Passport photo size for his London interview?

[Cherieish 0]

I noticed that the London consulate site says you need passport photos that are the American dimensions - 2x2". My fiancé can only find passport photo machines that give photos in the British size, not the 2x2" size. The site says they have machines at the consulate, but if he has to get the photos signed by someone he knows, he can't get them taken the same day as his interview. Does the size matter a lot? Does he need the 2x2 size for his medical exam as well? How can he get the American size if there aren't any of those machines around him?

[benuk 18]

Hello there,for what I know in front Selfridge's in Oxford Street there is a Photo Shop that take pictures on the American dimension or other option is that pharmacy very close to the consulate were you can keep your belongs.

I hope that helps at least to get the photos.

Good luck

[Cherieish 0]

Hello there,for what I know in front Selfridge's in Oxford Street there is a Photo Shop that take pictures on the American dimension or other option is that pharmacy very close to the consulate were you can keep your belongs.

I hope that helps at least to get the photos.

Good luck

Yes, apparently there are a few pharmacies nearby that do it, but he is several hours from London. So he can't exactly pop down for a day just to get those photos. We thought he could just do it the day of his medical exam or interview since he'll be in London anyway, but in that case, how would he get them signed? I'm confused about it because we don't have to get passport photos signed in America, it's a new concept to me!

[JoannaV 174]

Passport photo machines aren't the only option. He can also go to a photographer who can then print the picture in the required size. So look into nearby portrait studios.

[* Kristin * 49]

Is there a Snappy Snaps near where your finace is? I believe they are a fairly large chain - my finace got his done there.

Yes, apparently there are a few pharmacies nearby that do it, but he is several hours from London. So he can't exactly pop down for a day just to get those photos. We thought he could just do it the day of his medical exam or interview since he'll be in London anyway, but in that case, how would he get them signed? I'm confused about it because we don't have to get passport photos signed in America, it's a new concept to me!

[Nigel&Meggie 40]

I noticed that the London consulate site says you need passport photos that are the American dimensions - 2x2". My fiancé can only find passport photo machines that give photos in the British size, not the 2x2" size. The site says they have machines at the consulate, but if he has to get the photos signed by someone he knows, he can't get them taken the same day as his interview. Does the size matter a lot? Does he need the 2x2 size for his medical exam as well? How can he get the American size if there aren't any of those machines around him?

The 2X2 photos do not need to be signed for the interview. Just drop in to Gould Pharmacy on the way to the interview and get them done.

[jingo 38]

Snappy Snaps will do it but they're expensive.

The medical exam will accept any size

Edited June 20, 2011 by jingo

[Cherieish 0]

Okay, that solves my predicament then. He can use the British sized ones for his medical, get the American ones that day at Gould's, and have them signed (just in case!) in time for the interview. Thanks, everyone!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Okay, that solves my predicament then. He can use the British sized ones for his medical, get the American ones that day at Gould's, and have them signed (just in case!) in time for the interview. Thanks, everyone!

They don't have to be signed for the embassy or the medical! The photo you send off for the UK police certificate is the one that has to be signed by a person that has known you 2 years. Perhaps you are confusing the Embassy photos with the police certificate.

Think about it. He presents photos in person at the embassy and medical. They look at him, they look at the photo. If he looks like the photo, all is well.

He doesn't go in person to ACPO to get his police certificate. They need some kind of control to assure that the photo is of the person applying.

[Wishin-n-hopin 15]

Okay, that solves my predicament then. He can use the British sized ones for his medical, get the American ones that day at Gould's, and have them signed (just in case!) in time for the interview. Thanks, everyone!

I was wondering about the same thing as my fiance will also have to go to London. My question is: what if the interview is scheduled for first thing in the morning....would he have time to get photos taken at Gould's? I guess I'm wondering about what time the pharmacy opens in the morning...because I would imagine it could get a little tricky if you have to be at the embassy early. Just curious. :-)

[Cherieish 0]

That makes sense! As I said, the idea of having a passport photo signed is foreign to me, so I had no idea what to expect! My fiancé was telling me that they usually have to be, so I was confused.

I was wondering about the same thing as my fiance will also have to go to London. My question is: what if the interview is scheduled for first thing in the morning....would he have time to get photos taken at Gould's? I guess I'm wondering about what time the pharmacy opens in the morning...because I would imagine it could get a little tricky if you have to be at the embassy early. Just curious. :-)

http://www.gouldpharmacy.com/

They open at 7:30.

[xylo 4]

Max Speilmann also do US-sized passport photos. They are £9.99 for 6 and they are a bigger chain than Snappy Snaps so he should find one relatively nearby. A member of staff takes your photo against the appropriate background then they are printed while you wait. Might be easier to do this than try and do everything on the morning of the interview!

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Just to add another option--

My husband made his own photos. Google "DIY passport photos" for many ways to do it. If somebody has a good digital camera and something white he can use for a background, then DIY might be something you could do before interview day.

One website crops/modifies the photo you upload to the right 2x2 size. Then you print it at home or go to a local photo place with it on a disk or jumpdrive to get it printed. I think 2 images print out on one 4x6 photo page, then you cut them out.

And I forgot to add---

If you are a K1, then your future spouse will need 6 more US size photos for the AOS/EAD/AP applications. Might as well order more if you get a good deal on quantities, over just getting 2 for the embassy.

Edited June 21, 2011 by Nich-Nick

[Tempo House 6]

If you take the photos yourself, please ensure you download the guidelines set out by the authority demanding the photos. Not only the crop size, but head/shoulder proportions, content of the background, eyewear, hats, religious garb, and even facial expression are subject to specific demands that differ from authority to authority and country to country.

When I applied for my work visa, I got mine done at a local branch of a photo chain -- but I lived in a town with a large foreign student population and that tends to internationalize expectations and service in local businesses. I did my own pictures for ACPO and for my work visa renewal.

Some of the guidelines on taking photos contain worrying warnings about the quality of images from digital cameras sometimes not being high enough for these purposes. Suffice to say that with a typical modern digital camera (probably even cameras on recent high-end smartphones) the resolution of images is normally high enough, but be careful with post processing and multiple saves in the process especially if using a lossy compression format like JPEG.

[Casprd 167]

Okay, that solves my predicament then. He can use the British sized ones for his medical, get the American ones that day at Gould's, and have them signed (just in case!) in time for the interview. Thanks, everyone!

The "American" size of 2x2 and the metric size are interchangeable. The important thing is the positioning of the face and the background. A shop that does passport photos in the UK will be able to do these that are acceptable to the US embassy. We used passport photos from China for the USCIS step and then for NVC my wife decided she didn't like those anymore so she had new ones taken and sent me an electronic copy which I was able to print off using photoshop. Both my printouts and her originals were accepted.