PADI Cert Cards

[Dive 'N' Dolphin]

I need to order a new PADI card because my last name has changed. I was going to do it online because you can just upload your digital image. Sounds easy enough. Here is the question. Does it have to be a picture with a white background? My husband was saying he thought it was supposed to be a white background but I don’t have any shots with me with a white background. We just did the picture for my daughters card so I just took a shot of her in front of a white wall but I would need to take a new one of me and upload it. Before I went through that I thought I would ask. I looked on the PADI sight and couldn’t find any info on the picture requirements.

Thanks
Stacy

 

[jeraldjcook]

None of my photos have white background. One was taken in the middle of the dive shop with a 'busy' display wall in the background. I don't think it matters.

 

[SubMariner]

I need to order a new PADI card because my last name has changed. I was going to do it online because you can just upload your digital image. Sounds easy enough. Here is the question. Does it have to be a picture with a white background? My husband was saying he thought it was supposed to be a white background but I don’t have any shots with me with a white background. We just did the picture for my daughters card so I just took a shot of her in front of a white wall but I would need to take a new one of me and upload it. Before I went through that I thought I would ask. I looked on the PADI sight and couldn’t find any info on the picture requirements.

Thanks
Stacy

Hi Stacey,

Although the only info I could find was on submitting actual photos for Professional level courses (we're Instructors) I don't think the criteria would be very different for other cert levels:

Attach 1
4.5cm x 5.7 cm
13⁄4" x 21⁄4"
Head and Shoulders Photo
PRINT NAME ON
BACK OF PHOTO
Coin Machine Photo OK
No Dark Glasses

To be honest, I usually do our digital photos in front of a white or light background because it makes the picture much easier to see. It doesn't really take that much time or effort.

Bonne chance,

 

[Dive-aholic]

The background I usually used for my students is my van, and it's not white. Actually, I use the tinted window as a background. I've seen dive flags as backgrounds and large underwater photos, etc. You also have the option of having PADI use the photo of you that they have on file. You don't need to send another photo in.

Also, instead of paying the replacement card fee you can take another class - AOW or Rescue and get another card with your new name.

 

[SubMariner]

The background I usually used for my students is my van, and it's not white. Actually, I use the tinted window as a background. I've seen dive flags as backgrounds and large underwater photos, etc. You also have the option of having PADI use the photo of you that they have on file. You don't need to send another photo in.

Last I heard the only photos that PADI keeps on file is for Professional members: Divemaster or above. Otherwise the storage requirements would be enormous!

 

[Dive 'N' Dolphin]

Good feed back thanks. I didn’t know one way or another and my husband had thought he read somewhere once that it did need to be white. I don’t like the one that is on file because its worse then a DMV photo :11:
I have a much better one that I took in Cozumel that has the beach and water in the background. So a light background just not a white background. We have been talking about doing the AOW water but then we decided to go ahead and let my daughter get certified so all that extra equipment and my husband and I just bought ourselves dry suits. So we might need to wait a bit before an AOW class

Stacy

 

[JcoldwaterIL]

Last I heard the only photos that PADI keeps on file is for Professional members: Divemaster or above. Otherwise the storage requirements would be enormous!

i didn't have to send in a new picture to go from OW to AOW

 

[sharkattack]

Why not just leave the old name on there?

 

[cayman diver]

Padi do have photos onfile for all levels my nitrox, rescue and deep ones all are from photos on file
thanks
Justian

 

[Scuba_Steve]

The difference might just be on-line PIC filing vs mail-in. Pretty easy to e-file the picture format sent in via on-line filing......less so by 'hard-copy'.