Photo Requirements at the London Embassy

[polarsub 0]

Hi,

I wonder if anyone can help me. I have my interview in London this coming Friday and need to get two pictures/photo's together. Can anyone tell me if they will accept normal style passport pictures or are they strict to comply with the 2 inch square picture as indicated on their website. Also, any interview experiences in London would be a great help to me if you care to share them with me.

Thanks for your time…

Regards,

Polarsub.

[Jeraly 4]

You need to have the 2"x2" US standard ones - I got mine on a visit to the US but I believe they have a booth in the embassy that you can use as well if you don't have them already.

[Sal and Jay 2]

Hi,

I wonder if anyone can help me. I have my interview in London this coming Friday and need to get two pictures/photo's together. Can anyone tell me if they will accept normal style passport pictures or are they strict to comply with the 2 inch square picture as indicated on their website. Also, any interview experiences in London would be a great help to me if you care to share them with me.

Thanks for your time…

Regards,

Polarsub.

Hi Polar

Firstly you need to have two american sized passport photos I had mine done in Snappy Snaps dont know if you have one in your area. Some people make them themselves but yes they have to be 2inch square on a white background as it states in your packet from the embassy.

There are plenty of reviews in the reviews section you can click the link on the top of the VJ page.

[colinjess 0]

so can you just take the photo yourself using a digital camera and cut it the the requirements???!

i take it that the bitish style ones are differnet frm the usa ones!

[English Muffin 59]

so can you just take the photo yourself using a digital camera and cut it the the requirements???!

i take it that the bitish style ones are differnet frm the usa ones!

If you think you can get all the requirements exact you can do them yourself. It's more than having them measure 2X2 though.

[snowfrostedlashes 0]

For those of you that live at the ####### end of space like me, but have a digital camera, you could try using www.paspic.com as they do UK and US style passport photos which they guarantee. I used them for the initial application, for my police check form, and will be for the interview also. Just register and follow their instructions on how to take the photo yourself and then upload it and they check that it meets requirements and then you order as many as you need and they post them very quickly. I'm happy and have had no problems thus far.

Edited June 25, 2008 by Mark and Hannah

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

so can you just take the photo yourself using a digital camera and cut it the the requirements???!

i take it that the bitish style ones are differnet frm the usa ones!

My fiance took and printed his own and so far the USCIS and the medical people didn't complain. It's tricky and there are very detailed instructions about sizes, head to chin measurements, shadows, exposure, etc. http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/guide_2081.html

If you use Photoshop software, this might be helpful http://www.nicmyers.com/2006/12/12/photosh...rt-template-v1/

British photos are smaller, but the medical people in London take those because they will cut down the 2x2 ones anyway to fit on the form.

There are photo places on Oxford St near the medical and the embassy. Packet 3 page 6 is totally devoted to photos and gives some locations.

[Sal and Jay 2]

so can you just take the photo yourself using a digital camera and cut it the the requirements???!

i take it that the bitish style ones are differnet frm the usa ones!

My fiance took and printed his own and so far the USCIS and the medical people didn't complain. It's tricky and there are very detailed instructions about sizes, head to chin measurements, shadows, exposure, etc. http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/guide_2081.html

If you use Photoshop software, this might be helpful http://www.nicmyers.com/2006/12/12/photosh...rt-template-v1/

British photos are smaller, but the medical people in London take those because they will cut down the 2x2 ones anyway to fit on the form.

There are photo places on Oxford St near the medical and the embassy. Packet 3 page 6 is totally devoted to photos and gives some locations.

Btw there is a photo booth in the Embassy, if you want to chance it will be working. lol

[joanie 0]

Hi there!

I took some passport photos - not correct according to the regulations and they were accepted, no questions asked.

My interview took place last month with a good result - APPROVED! However one of my documents was not notarised - 1-134 - so my US-based fiance sorted that out and now my passport and the supporting document is with the embassy. I'm now waiting with bated breath for the 'visa package' - the courier service, embassy appointed, will text me to arrange date of delivery. As for my embassy experience , see below:

1. Arrived at US Embassy at 8 am - interview was scheduled for 9.30 am but I thought I could queue up ahead of the crowd -WRONG! Queue was a '100 miles' long...hehehehe

2. Waited in line for security checks - belts, mobile phones and any electronic equipment had to be declared and placed in a plastic bag....Listen, waking without my belt was a challenge - trousers kept attempting to fall down....

3. Had to walk through some x-ray contraption and was asked to leave my mobile phone and fob behind.

4. Went into the embassy and given a number and directed to a 'heaving' waiting room which had large screens showing ticket numbers. Told to wait until my number appeared, then go the desk indicated.

5. After about an hour my number was called so I walked up to the designated desk and was asked for :

. Police Certificate plus copy

. Passport plus copy

. 1-134 plus copy

. Documents we completed online, plus one copy of each

. Birth certificate

6. Clerk asked me to provide finger prints - asked to plock my thumbs, and index fingers, onto a small piece of equipment

7. My documents were checked and I was directed to a clerk to pay the interview fee and told to return with the receipt. Then he told me to go back to the waiting room as would be called again shortly

8. About another hour later, I was called to see the embassy offical. He asked me THREE questions:

.How did you meet?

.Which subjects do you teach?

.When did you last see your fiance?

ps: I noticed my file was marked, 'APPROVED'...hmmmm....seems they made a decision before seeing me...maybe...maybe not ....Also consulate chappy was a very nice MAN....smiled a lot and was very relaxed

7. Told me one of my documents needed to be notartised and to get that done and my passport sent back to the embassy using their official couriers. The same carrier method would be used to return my documents

8. Told to enjoy my time in America!

9. Hot footed it out of the embassy, not believing the actual interview took under 5mins! Heheheh

10. Went back to the security point to collect my personal effects.

Note: I carried 3 files, stacked with additional information - evidence of our meeting, e-mails, phone bills, greeting cards, plane tickets, photographs etc, etc.....NOTHING was requested. Yes, I strained myself with 3 FOLDERS for NOTHING! Hehehehe....But still glad I brought them as it could be seen I had backup evidence even if they didn't ask for it.

There you go! That's my experience...

ps: Just be yourself....be prepared for possible questions....have your papers in an orderly fashion....don't be in a hurry as the wait is quite lengthly......and look embassy rep straight in the eyes....dress smart causal - no need for a suit!

pps: If you are approved, you are also expected to pay #14.40 on the day of interview for the visa processing and conveyance by courier. If you are approved pending further docs, you have to pay 26.50 - THey give you a blue form for the latter with instructions.

[Sal and Jay 2]

Hi there!

I took some passport photos - not correct according to the regulations and they were accepted, no questions asked.

My interview took place last month with a good result - APPROVED! However one of my documents was not notarised - 1-134 - so my US-based fiance sorted that out and now my passport and the supporting document is with the embassy. I'm now waiting with bated breath for the 'visa package' - the courier service, embassy appointed, will text me to arrange date of delivery. As for my embassy experience , see below:

1. Arrived at US Embassy at 8 am - interview was scheduled for 9.30 am but I thought I could queue up ahead of the crowd -WRONG! Queue was a '100 miles' long...hehehehe

2. Waited in line for security checks - belts, mobile phones and any electronic equipment had to be declared and placed in a plastic bag....Listen, waking without my belt was a challenge - trousers kept attempting to fall down....

3. Had to walk through some x-ray contraption and was asked to leave my mobile phone and fob behind.

4. Went into the embassy and given a number and directed to a 'heaving' waiting room which had large screens showing ticket numbers. Told to wait until my number appeared, then go the desk indicated.

5. After about an hour my number was called so I walked up to the designated desk and was asked for :

. Police Certificate plus copy

. Passport plus copy

. 1-134 plus copy

. Documents we completed online, plus one copy of each

. Birth certificate

6. Clerk asked me to provide finger prints - asked to plock my thumbs, and index fingers, onto a small piece of equipment

7. My documents were checked and I was directed to a clerk to pay the interview fee and told to return with the receipt. Then he told me to go back to the waiting room as would be called again shortly

8. About another hour later, I was called to see the embassy offical. He asked me THREE questions:

.How did you meet?

.Which subjects do you teach?

.When did you last see your fiance?

ps: I noticed my file was marked, 'APPROVED'...hmmmm....seems they made a decision before seeing me...maybe...maybe not ....Also consulate chappy was a very nice MAN....smiled a lot and was very relaxed

7. Told me one of my documents needed to be notartised and to get that done and my passport sent back to the embassy using their official couriers. The same carrier method would be used to return my documents

8. Told to enjoy my time in America!

9. Hot footed it out of the embassy, not believing the actual interview took under 5mins! Heheheh

10. Went back to the security point to collect my personal effects.

Note: I carried 3 files, stacked with additional information - evidence of our meeting, e-mails, phone bills, greeting cards, plane tickets, photographs etc, etc.....NOTHING was requested. Yes, I strained myself with 3 FOLDERS for NOTHING! Hehehehe....But still glad I brought them as it could be seen I had backup evidence even if they didn't ask for it.

There you go! That's my experience...

ps: Just be yourself....be prepared for possible questions....have your papers in an orderly fashion....don't be in a hurry as the wait is quite lengthly......and look embassy rep straight in the eyes....dress smart causal - no need for a suit!

pps: If you are approved, you are also expected to pay #14.40 on the day of interview for the visa processing and conveyance by courier. If you are approved pending further docs, you have to pay 26.50 - THey give you a blue form for the latter with instructions.

Congrats great review too. well done.

[Lansbury 19]

I took some passport photos - not correct according to the regulations and they were accepted, no questions asked.

It's good that they did that, but it cannot be relied upon.

It is best to follow the precise instructions the Embassy sends out becasue if you don't and on the day you get someone who plays by the rules you could well have problems.

[psiprez 3]

7. Told me one of my documents needed to be notartised and to get that done and my passport sent back to the embassy using their official couriers. The same carrier method would be used to return my documents

So what needed to be notarized??

[Mags 112]

I took some passport photos - not correct according to the regulations and they were accepted, no questions asked.

It's good that they did that, but it cannot be relied upon.

It is best to follow the precise instructions the Embassy sends out becasue if you don't and on the day you get someone who plays by the rules you could well have problems.

Absolutely. There are quite a few members here who have not had US style pics done and they were approved, no problems. But there are a few here who have taken UK ones in and had to go out and get new ones done.

It's not a risk I would take, to be honest. Get it right and do it properly - then you don't have to worry.