Walgreens, you've lost my drugstore visits!

From a customer-oriented company always thinking about making life easier and cheaper for us, Walgreens turned into a store that censors the content of your photos

Listen to this true story about ePassportPhoto.com and decide for yourself what you think about Walgreens: 

November 2005 - "Birth of free passport photos online" 

Like my other solid business, it all started from a real customer need unmet until them: I needed to renew my passport and send the application with 2 passport photos.  As many have experienced, getting the best passport photo (and not the usual mug-shot) is not that easy.  Definitely given that this photo will accompany you for 10 years.  Plus it costs a hefty sum of money for a simple digital photo when you think about it!   

A casual lunch break got me and a friend Tom thinking: why wouldn't we make this whole process of passport photos totally online and for free for people (and make a dime or two if we can from advertising): digital cameras are all over the place, broadband is ubiquitous, and a good passport photo can only be achieved when you have the time to take a few shots of yourself at your own leisure - we felt there's something here! 

After plenty of brainstorming and decent amount of web coding we brought ePassportPhoto.com to life (back then buying a decent domain name was easy compared to today!).  With zero marketing we got great positive feedback and excitement on the free offering and the way to avoid the usual passport photos rip-offs.  One posting led the another: the Times Online, Popular Science, King5 Network, Lifehacker, Boing Boing, The Consumerist and tech65.org are just a few of the places that spotted how ePassportPhoto.com transforms the passport photos industry. 

We got an enormous satisfaction - It was really heartwarming to see people from around the world in the thousands daily using our service.  It was also fun acquiring the #1 spot for passport photos terms at Google!

March 2009 – The big "W" at work

Believe it or not after more than 3 years of running this service, more than 3 million people from practically every country on earth visited ePassportPhoto - did I mention how much did we spend on marketing? 

Word of mouth played a significant role and here are some of the terrific feedback we've been getting and is captured in the recently opened Facebook page:

In addition to the free do-it-yourself option that we provide, we launched a guaranteed premium service for official passport photos.  We treated all customers as good as it gets – people love us.  Really.  One of the premium service options is for customers to pick their passport photos – or more precisely a 4x6" photo print bearing their passport photos – at a Walgreens store.  We thought that anyone can print what they want to Walgreens photo center – right?   

Well, not  e x a c t l y!  at some point Walgreens' radar picked up on our so called "scam". A few emails were sent to us saying:

We have been getting passport prints from your online service, and we DO NOT print photos that are sent to our store … Customers need to come into the store to have their passport photos taken. We do not allow customers to create their own passport pictures and print them themselves…. It would be appreciated if you would no longer endorse our photofinishing services on your website

Or another example:

Walgreens is not affiliated with this scam or company and will charge your customers a second time for the cost of the passport in store because when they are sent over the internet there is a charge due in store.  We will redirect all of our customers to contact this company for any issues.

Well, I read their policy and it's amazing to see that this goliath can forbid people from printing 4x6" photos according to its content.  In any event, we definitely didn't want to steal their customers (although that as a matter of fact they should probably give us some referral fees for driving customers to their stores)

Not so heartwarming anymore… 

So, heart-shattered, I wrote an email to Walgreen saying:

1. We come in peace

2. We respect Walgreen and we want to work together with your admired great company

3. Show us the right way, how can we change ePassportPhoto to be legit

Walgreens didn't even responded back - nothing

Guys, is there anyone home? Are you people at Walgreens looking down little people's alley?

I've heard of Walgreens acting like a big company but couldn't believe it until now. Perhaps Walgreens is a place where few short minded clerks run the show with policy papers in their hands, not respecting customers anymore.

I don't know if it's CVS or Walgreens for you but if you ask me – Walgreens has lost my drugstore visits.

Hope you enjoy our website

- The ePassportPhoto team

Let us hear back from you - tell us how we're doing - we look forward to hearing from you.  If you have a Facebook account simply click on the following link and sign up to become a fan of ePassportPhoto:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/ePassportPhotocom/49319144724?ref=mf

 Cheers!

ePassportPhoto.com continues to revolutionize the passport photo market, achieving 100% year-over-year growth and increasing global market penetration

Palo Alto, Calif. – October 20, 2008 - ePassportPhoto.com, the leading online passport photo service, has provided over 2 million free passport photos to users around the globe. ePassportPhoto.com provides a unique system that allows users to upload photos and generate digital passport photo sheets meeting the specific requirements of over 60 passport issuing authorities.

ePassportPhoto.com is a truly global online service provider, able to provide passport photos according to the exact specifications for over 60 different countries. This includes ensuring the photos are of the exact size and resolution requirements, and that the subject is properly positioned in the photo. The process is incredibly simple; the user uploads a suitable image to ePassportPhoto.com, specifies which country the passport application is for, and a digital passport photo sheet is returned, matching that country’s requirements exactly. ePassportPhoto.com is used not only for passports, but for any photo identification, ranging from immigration permits to student IDs and ski passes.

In the last year ePassportPhoto.com has seen year-over-year growth of more than 100% in visitors and revenues. Increased exposure has come about though online and offline marketing, word of mouth and the localization of the interface to eight languages. Fastest growing markets are within Europe, especially in Italy, France and Germany, where ePassportPhoto.com is achieving significant market penetration and acceptance.

In addition to providing a service for consumers, ePassportPhoto.com has started to market its white-label solution for companies wishing to enhance their photo ID applications. A recent example is the UK-based Boomerang student debit card (http://www.boomerangprepaidcard.co.uk). Boomerang selected ePassportPhoto.com as a provider of ID photos, enabling students to complete the entire application process online. By avoiding the need to rely on standard mail to accept student photos, Boomerang was able to significantly streamline the approval process and dramatically reduce costs.

“I’m extremely excited about the full online experience our customers get with the ePassportPhoto.com photo engine,” said Andy Dagger, Managing Director at Boomerang. “Our customers get access to a proven and tested experience while we get the operational peace of mind.”

About ePassportPhoto.com

ePassportPhoto.com is the leading online passport photos Web site and has been operating since 2005, revolutionizing the way people obtain passport photos.  ePassportPhoto.com offers a branded service, as well as a white-label solution that allows photo ID providers, such as universities, sports facilities and credit card companies, to shorten the application and review processes and significantly reduce costs. ePassportPhoto.com is a privately held company headquartered in Palo Alto, CA.  For more information about ePassportPhoto.com, visit www.ePassportPhoto.com

Like many other countries, Germany has also adopted the new biometric system that requires a contactless smartcard chip and 13.56 MHz loop antenna embedded into the back cover page. The passport also includes two scanned fingerprints added in the chip. The passport photo specifications must be followed by all passport applicants. The validity period of the German passport for the holders under the age of 24 is now six years, while it is ten years for the older applicants. The cover design for the passport has been accepted to be burgundy red in accordance to the design of other EU passports.  

The guidelines for the German passport mention:

• The size of the photograph should be 36mmx45mm
• The height from top to bottom face must be between 32- 36mm.
• The photograph should be centrally aligned with a full front view of the face for German passport and visa.
• All the features from chin to hairline and both sides of the face need to be clearly visible.
• The whole face is required to be clear, with proper contrast and sharpness.
• There should be no reflections, shadows, or red eyes visible in the photo.
• The background of the photo must be uniform and light colored, preferably a neutral grey.
• There should be no other object or support to the subject in the photograph. The shadows in the background are also not acceptable.
• There should be neutral face expressions with closed mouth avoiding smile.
• The subject has to look straight into the camera.

• Head coverings of any type are not permissible in German passport and visa photographs.
• The eyes of the subject should be clearly visible, and not covered by hair or frame of the glasses. Sunglasses, tinted glasses, or reflections of glasses are not acceptable in the photos.  
• Passport photos must be printed on high-quality paper.

Whenever the name China appears, we are reminded of a country preserving its tradition, ancient cultures and religion. China is also a country with beautiful landscapes, monasteries, Buddha temples, and martial arts. It is one of the most favored tourist destinations with millions of tourists visiting China every year. However, due to the growing concerns of the security worldwide, the Chinese visa and passport requirements have also changed. Now, the country complies with new biometric standards. No wonder, many Chinese passports or visa applications are rejected due to incorrect passport or visa photographs.

* The overall size of the passport photo must be 48mmX33mm taken against a white or light blue background.

* The height of head should be between 28mm – 33mm.

* The head width has to be between 21mm–24mm.

* The validity of passport was 5 years previously, but since the year 2007, it will be valid for 10 years for the people above 16 years of age or more.

The Chinese visa requirements are similar to those of the US passport photos. Those applying for Chinese visa, must agree to:

* Submit the 2X2 inches photograph.

* Submit photo with a full frontal view of the face, and taken within last 6 months.

It is not allowed to wear hats while posing for the visa photo. The People’s Republic of China does not recognize the dual nationality. For example, if a Chinese national has settled abroad and has acquired the foreign nationality, the person will automatically lose the Chinese nationality. So, a non-Chinese national is not eligible to apply for Chinese Passport or travel documents.

Turkey is a democratic country with huge resources and diversified cultures and climates. The country is known to be a Eurasian nation, as it is located between Europe and Asia.

So, it carries the influence of both the continentals. Also, Turkey is a member to many international organizations such as OECD and G 20. This is a growing economy with a large base of industrial and financial institutions.  For the people, who want to apply for the Turkish passport have to submit two recent identical photographs measuring 35mm x 45mm of size along with their documents.  

As far as the non-immigrant visa of Turkey is concerned, one un-retouched photograph of size 2 x 2 inches (5 x 5 cm) has to be produced along with the visa application. The photographs should be a full face photo with applicant facing the camera directly. The face should cover at least 50 percent of area of the photo with a white background. The dark glasses are not acceptable unless for medical reasons. The subject should be dressed in normal street attire wearing no hat, uniforms and no head coverings obscuring the applicant’s features, hair, or hairline. If at all the head covering is essential, the forehead and ears should be completely visible. No border at the frames of the photo is allowed.

 The photo must be taken with single reflex camera using film required standard processing and hence, the instant-type or digital-quality photograph is not acceptable. Though the guidelines for the photographs required for Turkish passport and visa are very simple to be matched, still you should be careful while getting the photographs printed for the getting Turkish visa or passport.

Canada is one of the most prosperous countries in the world with lots of places worth visiting at least once in a lifetime. Millions of tourists visit Canada every year for different reasons. Canadian visa, immigration, citizenship, and passport requirements are the strictest in the world. So are the photographs requirements for these purposes.

Canadian Passport Photos

The Canadian passport photo requirements strictly mention the procedure for reproduction of the photographs. Two identical colored or black and white photographs produced from the same film or electronic file are required. The maximum size of the photographs is 50 mm x 70 mm on a high quality photographic paper. The photos produced on heavy weight papers are unacceptable. The photograph must be taken by a professional photographer with the stamp revealing his name, business address, and date of the photograph must to be provided at the back of one photograph. Stick-on-labels are not allowed and ample space must be allowed for the name of the applicant, the signature of a guarantor and his declaration below the photographer’s address. Glasses and their frame should not disguise the eyes of the applicant. A neutral expression with no teeth showing with normal skin color has to be maintained. The image of the subject has to be in center of the photo with no shadow on the background and face. The length from the chin to the crown of the head should be 31 mm to 36 mm. The background color required has to be white or light color. No head coverings are allowed unless for the religious cause.   

Passport photos for Canadian Visa

The frame size of the Canada passport photo should be 35 mm x 45, with full front view of the head and face placed in the middle of the photograph. The size of the head from chin to crown (top of the head including hair or head covering) must be between 31 mm x 36 mm. Two identical colored or black and white photographs taken within the last six months are to be provided along with the application. The clear, well defined photographs with white or light-colored background have to be printed on quality photographic paper. Subject should neither be frowning nor smiling, has to show neutral face expressions in the photograph. The glasses can be worn unless they do not hide any part of applicant’s eyes and also the sunglasses are not allowed. If a head covering is worn for religious reason, ensure that the full facial features are visible in the photo.

Passport photos for Canadian Citizenship

Two identical photos with matt finish have to be provided while applying for the Canadian Citizenship. The passport photos have to measure the frame size as 35 mm x 53 mm. The image size should be 35 mm x 43 mm leaving a blank space of 10 mm below the image for a signature. The photograph should include the matt finish with the stamp or write up of the photographer mentioning his name, address, and date of the photo taken on. 

Canadian Immigration Photo

The requirements of the Canadian immigration photo include some of the most unusual requests that they have to be done on negative film and the applicant has to provide a set of 8 identical colored or black and white photos. The photo must show full frontal view of the subject’s head and top of the shoulders, which have to be centrally aligned. The background of the photo is required to be plain white and the name, date of birth of the applicant and date of the photo was taken on has to be mentioned at the back of one photo of each set. The frame size of the photo is required to be 35 mm x 45 mm, while the distance from chin to the crown of the head is required to be between 25 mm and 35 mm. Each set of photo has to be enclosed in a separate envelope and the name of family members, date of birth and relationship has to be written on the corresponding envelope, which has to be closed by a paper clip. The photo must not be stapled, bent, scratched, and should not bear any ink mark or stain.

According to the GDP calculations, Italy is ranked as world’s 7^th largest economy. Moreover, it is the sixth largest exporter of manufactured goods in 2004 as per the OECD. Famous for its ancient culture, traditions, and the religious practices, Italy is a place that attracts many tourists from around the world as it is also an all-time favorite location for the tourists and researchers. Today, Italy is a democratic republic and a one of the most famous world heritage sites that also boasts of a versatile landscape.

If you are planning to apply for an Italian passport, you have to enclose two identical color photographs of size 30 x 40mm along with other documents. The passport photo should show the frontal view of the subject with a white background. The photographs should not be more than 6 months old. The passport photo specifications are similar to the standards adopted by the European Union (EU).  

In case you are planning to visit Italy, you need a valid passport except for the citizens of some of the countries such as Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Switzerland, Chile, Costa Rica, United Kingdom, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, United States, and Venezuela. The citizens of these countries do not require a visa while entering as a tourist. They just require a document of identification instead of a passport. While applying for a visa to Italy, you have to submit the documents, such as application form, valid passport with one full blank page, as well as the evidence of sufficient funds to support your stay in the country. Apart from these documents, you need to provide one passport-size photograph with the visa application.

The photograph for Italy visa must be taken within past six months of applying for the visa, and should be pasted or stapled on the application form. The size of the photo must be 5 cm square (approx. 2 inches) with the head at the center of the frame. The visa photo can be color or black and white, but it needs to be taken against a white background. Head coverings or hats are not acceptable until they are used for religious beliefs. The head covering should not cover any part of applicant's face. One is not allowed to wear sunglasses unless they are recommended for medical reasons, such as an eye patch.     

Since the passport and visa requirements are liable to change at a short notice, hence the travelers are suggested to check the latest requirements with their respective embassies or consulates.                    

The Korea is one of the leading economic powers in Asia. It is steadily advancing technologically and scientifically, step by step with other rapidly growing countries. Korea is a place rich of culture and diversity, and is now respected all over the world for its rapidly growing industries. If you are living in Korea and you want to apply for a passport, you need to submit your application along with two identical colored passport photographs other than the desired documents.

There are certain norms that need to be fulfilled for the photographs. The photograph with white background should not be more than six months old and the measurement of the photograph should be of 3.5 cm wide and 4.5 cm high. The face should display the front of the applicant measuring approximately 2.5 cm wide and 3.5 cm high. The hats, head-gear, and sunglasses are strictly not allowed. While applying for the extension of the validity one year before or after the expiry date of the current passport, you are required to submit one color passport photo. The remaining requirements the about size and composition of the photograph are same as for the new application photograph. 

In case of applying for a travel certificate, two colored identical photographs have to be submitted all other requirements being similar to the photographs for new passport. Beside passport photographs, all applicants are required to furnish their exact residential number of Korea along with their permanent residential address in country. Otherwise, they are required to submit their Family Census Register. Male applicants between the ages of 18 and 35 years have to submit the proof of extension from military services. However, those who have completed their military service are not required to submit this document.

 If you are applying by mail, you are required to send the application enclosed with all documents and a stamped envelope with a return address. Do not forget to mention your preferred mailing service for the secure arrival of your passport.  If you are a foreign national and want to apply for Korean visa, you have to furnish one recent colored photograph measuring 2”X2” along with copy of your passport and other documents.

The Dutch passports are valid for a period of five years from the date of issue. The rules complied by the Dutch passports are similar to those of the European Union. All passports include an embedded contactless smartcard RFID chip for storing biometric data since August 26, 2006. The requirements for the passport photo are one of the strictest and the most difficult to be followed or produced.

The Dutch government has issued clear guidelines if how the photograph has to be produced for the purpose of passport.  The passport photograph must be recently pictured, which is not more than six months old. The size of the photograph must be at least 2”X2” in measurement with a plain, uniform, light gray background. The length of the face of adults, from the chin to crown of head must be 26mm to 30mm. while in case of children aged 11 or below, the length of the face is required to be between 19mm to 30mm. The distance from one ear to another has to be between 16 mm to 20 mm for the adults. In case of children also, the distance from one ear to the other is same. The head of the subject is needed to be in the middle of the photograph. Though, the glasses can be put on, but generally it is advisable not to wear the glasses. Shadows across the face or on the background are not permissible. Hats and scarves are allowed for religious purpose. Any kind of support even to the children is not permissible. 

The requirements for the visa photograph by the Netherlands consulate are specific. The size of the photograph should be 2”X2” and the recent photograph must not be 6 months old. The face of the subject should cover at least 50 percent of the area with the head at the center of the photograph. The full face front view of the applicant should face the camera directly. The color photograph should have a white background with both ears visible in color. Sunglasses or other wears are not acceptable unless required for the medical reasons, for example, an eye patch. Any person wearing a traditional facemask or veil that prevents the adequate identification is not allowed.