know how to complete the steps; it’s not the users, it’s the system.

As for the passport, the most important item is the code on the bottom, the expiration date and that your name matches your cruise or airlines ticket.

People do change appearance in 10 years, too.

And, yes, my latest passport has a lower quality info page - their doing, not my submitted photo. Mine is very washed out.

This is the small stuff we are not supposed to be sweating.

 

[TinkAgainU]

This is the small stuff we are not supposed to be sweating.

+1 with this! The photo in your passport book has by definition been pre-approved for travel (my comments earlier were about getting That photo right before sending the passport application). A clear photo for DCL is "small stuff."

 

[ichoose2believe]

For anyone curious: my (OP) passport was fine and no one had an issue with it getting on or off the ship. Happy travels!

 

[kiford]

If your government has issued a passport aka approved your photo for their purposes, Disney can't say they don't like it and reject it on that basis. It's a valid, legal document. They want to make sure that the photo in the passport and the person using it and the person whose photo is in their system are all the same person. If the lighting is a problem I'm sure it can be resolved at the port and if necessary they'd take another photo that they are happy with.

In the days when they took a photo at the port, the quality of those photos was awful (and they used to take the photo of DH and I together in one shot with our heads mashed together). But because it was taken by someone who had you there in person and had your passport in hand and the photo was good enough for someone to reasonably well identify you later, that was sufficient. My guess is that they are being overly picky about what's uploaded only because they aren't able to verify that in person anymore. There may be a few that they have to resolve in person, but it greatly reduces the amount of time they have to devote to those situations.