The Mug Shot

We recently renewed Trey’s passport and I was determined to get him a good ID photo. I took this one myself and then in all the hullabaloo to get across town to the post office I forgot the photos at home. So the USPS employee took a lousy one there with a $100 point-n-shoot and charged me $15 (image to the right). Oh, well. At his age the passport only lasts 5 years.

So here’s my unused mug shot below. I’ll let you decide which one is better.

While I’m on the topic, here are a couple things to know about getting/renewing a minor’s (under 16) a passport.

  • Until they are 16, it expires every 5 years
  • You can’t mail in the application/renewal. You have to go to a designated post office or court house with a passport office.
  • Both parents have to be present with photo IDs (that was a pain for us with Heidi’s schedule and their odd hours)
  • You have to show the kid’s original Social Security card and Birth Certificate (certified copy)
  • They take the birth certificate and mail it off with the application (another pain since I was headed to register him for school next and needed it for that)
  • You can save $15 and take your own photo (and make it a good one!). Just follow these guidelines for composition and printing.

2 thoughts on “The Mug Shot

  1. Rhonda

    Oh, that’s too bad because your photo is fantastic! You definitely got ripped off … but the USPS one isn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be, Trey is just too adorable and photogenic!

  2. Jemma

    It’s not terrible. Mine is definitely worse. We aren’t allowed to smile for our passport pictures in Canada. But your picture is definitely a keeper.

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