Number of Photos for Outland Sponsorship UK

[maica1x]

Hi, I've searched for the answer but can't find it on this forum.

The only places that photos are mentioned are here:
http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/applications/fc.asp

Medical: take 5 recent photographs (my panel doc told me that they do the medical photographs, never specified how many though)
Police check UK- 1 colour passport size photo
Form IMM3901 - supply 8 photographs of each member of your family and yourself

This is not very specific. Do they require 8 identical photos of me and my 2 kids who are applying for sponsorship, or rest of my family as well? Surely not, although I've seen it mentioned elsewhere in chat.

Also, why so many photographs? The standard immigration photographs are an identical 4. So are medical ones part of the 8? I know police check one is completely separate.

Lastly, I've seen people say one of the photographs needs to be signed and dated, along with dob. But I see that written no where in guidelines.

Thanks for help.

 

[Avadava]

For the Medical: if your doctor told you they do the photos there, you don't need to bring anything (except for your passport). They take a picture of you with a digital camera on the spot and put it in your file. The only case you need to bring pictures for the medical is when the medical is requested by CIC at a later date in the process (which is not the case with spousal applications since spousal ones can do an up front med exam) and you go there with a form sent by CIC.

I am not sure about the police check in UK - that depends of your country I guess. When I did my police check in Germany, all I needed was my passport.

For IMM3901 (which is the country specific document checklist) it requires indeed 8 photos. If you read about photo specifications in the same IMM3901 (Appendix B), it says exactly how the photos should be:

- Show a full front view of the person's head and shoulders showing full face centered in the middle of the photograph,
- have a plain white background
- be identical (black and white or color) produced from the same untouched negative, or exposed simultaneously by a split-image or multi-lens camera

Then it goes on to the dimensions requirements. Best thing is to take that part with you to the photographer. I recommend you go to a photography studio and get good quality pictures, don't go to a photo booth.
Have the photographer write the date and a stamp of the studio on the back of the pictures. This will show when and by whom the picture was taken.

I am not sure about how many people are included in the sponsorship, but from what you said, you need 25 photos in total: 1 for police check (in your case) and 8 x 3 to be attached to IMM0008 (principal applicant).
Since IMM3901 is a document check list for the applicant, "yourself" refers to the principal applicant (sponsored spouse). "Each family member" refers to the other people included in the application. For example, if your spouse is sponsoring you and your 2 children, then you need a set of 8 photographs for each one of you.

I just want to clarify that children who at the moment of birth have at least one parent who is Canadian citizen born in Canada, they automatically become Canadian citizens and they don't need to be sponsored. They only need "Proof of Citizenship" and be included in the application as dependents.

Why are your children included in the immigration application as sponsored immigrants?

 

[maica1x]

Wow, that clears things up a bit. Much appreciated as I'm going nuts - have apt tomorrow at photo studio. My husband is canadian citizen through his mother. With both kids born in UK, they have to be sponsored and aren't automatically canadian citizens. That's what lawyer told us in free consult.

Just to clarify, I only need one photo per person stamped and dated by photographer, correct?

Thanks for your help

 

[wowsers]

You have received admirably precise and succinct advice from Avadava and the only matter which I want to clarify concerns the third paragraph from the end of the advice and in particular the last sentence. In your case your husband is Canadian and clearly the sponsor, so you only need photographs for yourself (wife) and the 2 children: 3 x 8 for yourself and the 2 children for CIC and whatever you need for the police. No photograph is required by CIC for your husband. I do not recollect any requirement by CIC that any of their batch of photos need to be signed or dated either by yourself or the photographer. I did not so far as I recollect sign or date any of mine. I do not recollect either what the ACRO (police) requirements are, but you may well be correct that only 1 photo of yourself is required. Check however that police clearance for the children is not required by CIC. I know that they are unlikely to have criminal records but without checking through CIC's requirements I cannot say whether certificates are required for the children, nor whether police photos need endorsing. One other matter. Further photos are likely to be required in the future. I believe, but am not sure, that a small batch of photos is required when landing (I have not reached that stage yet) and photos will also undoubtedly be required for things like a replacement driving licence and matters of that kind. So there is everything to be said for getting a large batch of photos at this stage. I have a photographer friend and he produced a large sheet of identical photographs for me (30 in all as I recollect) at very little cost. I have a lot left over but if anyone in the future wants a photo of me for official purposes I have them available.

 

[zardoz]

You have received admirably precise and succinct advice from Avadava and the only matter which I want to clarify concerns the third paragraph from the end of the advice and in particular the last sentence. In your case your husband is Canadian and clearly the sponsor, so you only need photographs for yourself (wife) and the 2 children: 3 x 8 for yourself and the 2 children for CIC and whatever you need for the police. No photograph is required by CIC for your husband. I do not recollect any requirement by CIC that any of their batch of photos need to be signed or dated either by yourself or the photographer. I did not so far as I recollect sign or date any of mine. I do not recollect either what the ACRO (police) requirements are, but you may well be correct that only 1 photo of yourself is required. Check however that police clearance for the children is not required by CIC. I know that they are unlikely to have criminal records but without checking through CIC's requirements I cannot say whether certificates are required for the children, nor whether police photos need endorsing. One other matter. Further photos are likely to be required in the future. I believe, but am not sure, that a small batch of photos is required when landing (I have not reached that stage yet) and photos will also undoubtedly be required for things like a replacement driving licence and matters of that kind. So there is everything to be said for getting a large batch of photos at this stage. I have a photographer friend and he produced a large sheet of identical photographs for me (30 in all as I recollect) at very little cost. I have a lot left over but if anyone in the future wants a photo of me for official purposes I have them available.

PCC not required for children below 18. http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/guides/3901e.pdf - item 11.

 

[Avadava]

To clarify even further: you will need 24 pictures to be attached to IMM0008, as follows: 8 for yourself, 8 for one child and 8 for the other child.
Police checks are required for children that are 18 years of age or older. Assuming your children are still under 18 years of age, you do not need to get police checks for them, therefore you will only need 1 picture for yourself for this purpose.

And you are right, if your husband's mother passed Canadian citizenship onto him (and he wasn't born in Canada nor he is a naturalized Canadian citizen), then he cannot pass his citizenship onto his children. Your children will have to be included in your immigration application as dependents of you, the principal applicant. Your lawyer is correct.

 

[maica1x]

Great. Thanks to you both!