Welcome to the Travel Forums

Why join TravelBlog?

Membership is Free and Easy
Your travel questions answered in minutes!
Become part of the friendliest online travel community.

Join Now! Join TravelBlog* today and meet thousands of friendly travelers. Don't wait! Join today and make your adventures even more enjoyable.

* Blogging is not required to participate in the forums

Visa Questions

What do they do with all those photos??

13 years ago, August 16th 2010 No: 1 Msg: #117643 Delete Edit

KatieMac
Katie Mac

B Posts: 1

Hi all. I'm going to be teaching in Sharja, starting in September and for my visa stuff, they want me to send them 18 passport photos. Apparently if I were going to other countries in the Middle East they could be asking for as many as 40!

Does anyone have any idea what they do with them all? Reply to this

13 years ago, September 26th 2010 No: 2 Msg: #119718 Delete Edit

The Travel Camel
Shane Dallas

B Posts: 7,300

I've never heard of this, not sure why they would require so many photos. Different parts of the Middle East have different regulations, but the only time I've needed photos was in Syria, Yemen and possibly Jordan (but cannot recall exactly). Reply to this

13 years ago, September 27th 2010 No: 3 Msg: #119851 Delete Edit

Dag
Dag Finnegan

B Posts: 72

When I applied for a French carte de séjour, I had to give them 22 photos, each with my name, passport number, and signature on the back. A few days after I finally got the visa, I got a packet back by mail, and 19 of them were returned to me! I have no idea what they were thinking. And with the info on the back, I didn't feel comfortable giving them to anyone, so I ended up just shredding them. Reply to this

13 years ago, September 30th 2010 No: 4 Msg: #120047 Delete Edit

deleted_49612
deleted_49612

D Posts: 24.6K

Hello Katie 😊

I am glad you posted this, because I am hoping to get a visa on arrival at a land border into Syria. I had completely forgotten that I might need photos at all for the visa.

Has anyone reading got a visa on arrival at a land border to Syria recently? If so, how many photos did you need, and which currencies can you pay for the visa in? Are Euros or Turkish money accpeted?

Mel Reply to this

13 years ago, September 30th 2010 No: 5 Msg: #120089 Delete Edit

The Travel Camel
Shane Dallas

B Posts: 7,300

I should clarify that I've never needed more than two photos at any border, but I am always on a tourist visa - the two examples of multiple photos above are for work visas. Reply to this

13 years ago, October 1st 2010 No: 6 Msg: #120122 Delete Edit

deleted_49612
deleted_49612

D Posts: 24.6K

Thanks Shane! 😊 I will just take a few photos with me then? Reply to this

13 years ago, October 4th 2010 No: 7 Msg: #120329 Delete Edit

The Travel Camel
Shane Dallas

B Posts: 7,300

Yes, just a few. The only times you need photos is when the borders do not have the photographic hardware that you usually see in many European and Asian airports. Most of the Middle East countries do have this technology but some - such as crossing the border into Syria from Lebanon - do not. When I first started travelling the world in 1992 I needed a pile of photos when crossing borders, but nowadays I am lucky to use any at all.