The International Schools Review Forum

I've seen a few places asking for a picture of your passport along with your CV. I feel kind of weird about doing that in this age of identity theft. It would be different if I was already hired. Is this a common practice? Is there a way to politely decline until we're further down the hiring road, should it go that way?

I've heard of schools asking for this but never experienced it myself (until as you say you are hired and they need it for work permits etc). Maybe someone else can say for certain that a reputable school requires this for an application only.

I don't think a scan of your passport would help anyone steal your identity. Your PP number isn't used as i.d. I've sent mine off to travel agents who needed it for booking purposes; it was never a concern.

I've only had to do this once and I photoshopped out my passport number before doing so.

This is not common. In fact, a few years ago on TIE I found the Halifax School in Jo'burg advertised, and they wanted a copy of your passport AND your driver's licence. I contacted TIE and told them I thought it was a scam - they replied with a form letter about how only reputable schools, blah blah blah. I googled the school and found nothing - zip - contacted TIE again with that fact and subsequently TIE pulled their ad. I think TIE does more checking now.

I wouldn't want to deal with a school that required my passport up front - something about that practice strikes me as fishy....

just my two halalas,

shad

Its not uncommon, many reputable schools ask for passport scans, some for legitimate and some not so legitimate reasons.

1) They want to ensure you meet their requirements. Despite stating native English speakers and defining that as being from a western country specifically as: US, UK, Australian, and Canadian in vacancy posts, they still get applicants who are from other European nationalities or Asian nationalities. Your passport states where you were born, not that you immigrated recently or married into one of those countries, and in the case of taking your spouses name having a more Anglo family name.

2) They want to know if you have a right to work and reside in the region. A number of lower tier EU (Spain, France, etc) ISs require an EU passport. Once has an Aussie argue (unbelievably) that they were a commonwealth realm, and that they were eligible to work in the EU, which isnt an EU passport, unless you have a UK passport, and an Australian passport isnt.

3) They want to know how old you are and what ethnicity you are. Your passport (photo and DOB) tell them how old you are and what ethnicity you are without having to potentially offend you by asking.

4) They want to know what you look like, and I mean really look like. Your passport photo is basically you at your average, and maybe your worst. People use fake (photos that arent theres), professional and manipulated images. There was an applicant who sent a photo of their flat mate who was Anglo, when the applicant was a minority. It wasnt an issue with the school, but the senior admin asked why the picture didnt match the person int he interview. He explained that he hadnt attended a recruiting fair, and was disturbed that teachers in his field with less experience and qualifications were offered interviews and he wasnt, and the only variable he could see that was different between all the people hed talked too was that he wasnt Anglo, and that when he changed his profile picture on his school profile he got more interest from schools.

Its absolutely untrue that your passport number is not useful for committing identity theft. Most ITS leave their Social identy number at their home border, and that in MANY countries absent a national ID for that country your passport and the number can be used for many commercial transactions, including opening bank accounts, lines or credit, establishing residence, entering into contracts. They may not be able to empty your bank account, or duplicate your identity back in your home country but they very likely can in a foreign country. In addition, a passport especially from a western country can be duplicated and is very valuable when sold on the black market. A fake passport is hit and miss when traveling through immigration, depending on the country, but many government offices domestically only look at the ID page and look at the presenter. You could fly into a country on your own passport and then once through immigration switch to the fake/forged passport and adopt the life of a resident.

The issue however is that while its easier to just collect passport and ID information by submission of a resume and application packet, there is only a little more lost time to conduct an interview either by phone or Skype, and then offer a contract and get the passport information at that point. A contract is just paper, and a school can create a website and post a vacancy for very little cost. If you wanted to do so you could set up the whole thing in a couple hours on your computer.
The drivers license (or social identity card) with a passport is a definite red flag. Though it could still be legitimate, if the position requires driving,
Photoshopping or removing your passport number is pointless, if you are being conned/scammed all they have to do is offer you a job, and then get your passport number. They could also just direct you to an online or paper application form that requires you to enter your passport number.

There are many ways of politely declining, its not likely to matter though. They will simply discard your application, even if they are polite about it, assuming they are a legitimate IS they have a reason (whether you agree with it or not) for wanting that information. If your not going to comply, then your application will be incomplete, and they wont consider it.

I agree with Psyguy in regard to the identity theft issue. Your passport - and a whole lot of other personal documents, many of which would seem harmless - can be used to get further information about you.

Don't send the info. Send a photo and tell them that you have an up to date passport - that they can inspect WHEN THEY GIVE YOU A CONTRACT!

I've never been in a position where my passport was my i.d.; my labor/resident cards always had their own number. But in rereading MizMorton's OP, I see that this info was requested on a CV, which does seem out of order especially if you haven't even gotten as far as an interview.

That said, I'm still unsure, given that my passport details are in hotels and immigration bureaus in many countries, that that info can be used for identity theft. It's not tied into anything personal or financial.

I took Senator's advice and told them that our passports are up to date, but I don't feel comfortable sending a picture of it just now, but I would do so if they would like to take this further. Thanks guys!