We were needing photos for our Visas to go to China later in the year. I know we got them at AAA (Auto Club) for free a long time ago. Now they cost $8.00 a person.
How wonderful to learn that Passport Photos cost only $4.99 at Costco for four of them, not that you need four.
I loved the person who took our photos! She looked at my image, frowned a little and said, "Would you like to try again?"
I knew right away why. It's because one side of my face has a little loss of feeling due to a jaw operation I had several decades ago. If I smile with my lips closed, it looks like a sneer because only one side of my lip goes up.
She suggested showing a little teeth.
"I thought you weren't supposed to show teeth or smile," I said.
"Nope, it's OK so long as your eyes don't crinkle up", she assured me.
I did as she said.
"You see! It's much better", she laughed happily.
When we went to pick up the visa photos 10 minutes later she smiled and said, "See how pretty you look. The foreign official will definitely let you into the country cause you look friendly."
As we were leaving the store, Art sighed and gave me a mournful smile. "She didn't tell me my picture was pretty."
POSTSCRIPT: I sure hope the Costco technician was right because I just looked it up on line and it's very unclear what is acceptable or not for passport/visa photos. Keeping my fingers crossed that I don't have to go back and get a photo of me sneering.
How wonderful to learn that Passport Photos cost only $4.99 at Costco for four of them, not that you need four.
I loved the person who took our photos! She looked at my image, frowned a little and said, "Would you like to try again?"
I knew right away why. It's because one side of my face has a little loss of feeling due to a jaw operation I had several decades ago. If I smile with my lips closed, it looks like a sneer because only one side of my lip goes up.
She suggested showing a little teeth.
"I thought you weren't supposed to show teeth or smile," I said.
"Nope, it's OK so long as your eyes don't crinkle up", she assured me.
I did as she said.
"You see! It's much better", she laughed happily.
When we went to pick up the visa photos 10 minutes later she smiled and said, "See how pretty you look. The foreign official will definitely let you into the country cause you look friendly."
As we were leaving the store, Art sighed and gave me a mournful smile. "She didn't tell me my picture was pretty."
POSTSCRIPT: I sure hope the Costco technician was right because I just looked it up on line and it's very unclear what is acceptable or not for passport/visa photos. Keeping my fingers crossed that I don't have to go back and get a photo of me sneering.
We renewed our passports in January. When getting the photos done , we were told to remove our glasses. That surprised me, because we wear glasses all the time, so we look less natural without them. Also, we were told not to smile. We got our photos done at AAA this time but WalMart does them very reasonably as we'll.where will you go in China? We spent many weeks in Chengdu but also visited Beijing, Xian, HongKong,..
ReplyDeleteI just looked at the itinerary. It's got Beijing, Xian, Shanghai, Suzhou, Yangtze River and Hong Kong. I just hope the smog won't be too bad.
DeleteIf you will notice on the ad for the 1 hour passport pictures, the model is smiling.
ReplyDeleteAs a matter of fact, I did notice that. I just hope the Chinese don't mind the smile on their Visa applications.
DeleteUsually after any kind of plane flight, I am not smiling. In fact, I do tend to look like my passport photo (Erma Bombeck said it). Maybe that is where the no smile "rule" comes from. I once had a person at the DMV retake my driver's license photo. I could have kissed her.
ReplyDeleteThis is too funny, but too true as far as I'm concerned.
DeleteWhen I had my last passport picture taken, I was smiling and nobody has ever said anything. It wasn't a huge smile, just a little one, showing a bit of teeth. I hope this one works for you, Kay. I've been to China six different times and enjoyed every trip very much. I hope you do, too! :-)
ReplyDeleteNo kidding? SIX times? That is just so fabulous! This will be our first trip and I'm really looking forward to it. I'm just hoping to keep healthy.
Deletesweet technician, and great price at Costco as always!
ReplyDeleteIs there ANYTHING that Costco doesn't do?!?
ReplyDeleteWhen we went to China in 2005 I don't remember needing to get photos for our visas. We (I think) just sent our passports and paperwork to the tour company so they could take care of it. Could be wrong, though.
none of us smiles enough...lol!
ReplyDeleteYou make me curious about this, so I read a bit about the visa. The Chinese want $140 per visa?! Their embassy website says only " recent, front view, in 48mm x33mm size without head covering. " No mention of smiling being forbidden.
ReplyDeleteKay, how do you even get the visa if their nearest consulate is in Los Angeles?
A trip to China, wow! Are you going solo or in a group? That must take a lot of planning. We can hardly wait for your photos.
Thank goodness they didn't mention the "no smiling" rule. Thank you for checking. And yes, $140.00!!! We are doing a tour for this. We thought it would be safer, just as we used a tour for Egypt and Jordan. The tour company takes care of getting the Visa for us, thank goodness. And you just know there will be LOTS of photos. LOL
DeleteWhat a nice experience that the person taking the photo cared about how it turned out. My experience with passport and driver's license pics is that they just want to get you in and out as quick as possible.
ReplyDeleteYour interesting story caused me to dig out my passport and have a look. I had a slight smile, but we were heading for a Caribbean nation in the dead of winter at the time, so I probably couldn't hold back completely.
ReplyDeleteYou just made me smile, Dick!
DeleteWhat a delightful photographer you had. Most just press button and collect money.I always smile on my drivers license since that is what I intend to flash at the patrolman who stops me.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the passport agency. I heard of that rule also.
ReplyDeleteMy passport photo has a smile with teeth; Terry's does not. He looks very grim in his, like he's being punished. It is nice that your photographer was so personable. I had a really nice guy at the post office, maybe that's why I'm smiling. I don't know where Terry had is picture taken.
ReplyDeleteYou should see my military ID. I scare myself when I look at my sneer.
DeleteTwo grandchildren needed new passport photos this year. How they grow in that time! My grandson is acquiring a young man face, and my granddaughter resembles her other grandma more every day.
ReplyDeleteOh can't wait to see the pictures! Just you and pretty-smile Art?
ReplyDeleteAloha from town-side
Ummmm.... Art didn't smile exactly. He had his military ID look. Tsk.
DeleteI think my son got his passport photo at CVS.
ReplyDeleteI got my first passport in 1996 before a trip to Europe. When I saw the picture I told the people that I was going with that if I started to look like the picture, get me home quick.
ReplyDeleteIf you can get to Xian be sure and see the Terra Cotta Warriors. That and the Great Wall were the best things I saw.
Yup! Xian and the Great Wall are on the itinerary. I'm really looking forward to it. Everybody I've talked to has said it was a wonderful trip. Granted, I'm not looking forward to the smog I hear they are suffering from.
DeleteI've never had to do one before, I hope to visit Japan one day.
ReplyDeleteAdam, you will love Japan, and New Zealand and the Netherlands and the British Isles and Europe and Australia and Canada and.... everywhere. No matter where you go you'll find wonderful places and beautiful people.
DeleteBlessings...
ReplyDeletewonderful that you can find that bargain.
question: how do you get your blogroll to show the country your blog friends are in?
peace.
Rhapsody
http://rappingonamelody.blogspot.ca/
https://plus.google.com/101099217204323189067
http://www.shelfari.com/rhapsodyphoenix
http://twitter.com/rhapsodyphoenix
http://pinterest.com/rhapsodyphoenix/
https://www.facebook.com/RhapsodyPhoenix
After I get the web address on my blogroll, I rename it and add the name and state or country. I just like knowing where everybody is from and my memory is so poor that I need to see it all the time.
DeleteI heard it is a good idea to have a passport handy just in case. We wandered into Mexico by accident and had no passport on us. This was about 7 years ago. I doubt we could do the same thing and not get into trouble today.
ReplyDeleteL...w
We're needing a Visa on top of our Passports for the trip to China. Dina is right in that it does cost $140.00 which is pretty darn exorbitant.
DeleteI had no idea there were rules for passport of Visa photos. But I've never traveled where a Visa was necessary.
ReplyDeletei am not sure abt the no smile rule but i have been told that our ears should be visible
ReplyDeletebut then again, these rules may vary since i do not have a us passport.
hope it all goes ok!
The ears? That's a new one that I haven't heard before.
DeleteWe're happy to stay home! Happy trails to you, though! You share a wonderful world with all of your happy readers!
ReplyDelete