Easy passport mistake which could delay your application – and ruin your holiday

BRITS applying for a new passport ahead of their next holiday could see their application delayed due to an easy mistake.

An 85-year-old woman had her passport rejected – because her hair was too pale in the passport photograph.

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Ann Wingfield had to take new headshots as she applied for a new passport.

However, her photographs were rejected twice – because her hair was white, so it blended into the background.

She told the Mirror:  “It was a grey background so there really wasn’t a difference between it and my hair colour.”

Ann isn’t the first person this has happened to, with lots of other people having problems with pale or white hair showing up on their passport photos.

One man said: “I went to get a photo for my new passport yesterday. The GOV website rejected it because it was difficult to distinguish my hair and beard from the white background!

It has been a problem for many over the years – someone else previously said: “Warning to anyone with white hair trying to get the passport office to accept a photo.

“Have tried about 20 times and they keep rejecting it saying they can’t find the outline of my head.”

A Passport Office spokesperson said Brits should still send their applications even if “a photo does not pass our automated check” as it can then be assessed by a human.

However, this runs the risk of delaying an application, with many families waiting more than the recommended 10 weeks.

And MPs have warned that millions of Brits face cancelled summer holidays because of huge delays in processing passports.

Five million people delayed renewing their passports during the pandemic, causing unprecedented demand when Covid restrictions lifted.

And many Brits are missing their holidays due to not being aware of new passport rules, which require at least three months left on the documents to travel to Europe.

A family missed their £3,000 holiday to Portugal due to a passport mistake.

Mum Nina Gurd was unable to board her flight with her husband John and three sons Jack, Harry and Charlie after being told her passport was not valid because it expired next month.

Earlier this month, mum Ana Tiganescu was forced to leave her son at a Ryanair check-in due the confusing new passport rules.

And last year, a 67-year-old retiree lost her £2,600 dream holiday because of the new passport rules meaning her expiry date wasn’t enough for her holiday.

Here is what to do if your passport doesn’t arrive in time for your holiday.

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