When I went through immigration at the Gare du Nord a couple of weeks ago I realised that I was showing two identity documents one with a photo of me wearing glasses and the other without and neither photo really looking like I do. Half of my hair disappears by the time the photograph reaches the document and I look even stranger that I really am.
I wonder if that is why the prefecture that I had to go to for the post brexit withdrawal carte de séjour was sending all the applicants away when photo booth photos were handed over, me included. Luckily we found a photography shop in a backstreet who did some very quickly for us and those were accepted by the prefecture.
Same experience here. First photo rejected, second accepted and new passport arrived in a week. Currently costs about ÂŁ110.
Thank you everyone who has responded to my passport query.
It is obvious photo booths in France will not work for a UK passportâŠ
I will have to take camera phone route.
I hung up a big white sheet in an off-white N&E facing room and my daughter took my photograph. Problem: it was impossible to distinguish between my hair and the sheet so we did it again with the wall as a background and it worked fine and was accepted first go.
When I last changed mine (2020) I was concerned it might be needed for the préfecture CdS meetings, so I got our Maire to authenticate a couple of copies
The official requirements say âa plain cream or light grey backgroundâ.
If you are using a white sheet or board as a background, just stand further away from it, and the effects of the inverse square law will mean that it appears grey in the photo, because it will be further from the light source than you are.
I use this method all the time for business headshots: my background in the photo below is pure white, but the amount of light from my flash is reduced by three quarters by the time it reaches the background, so it appears grey:
2 Likes
Thank you Chris, all tips gratefully received!
1 Like
Itâs a pity that we canât all engage Chris to take our photos while sitting in front of our computers.
Or can we. 
We used the app last time we got new passports. It seemed to want you to look like a drug dealer or prison inmate to be acceptable. Certainly as miserable as possible seemed to work.
2 Likes
Not really. 
I would have no control over the lighting. 
When I had mine done for the CDS I was not allowed to have my fringe which I have had all my life, showing and had to clip it aside which shows me totally different to how I really look. Mind you the cops would be looking for someone else if I needed to go on the run 
Well, of course, it needs to align to how your face looks as you enter the UK.
Before anyone jumps all over me, itâs a joke!
1 Like
On my last one I looked like a drug cartel boss
1 Like
I had to photoshop my long hair.
Not at all. An an expired one will work. The only problem is if you ever want to go outside the schengen zone
Obviously the image is stored on a database, the code gives access to that image. Ho owns the database, how many databases are there? How many databases should the UK passport office invest in writing interfaces to or training staff to access, and all that to service a small % of applicants. Iâd guess there just isnât the business case to bother.
Oh no it isnât. 
Now that is interesting, and in a way answers my question about really needing one if you have no desire to leave France . Of course, even if one had no intetion of doing so there can be unforseen circumstances. So I suppose you just send it off but only after taking a copy of it.
On a quick search I could not find if holding a passport was obligatory but I did find this.
" It should also be noted that if you need to renew your carte de séjour because it is approaching the end of its validity period or, for example, if you have lost it, you cannot use an expired passport in your application."
From The Connexion website
Well, I wonât worry about it, just follow the rules and wait 'till something happens. Not sure when my cds expires, when did the first post Brexit ones start? Iâll have a look at it in the morning.