Very difficult to renew Public Services card online

No they won't use the old photo. Did mine couple of weeks ago, got someone to take a pic of me with my phone and it worked first go even though I thought the photo didn't look right when I uploaded it but obviously what do I know! Anyway it accepted it and had card I'd say within a week.
 
Renewed mine online yesterday

Had someone take my photo against a blank background

No problem whatsoever and replacement card in the post
 
Might some of the problems be due to people using the front facing selfie camera on a phone rather than the higher resolution camera on the back of the phone which will need the assistance of another person or an appropriate phone holder?
 
If you have a local pharmacy with one of them new Kodak cameras, they can take the photo and print it for you. I need one for my parking permit. The Kodak machines will also allow you to plug phone and USB sticks in for printing.
 
I just kept going at it, like a dog with a bone, got lots of background must be neutral, poor lighting etc.

The final photo that was accecpted was absurdly ridiculous in composition and in my opinion the worst lit one of the day....120 plus photos, it was a sequence my daughter took and this photo was taken by accident.

I looked like I'd spent the last 5 days on an absolute keef richard type bender.

Ridiculous
 
I was aware of how tricky the DIY photos were so went to photo section in local chemist and paid a few euro for decent one which they emailed and if any problem, I was to return
 
White balance was the problem in my case; need to make the background as close to plain white as possible. I had a cream background that was coming out grey (despite using flash), and the passport site did not like that, but I was able to adjust it in post. Ideally would do that in the camera app before taking the photo.
 
If you don't have enough light a white background won't come out white and might have shadows. Pick a location with lots of bright natural light on a sunny day with plain white background. Electric lights and flashes create shadows unless you know what you are doing.
 
That's the ideal. Photo booths tend to have lighting and background down. Doing this again or for a friend, I'd get out my light stands for a three point lighting setup, but I have those all stored away and didn't think they'd be needed.

I wasn't keen on many of the third party apps due to privacy policies.
 
It is easy to renew a Public Services Card online, but a certain amount of confusion reigns for many of us who are not 100% computer literate. Many of us are not used to negotiating through different screens simultaneously or taking pics of ourselves and using correct background or obviating shadows.

Bottom Line:- It is important that you renew your PSC. I’m whispering:- Just do it.

1. The renewal form specifically indicates that selfies should not be used. A selfie worked for me after several pics failed to be used.

2. Take about twenty pics ensuring there is a whitish background. You need only one pic to be acceptable enough. If you look like Myra Hindley or a Waterford postal worker on the morning after a Munster Championship defeat, that’ll do as the perfect pic.

3. Do not smile. Just grind your teeth. You might not like the pic, but you ain’t deciding what pic is being used; a computer is doing that.

4. If you are still having difficulty, ask a fourteen year old to do the job. It’ll take her/him less than five mins from start to finish.

5. Put on the kettle and enjoy a cup of Barry’s tea. There you are, I’ve just inspired a new Barry’s Tea ad. I bet they’ll act on it.
 
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You want the PSC with the FT+C on it.
I got it for the mother ... free travel for both of us.If its free, its for me.
 
If your Public Services Card / Free Travel date expired, it’s likely your SmartPass for free travel in Northern Ireland has expired too. To renew your SmartPass simply email smartpass@translink.co.uk. They will either:-
1. Just renew your lapsed card (no photo required) and send it to you.
Or
2. Send you form for renewal (no photo required).
 
From November onwards all PSC cards issued to over 70's will automatically come with FT+C (Free Travel + Companion)
The companion can be anyone over 16 years.
 
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