Does a photo for an online railcard application have to be a passport photo?

[AY1975]

If you apply online for a railcard that requires a photo, such as a 16-25 or Two Together Railcard, does the photo that you submit via the railcard website have to be a scan or screenshot of a passport photo or will any photo (including a selfie) of the applicant(s) suffice?

 

[Watershed]

If you apply online for a railcard that requires a photo, such as a 16-25 or Two Together Railcard, does the photo that you submit via the railcard website have to be a scan or screenshot of a passport photo or will any photo (including a selfie) of the applicant(s) suffice?

It doesn't have to be a passport photo but there are still certain criteria that have to be met:

The image should be a good recognisable likeness of you.

We prefer colour pictures but black and white images are acceptable. Your head and shoulders should be in close-up, with your face clearly visible and filling approximately 70% of the frame (in the same way it would for a passport or driving licence). The image must be in sharp focus.

Please make sure that your face is not obscured by hats or hair.

The file of your photo must be either a .jpg, .bmp, or a .gif and must not exceed 5MB with a resolution of at least 300dpi. We will reject photos if they are not appropriate and ask you for a more suitable image.

 

[kristiang85]

I've used a holiday photo which confirmed to the rules, and that was accepted fine.

 

[_toommm_]

I’ve got a photo of me in the pub holding a pint, and that was accepted fine for my 16-25 railcard.

 

[Wallsendmag]

You wouldn't believe what people think is a passort photo.

 

[Adam0984]

Theres an increasing amount of people taking picture of a driving licence as their railcard photo, literally the whole driving license

 

[Haywain]

Theres an increasing amount of people taking picture of a driving licence as their railcard photo, literally the whole driving license

You have to wonder whether they are being stupid or deliberately obtuse.

 

[Adam0984]

I can see why you might get a picture with maybe a border around from where they've cropped a photo taken of the license. I think its so you can't actually see the picture and multiple people share the railcard

 

[Wallsendmag]

Theres an increasing amount of people taking picture of a driving licence as their railcard photo, literally the whole driving license

We've had photos of passports.

 

[Western Sunset]

I think a "normal" photo is often a better likeness than a formal passport picture. But passport photos have specific biometric criteria to meet.

 

[100andthirty]

I took a selfie on my phone. Apart from the fact that it looked scary even to me it is a god likeness! It was accepted

 

[boiledbeans2]

We've had photos of passports.

Genius!

 

[swt_passenger]

Didn’t we have a thread a few years ago where someone had just entered part of his office ID Card number to buy a 7 day season from a TVM. It worked because there’s no lookup of the normal card number, just needs so many letters and numbers?

 

[danm14]

You have to wonder whether they are being stupid or deliberately obtuse.

Given that for age-based Railcards the previous step is entering your driving licence number or details from the machine-readable zone of your passport to "prove" that you are really the age you claim to be, it may be just a simple clicking "next" without reading and assuming that the photo requested is of the document rather than the person.

 

[Wave01]

There was someone with a picture of a chewing the fat character on their railcard previously

 

[zero]

We've had photos of passports.

I once had an online application request a photo of the front cover of my passport.

 

[Hadders]

I once had an online application request a photo of the front cover of my passport.

That's not unusual, especialy for something relating to an empyment application.

 

[TUC]

I once had an online application request a photo of the front cover of my passport.

It does beg the question of what an applicant without a passport is meant to do.

 

[Hadders]

It does beg the question of what an applicant without a passport is meant to do.

There’s more than one way to prove you’re entitled to work in the UK. Passport is the easiest way (and certainly a few years ago (it may have changed) a front cover was needed as well), but there are other ways you can do it.

There is a Home Office manual about an inch think that covers every scenario. I remember quoting a specific paragraph of it to my then employers HR Admin team who tried to tell me I’d hired someone who was not entitled to work on the UK….

Needless to say I was right!

 

[spag23]

My Senior Railcard renewal (via National Railcards) demanded a photo of me, which I duly attached.
But the card has just arrived, with no photo on it.
So why did they ask me for it?

 

[Gloster]

Passports used to have the holders name and the passport number on the front: now it is inside. Perhaps some companies haven’t caught up.

Nowadays a passport photo has to be of a very specific quality that shows some of the natural pattern of the holder’s the irises (someone more technically gifted may be able to explain or correct that). Railcard photos do not need such detail as they are only for a visual check, rather than the machine one that can happen at some terminals.

 

[30907]

My Senior Railcard renewal (via National Railcards) demanded a photo of me, which I duly attached.
But the card has just arrived, with no photo on it.
So why did they ask me for it?

Presumably because the online version does? There was a specific thread some months back.

Mine - back OT - is a selfie

 

[stevetay3]

Just more discriminatory rules against older people.I am not allowed to purchase online due to no photo ID, so have to renew my railcard every year at the ticket office at more expense. Given the way things are going l most likely will not need to renew next year. Rail travel becoming to expensive even with a Railcard.

 

[swt_passenger]

My Senior Railcard renewal (via National Railcards) demanded a photo of me, which I duly attached.
But the card has just arrived, with no photo on it.
So why did they ask me for it?

Because their software is knackered, there have been a few threads about this exact matter.
Eg:

Senior railcard renewal, asking for photo

I'm on the secure.railcard.co.uk page about to renew my senior railcard, but it is asking me to upload a photo. My current senior railcard doesn't have a photo, so is this a new thing or is it an error with the system?

www.railforums.co.uk

Photos on Senior Rail Card

Renewed on line as I'm planning to emerge from COVID isolation. Works really well, I'm impressed. Really easy to upload the photo too. However the card does not bear the photo. Is this right? Why did they want a photo? Please tell me train managers won't be expecting a nice likeness of me...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[spag23]

Thanks. I hadn't spotted these threads.
Meantime I've asked National Railcards the same question.
Answer promised "within 10 days".

 

[Howardh]

As an aside, I sometimes wear spectacles, sometimes contact, and wonder whether my passport/railcard should be witout or with spex? Occasionally my passport hasn't worked at those e-gates 9airports) and wonder if it's because I have them on in my photo but not when I scan myself?

 

[hexagon789]

As an aside, I sometimes wear spectacles, sometimes contact, and wonder whether my passport/railcard should be witout or with spex? Occasionally my passport hasn't worked at those e-gates 9airports) and wonder if it's because I have them on in my photo but not when I scan myself?

I always thought one had to remove glasses for a passport photo?

Certainly I don't have them on in mine, and the eGates I've used all warned to remove them.

 

[Howardh]

I always thought one had to remove glasses for a passport photo?

Certainly I don't have them on in mine, and the eGates I've used all warned to remove them.

Just looked at mine and yes, no glasses on my pic. Would that be the same for a railcard, if indeed one is necessary for a three-year card?

Edit, if I remeove my spex @ e-gate then there's no way I can read the instructions if any are flashed in front of me (my px is -5 and - 5.5).

 

[hexagon789]

Just looked at mine and yes, no glasses on my pic. Would that be the same for a railcard, if indeed one is necessary for a three-year card?

Edit, if I remeove my spex @ e-gate then there's no way I can read the instructions if any are flashed in front of me (my px is -5 and - 5.5).

I'm -1 and -1.5 L/R, so I can only imagine how bad -5 is!

I feel for you there.

No idea then, sorry.

I just remember it asking to remove them on the screen prompts.

 

[Howardh]

I'm -1 and -1.5 L/R, so I can only imagine how bad -5 is!

I feel for you there.

No idea then, sorry.

I just remember it asking to remove them on the screen prompts.

When I was younger my px for my left eye was -7!! So at least something's improved over the years!! But as I alluded to, when looking at the screen it gives you instructions, and if I remove my spex then I can't read any following ones, just hope the light goes green and I can pass. If it says "turn" or "move closer/away" I've no chance.

If words appear that need reading, I could move closer to read or put my spex back on, but that could be the opposite of what it wants me to do and we're back to square one!