# Passport renewal - photo authentication



## Metro10 (25 Oct 2011)

When having a passport renewed, which has not yet expired, does the photo still have to be authenticated by an appropriate person.

Or does a photo accompanying a passport renewal application not have to be authenticated if the passport has not expired and the appearance of the applicant has not changed radically since the last passport was issued?

Thank you.


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## jhegarty (25 Oct 2011)

You will need them signed.


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## Metro10 (25 Oct 2011)

Ok, thank you.


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## Black Sheep (31 Oct 2011)

By the way you now need 4 passport photos.  Garda signs 2 and you also send 2 others blank. Just had mine done today


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## theresa1 (16 Apr 2012)

Went to my local Garda Station yesterday to get my photo's certified. I only had my driving licence with me and the Guard insisted on me showing him my expired Passport. Basically my Driving licence was no value. In all the checks I did it does not mention that you should take along your old Passport to the Garda Station. I had to go back home and get my expired Passport and go back around to the Station.


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## Bronte (17 Apr 2012)

And threasa1 wouldn't it be far easier if the passport office could do that check themselves instead of wasting the time of the Gardai and yourself in bureaucracy.


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## huskerdu (17 Apr 2012)

Bronte said:


> And threasa1 wouldn't it be far easier if the passport office could do that check themselves instead of wasting the time of the Gardai and yourself in bureaucracy.



I think the passport application process is very laborious. BTW, its much worse for kids. 

However, I don't get your point about the passport office authenticating the photo. The point of the visit to the Garda station, is that a Garda looks at you and agrees that the photo is a good likeness. I know that the OP says they haven't changed much in 10 years ( we all think that ),   but that is a subjective judgement and one that the passport office cant make and it is not acceptable to take peoples word for it.


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## Lance (17 Apr 2012)

On a related matter, can I take it that I don't have to send in my birth cert when renewing my passport?
Also, I'm assuming that they will send back my old passport after redeeming it?


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## Armada (17 Apr 2012)

No birth cert required for renewal (only needed if its lost or stolen) and yes old passport will be returned marked cancelled and it's cover corners cut off.


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## TarfHead (17 Apr 2012)

theresa1 said:


> .. the Guard insisted on me showing him my expired Passport.


 
I recently renewed my passpport and, while the renewal was with them, received a call from the Passport Office. They were looking my previously expired passport - the one that expired in 2001 ! The one that had just expired, in 2011, was with the renewal.

After I told them I had no idea where that one was, they put me on hold and then told me that it was OK. No explanation for the call.


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## beaky (17 Apr 2012)

Note 9 on the applications accompanying notes says you should present some form of photographic ID.


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## Molli (18 Apr 2012)

Why are they so fussy about passport photos? If needs be somebody could look totally different when using the passport than the actual photo on it. My photos were returned because I was smiling in them and my teeth were showing.


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## Bronte (18 Apr 2012)

huskerdu said:


> .
> 
> However, I don't get your point about the passport office authenticating the photo.


 
And why can't the passport office staff by looking at you authenticate the photo, if you call in person. I'm sure the average citizen is not known to by the gardai so it is just the same as the passport office staff doing it. There is no additional security measure by the fact it is a garda. The gardai hate doing this and invariable make it difficult for people based on all the posts on AAM on this topic alone. 

As I'm out of the country, in Ireland is it only the gardai who can authenticate photos or can it be a GP, school principal, bank manager etc?


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## Time (18 Apr 2012)

Only Gardaí can do it for applicants within Ireland.


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## huskerdu (18 Apr 2012)

Bronte said:


> And why can't the passport office staff by looking at you authenticate the photo, if you call in person.



Because there are two passport offices in the country  but plenty of Garda stations ( for the moment anyway), a lot of which are open at weekends and  in the evenings. 

I agree that some Gardai are not keen on this part of their job, but if it happened me that a Garda was stroppy with me over a passport application, I would be writing a letter of complaint to their boss, not taking a day off work to queue in an office in Balbriggan.


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## Slim (18 Apr 2012)

Bronte said:


> And why can't the passport office staff by looking at you authenticate the photo, if you call in person. I'm sure the average citizen is not known to by the gardai so it is just the same as the passport office staff doing it. There is no additional security measure by the fact it is a garda. The gardai hate doing this and invariable make it difficult for people based on all the posts on AAM on this topic alone.
> 
> As I'm out of the country, in Ireland is it only the gardai who can authenticate photos or can it be a GP, school principal, bank manager etc?


If you turn up in person at the Passport Office, they can verify the photos there, especially as you can have them taken there in a booth. It is only the  postal applications that need be signed by Garda, AFAIK.


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## Bronte (19 Apr 2012)

Slim said:


> If you turn up in person at the Passport Office, they can verify the photos there, especially as you can have them taken there in a booth. It is only the postal applications that need be signed by Garda, AFAIK.


 
Well that's handy for those 1/3 of the population in Dublin and whatever percentage in Cork.  Why don't they do that in the other major cities.  Most people visit Limerick/Sligo/Waterford etc a couple of times a year.


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## huskerdu (19 Apr 2012)

Bronte said:


> Well that's handy for those 1/3 of the population in Dublin and whatever percentage in Cork.  Why don't they do that in the other major cities.  Most people visit Limerick/Sligo/Waterford etc a couple of times a year.



I genuinely dont see your point. 

I am not going to defend all aspects of the passport application process, but I do believe that the photo should be verified as a likeness in person. 

The Passport office in Dublin is not convenient to most of the 1 million people who live in Dublin. It is open from 9.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday and is over 45 minutes by public transport for a lot of the population of Dublin.   Can you imagine the chaos if everyone applying for a passport had to go there. 

If you choose to apply by post, which is very handy, there is very little admin overhead in getting the photos authenticated by the local Gardai. 

There are lots of Gardai and lots of Garda stations which are open longer hours than the passport office.


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## Bronte (20 Apr 2012)

huskerdu said:


> but I do believe that the photo should be verified as a likeness in person.
> 
> .


 
Me too, just don't see why it only has to be Garda, why not bank manager, school principal, doctor etc.  People who actually know you.


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## oldnick (20 Apr 2012)

Just as a point of interest when renewing a British passport at UK in Dublin  all they need is a copy of one's previous passport -no signed photos or other proof of ID except for first time applicants.


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## Bronte (20 Apr 2012)

That reminds me of an old email about how civil servants think, there was a very funny one I think from an Austrialian wit about them making us mere citizens run all over town for this and that, info that they already have, maybe someone has a link to it.


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