Passport Photo Specifications

[ladykelia 0]

Hi all. I just have a quick question as I am getting ready to send in my I-129F petition. In the official instructions about the passport photos that we have to submitt, there is no mention of the paper size that the photos have to be on.. but I guess standard American passport photos are 2"x2". However we already had ours done in Canada and they are 3"x2" and they weren't terribly cheap so I don't really want to have them done again. So my question is, do the photos have to be 2x2 (despite this not being in the official I-129F instructions) or will our 3x2 pictures be acceptable? I'd hate to get an RFE for a little thing like this.

[garya505 2]

Hi all. I just have a quick question as I am getting ready to send in my I-129F petition. In the official instructions about the passport photos that we have to submitt, there is no mention of the paper size that the photos have to be on.. but I guess standard American passport photos are 2"x2". However we already had ours done in Canada and they are 3"x2" and they weren't terribly cheap so I don't really want to have them done again. So my question is, do the photos have to be 2x2 (despite this not being in the official I-129F instructions) or will our 3x2 pictures be acceptable? I'd hate to get an RFE for a little thing like this.

Hmmm, what part of "2 inch by 2 inch" don't you understand?

http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/com...sition_874.html

[ladykelia 0]

Hmmm, what part of "2 inch by 2 inch" don't you understand?

http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/com...sition_874.html

Um, the fact that it doesn't say anything about paper size in the I-129F instructions, which I think it would if it were an important detail... Has anyone gotten away with not using 2"x2" pictures?

[Reynaldo 0]

Hmmm, what part of "2 inch by 2 inch" don't you understand?

http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/com...sition_874.html

Um, the fact that it doesn't say anything about paper size in the I-129F instructions, which I think it would if it were an important detail... Has anyone gotten away with not using 2"x2" pictures?

2 square feet photos?

[Reynaldo 0]

Anyways...

Down here they tell us to get 5x5cm (2x2) photos, but they accept the Brazilian-passport-size pictures (5x7cm)

[ladykelia 0]

Hmmm, what part of "2 inch by 2 inch" don't you understand?

http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/com...sition_874.html

Um, the fact that it doesn't say anything about paper size in the I-129F instructions, which I think it would if it were an important detail... Has anyone gotten away with not using 2"x2" pictures?

2 square feet photos?

' is the symbol for feet, " is the symbol for inches. But yeesh, is my question really that stupid? Does anyone else have an opinion on this?

[Thingee 0]

Lady, you'll find when USCIS says 'jump' most of us say 'how high?' Most people would recommend you get it redone. The USCIS website very clearly states 2x2..it also has very specific demands as to head positioning. I've already read one case in which a differently sized picture was accepted. Please bear in mind however, that an RFE means more time away from your loved one.

[ladykelia 0]

Lady, you'll find when USCIS says 'jump' most of us say 'how high?' Most people would recommend you get it redone. The USCIS website very clearly states 2x2..it also has very specific demands as to head positioning. I've already read one case in which a differently sized picture was accepted. Please bear in mind however, that an RFE means more time away from your loved one.

Can you please direct me to where it says on the USCIS website that it has to be 2x2 or give any specifications? I've seen the passport site where it says it has to be 2x2, which makes sense (since those are instructions for an actual passport) But I don't see anything on the USCIS website and the instructions say only that it has to be a passport "style" picture. Honestly the only places I've heard the 2x2 thing is from outside sources, so i would love to see something official from the USCIS before I blow some more money on new pictures. I'm not trying to be stubborn, I just don't have a lot of money to waste. Does anyone know what these pictures are used for exactly? (I'm already with my fiancee so an RFE wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but obviously, no one wants one)

[lucyrich 20]

If you can cut them down to 2x2 and still meet the composition guidelines, do that.

If cutting them down to 2x2 would cause part of the face to be cut out, then regardless of the size of the paper, they probably don't meet the published Composition Guidelines, and the only safe thing to do is to redo them. Perhaps you could get away with pictures that are a small bit outside of the guidelines, but nobody here can guarantee you won't get an RFE for nonconforming pictures.

[TracyTN 237]

THIS LINK is from the state dept. about passport photos, but it does mention visas.

Despite garya's rude remark, I have read folks here who have said their fiance's petitions got approved without using the two x two size, but I don't recall the exact circumstances around that (possibly their fiance/e's country did not have places available that did that size?). Perhaps they will happen by this thread and comment.

At any rate, if you could redo them, I personally would. Better safe than sorry - I mean, who knows what will cause an RFE. I'm still sweating an RFE for my fiance's photo because he had a slight shadow under his nose on his picture. Could sail right through, could cost us 3 weeks. Who the hell knows with them?

[Thingee 0]

I got the lady at the photo place to redo mine...horrible glare off my glasses, couldn't see my eyes at all.

PS...Did anyone else feel like all the touches were people pulling out your photo to laugh at it?

[poppscc 0]

I made the same mistake, how would I send in the new passport photo(i have the negatives, and hopefully a reprint wont be hard to do)? I'de like to send more of the chats on my computer as well.

Edited January 8, 2007 by poppscc

[ladykelia 0]

Thanks for the responses. Glad to know that not everyone on visa journey is a butt. I was getting a bit worried based on my first 2 replies Composition-wise my photos should be just fine. If I cut off half an inch from the top and a half inch from the bottom they would be perfect... but theres a stamp on the back so they would definately be able to tell that I cut them. Hmm I dunno. I'm thinking I might just take my chances.. but if anyone did get an RFE on this basis please speak up! But yeah, who the hell knows what the USCIS wants?

[mybackpages 0]

Thanks for the responses. Glad to know that not everyone on visa journey is a butt. I was getting a bit worried based on my first 2 replies Composition-wise my photos should be just fine. If I cut off half an inch from the top and a half inch from the bottom they would be perfect... but theres a stamp on the back so they would definately be able to tell that I cut them. Hmm I dunno. I'm thinking I might just take my chances.. but if anyone did get an RFE on this basis please speak up! But yeah, who the hell knows what the USCIS wants?

My finace's photos were slightly smaller than the US 2x2 nd we had not problems with the intitial petition. I did retake mine here insted of using the ones I took abroad just to be extra safe.

[TracyTN 237]

I made the same mistake, how would I send in the new passport photo(i have the negatives, and hopefully a reprint wont be hard to do)? I'de like to send more of the chats on my computer as well.

There's no way to guarantee that the new passport photo or computer chats you sent in would ever 'meet up' with your I 129f file.

Just wait for them to send you an RFE. Or, you may not get one at all and be just fine.