We're trying to apply for ETA using the UK.gov app and are having trouble taking a photo they like. Do they want a photo from the waist up? Shoulders up? Something else? My husband says maybe they just don't like him and think he looks like persona non grata.
Any suggestions will be much appreciated.
thanks!
kfarnell
Use the app rather than the website - they seem happier with a photo directly from your phone.
If you will look at the website linked above, it shows a silhouette of a head with shoulders and I'm pretty sure that's what they want. That's what I took and mine was accepted right away. They want it to look similar to your passport and that's what the passport photo looks like.
If it's being rejected, there's probably either glare or too many shadows in it, or it's too small or too big. Recently I had to take a new passport photo as I was renewing mine and I followed the instructions that they gave me and it worked. Here's basically what they wanted:
To take a passport photo, you must have a neutral expression, face forward with your eyes open and no glasses, and stand against a plain white background with direct lighting that avoids shadows. It doesn't have to be plain white but it should be as close to that as possible. Mine was a very pale gray and it worked.
Think passport type photo. When we had trouble with my ETA photo it was because I left my glasses on. Once I took them off, there wasn’t an issue.
We did the one for the UK, and just recently we had to do similar for Australia. The Australia one also had a phone app. There was a video which I skipped, and then went back to it, when we were unsuccessful. The video tips were helpful. They wanted the phone to be at eye level which caused me to look up a bit, which resulted in my eyes looking a bit closed. I made an effort to widen my eyes and that seemed to be key. I also switched walls. The paint was the same color (pale gray) but the lighting probably different in terms of any shadows. I immediately got an acceptable photo. Probably the worst photo in my life, but it was accepted.
Our passports are on the older side and we were worried for a while that we needed new passports. That would have been a problem since we leave in 40 or so days. Another good reason to do these VISA type things earlier than waiting to the last moment.
2 things I found helpful after having issues with the photo, and the app:
A small light behind me pointed up took care of shadows behind me, and
I took the photo with my phone, then accessed the website ON my phone and did not have the problems I had using the app.
Just a note the website linked above with photo guidelines is NOT the official ETA website. You can use it to apply but you will pay more.
Are you trying to take the photo as you go through the application process? If so you might first want to take a few photos on your phone, then start the application and upload the photo when you get to that point. Delete any that have been rejected already so you don't accidently try those. As noted, very good lighting, a neutral background, straight on eyes to camera, and looks similar to your passport photo should improve your chances.
If none of that works, save the photos on your computer and use the web form to apply, it's the green button halfway down this page: https://www.gov.uk/eta/apply - keep clicking "I can't use the app" choice until it lets you apply online.
Thanks very much, everybody. We will try taking photos with phone. Our background is beige rather than white--maybe that's what they don't like.
When I tried completing the app on my phone there was something about its design that blocked the take photo/upload button. I just couldn't get it to work, so I moved my picture onto my computer and applied online. It's fussy but keep at it and eventually it will work.
I used the UK ETA app to apply and the app walked me through the process. It was pretty straightforward and I used my phone 's camera to take my photo ( which was the most unflattering photo, LOL). As I remember it's a headshot,much like U.S. passport photos.
Thanks for your help. We will concentrate on making it look as much like the passport as possible.
kfarnell
I used the UK ETA app to apply and the app walked me through the process. It was pretty straightforward and I used my phone 's camera to take my photo ( which was the most unflattering photo, LOL). As I remember it's a headshot,much like U.S. passport photos.
We also used the UK ETA app on my somewhat aging but formidable Samsung Galaxy A20. The app was not successful at creating images - they looked like faint gray outlines on a silver background. When it switched to the phone camera it quickly snapped acceptable images in a hallway with overhead light and a wall with "white asparagus" paint. I'm sure anyone would agree that the photos were unflattering with no resemblances whatsoever.
Wow. I just used the phone app and the approval came back within a few minutes.
The hardest part for me was getting the phone to scan the passport chip successfully. But got it eventually.
For the face photo, I taped a piece of white mat paper ( a flip chart would work too) on a wall and tried to get lighting right to avoid shadows. I tested that before the app.
PHOTO WOE UPDATE!!!
Breaking news: After taking roughly 11 photos all over the house, and finding that the app didn't like any of them, we got fed up and just applied using the most recent photo we'd taken. About five minutes later, our application was approved.
Go figure.
Maybe the app is a perfectionist and whoever/whatever considers the actual application is less so.
Thanks everyone for your help.
My experience earlier this year for our trip in August was a bit frustrating.
I went out and had new passport photos taken and for whatever reason they were rejected, so I took a selfie with the background one of our bright white doors in the house and it was accepted.
We are going on a trip to India in February and I hope my experience with photos will be good.
May I ask, if I apply for two people with a phone app, can I use the same (one) phone?
saija99, welcome. I only did one, but at the end of the process the app asked me if I needed to do another person. So I think the answer is yes.
May I ask, if I apply for two people with a phone app, can I use the same (one) phone?
Yes, I did both mine and my husbands at the same time in the same session. It allowed me to use my credit card to pay for both at once. It worked perfectly aside from needing to switch to the phone's camera. We both prefer that I handle the technical aspects - it's less grief for both....
