Irish Passport Photo Rejected in Australia

If you’re an Irish citizen who’s currently living in Australia—either on a visa or as a permanent resident—you certainly already know that you need to renew your Irish passport before (or shortly after) it expires. And of course when you renew a passport, you have to submit a fresh biometric photograph for your new passport picture. But what if you’ve sent in an application only to have your photo rejected as non-compliant? What does this mean? What can you do if your Irish passport photo is rejected in Australia?

This article will answer these questions and provide important information on this topic.

Renew your Irish passport overseas

Ireland makes it convenient for its overseas citizens to renew their Irish passports from anywhere in the world. The fastest, easiest and cheapest way to apply is to use the Irish Passport Service’s online system, Passport Online. This is the recommended method for getting an Irish passport. When you apply via Passport Online, you submit a digital photo along with the digital application. Currently, it takes about 10 (ten) working days for Passport Services to process a renewal application, plus shipping.

If you prefer to use a paper application, you must submit traditional paper photos printed on high-quality paper, and mail the application to the Irish embassy or consulate nearest you. This would be either the Consulate General in Sydney (Level 26, 1 Market Street. Sydney, NSW 200) or the Australian Embassy in Canberra (20 Arkana Street, Yarralumla, ACT 2600). Using this method takes about 8 (eight) weeks plus shipping to get your replacement passport.

However you choose to apply, the Irish Passport Service will quickly let you know should there be anything wrong with the photos you submitted to them. You will receive an email explaining that your passport application has been put on “hold” (but not yet cancelled); telling you why it has been put on hold; and explaining what you must do next to correct the problem and complete the application process. Let’s take a look at these 3 (three) things one at a time.

Passport application put on hold

Here is the good news: when an application is put on hold it is not cancelled—at least not right away. You do not need to reapply, and you do not need to pay the fees all over again. You only need to act fast and fix the problem before the hold time expires (usually 90 days). If you wait until after the deadline, then your application will be cancelled and you will have to apply all over again.

What’s wrong with my application?

The Irish Passport Service will let you know by email what the problem is. Maybe your application was incomplete, or your supporting documents were out of date. But the number one problem which causes an application to be put on hold is non-compliant photos. Unfortunately, the passport service will not state exactly how your photos did not meet specifications, only that the photos were rejected.

What do I do next?

The email will helpfully tell you what you need to do next in order to complete the application process. In the case of non-compliant photographs, you simply need to submit a new set of photos that meet all government standards and regulations. Just remember that you only have 90 days to get this done, so you better make sure your next photo passes muster!

Need a new passport photo soon? Learn the rules by checking out:

Irish passport photo standards

As a member of the European Union, Ireland uses the same passport photo requirements as other E.U. nations. Specifically, this means that digital photos must be in the JPEG format, at least 715 pixels wide by 951 pixels high, and no larger than 9 megabytes. It must be an actual photograph, not a scan of an existing photo. It cannot be digitally altered, enhanced, or compressed.

Additionally, the photo must be in coulour. It must be recently taken, within the past 6 (six) months. The subject of the photo must be facing the camera straight on and sitting or standing up straight in front of a plain white, light grey or cream-coloured background. Your hair cannot obscure your face or eyes. You may wear glasses as long as the frames don’t block your eyes and there is no glare on the lenses. Hats and scarves are not permitted except for medical or religious reasons.

In other words, there’s a lot to know about Irish passport photo guidelines! But you don’t need to be an expert in the photo requirements to take perfect pictures. You don’t need to hire an expert either. Keep reading to learn the easy way to create your own biometric photos.

Passport Photo Online for making perfect passport photos

Turn your smartphone into your own personal photo booth by downloading a free app called Passport Photo Online. This app guides you through the photography process, making sure that your digital passport photo follows all the guidelines and meets all the Irish passport photo requirements. The premium version ($9.95 AUD) even makes corrections for you, such as digitally replacing your background with the perfect plain white background! You’re guaranteed to get a perfect picture for your Irish passport, or double your money back.

And if you insist on doing things the old-fashioned way, Passport Photo Online can even print your new passport photos onto premium photo-quality paper and mail them to your home. 

Irish passport photos rejected in Australia: FAQ

Here are a few other questions you might be wondering about.

Irish passport photos in Australia: conclusion

Anyone who has ever been travelling on St. Patrick’s Day—also known as 17 March—knows that this annual celebration of Irish culture and heredity has become a global phenomenon. That’s because the Irish are everywhere! Ireland is a nation of emigrants whose citizens have resettled all around the world. And Australia is one of the countries with the highest percentage of Irish immigrants, where they make up over 10% of the population.

When the time comes for you to renew your Irish passport in Australia, you have nothing to worry about. Be sure to use the Irish Passport Service’s online system, Passport Online, which makes it super easy to renew your important travel documents. And Passport Photo Online makes it simple to create your new biometric passport photo. Between these two online services, you’ll complete your renewal in almost no time at all. Then you’ll have time for a quick cup of tea—or a glass of Guinness—before getting back to living life Down Under.

Disclaimer: The material featured on the Passport Photo Online blog is intended to be used for general informational purposes only. Whilst we try to ensure that all the content is up-to-date, we cannot guarantee its accuracy or completeness. In all cases, we recommend that you check the relevant government websites to find the most up-to-date information.

Sources

• [1] https://www.dfa.ie/passports/photo-guidelines/
• [2] https://www.dfa.ie/passportonline/