Spousal Permanent Residence Photo question

[Beehivefive]

We are finalizing my wife's paperwork for her Canadian PR. We live in New York State and are applying outland from here. I have an important question that I'm hoping will be easy to answer:

Regarding the photos to be included in the application, the instructions state that they are not the same as passport photos. So, does this mean we can just get US passport photos done at our local pharmacy, or do we need to go to a special photographer?
Any US folks out there who might be able to answer this question?

When we had to get photos for my daughter's certificate of citizenship, I recall them having to be Canadian passport-size, and we had to go to a particular photo shop that does them here. But again, the PR instructions state that the photos for the PR application are not the same as Canadian passport photos, so I'm confused.

Any help would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[canuck_in_uk]

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/guides/3910e.pdf

Page 5.

 

[blueangel371115]

I got mine done at Walmart. I just told them I needed immigration photos for a US immigrant.

 

[Beehivefive]

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/pdf/kits/guides/3910e.pdf

Page 5.

I actually have that specification sheet printed out, but I was wondering if anyone had experience in the US getting the photos. In other words, I'm wondering if you can go basically anywhere that does passport photos and just show them the specs. And I was also hoping someone who has gotten the photos done would tell me if they were successful. I just don't want to get my package sent back to me for a slightly incorrect photo. Any help?

 

[Beehivefive]

I got mine done at Walmart. I just told them I needed immigration photos for a US immigrant.

Do you mean you told the people at a Walmart in the US that you needed photos for Canadian immigration and they knew what you were talking about?

Just trying to get specifics so I don't mess this up.

Also, were your photos accepted by CIC? Thanks for your help!

 

[rhcohen2014]

Do you mean you told the people at a Walmart in the US that you needed photos for Canadian immigration and they knew what you were talking about?

yes, many places like walmart have the specifications already in their picture machine, so if you go there and say you want "canadian immigration photos", then if they know what they are doing, they should be helpful.

for myself, i went to AAA and got regular passport photos from them for free as a member. The pictures looked exactly like the instructions, so i didn't question it or think to measure them. so far, i have had no issues. i have been approved, and the photo has been used on my COPR. I am still waiting for my PR card, and have yet to get a request for new photos (Fingers crossed). I will admit the photo on my COPR does look like someone cut it down to size, though i can't be sure. either i got really lucky, or as long as the photo looks right, it's not an issue.

 

[blueangel371115]

Do you mean you told the people at a Walmart in the US that you needed photos for Canadian immigration and they knew what you were talking about?

Just trying to get specifics so I don't mess this up.

Also, were your photos accepted by CIC? Thanks for your help!

Yup, they had a binder for it. Just to be safe though I'd bring the specifics from your guide but they had the US requirements already. And it's guaranteed at the one I went to that if they aren't accepted, they'll redo them free. I went to a Walamrt in Canada for the second round ( they lost the first) so to be sure I'd either go to a Canadian Walmart or bring your specifications from your guide to a US Walmart.

 

[tmm99]

Just this weekend, I printed Page 5 canuck mentions and went to a local photo/copy shop, and showed the guy the guidelines and asked for 8 photos. The guy said they do this often (Canada PR photos - I live in Silicon Valley.) and he said the machine knows to scale the photo just right and he made sure that my face fit within the CIC specification. He told me that I need to show my eye brows (my hair was half covering my eye brows) and my ears (which were half way covered). He also told me when I smiled that CIC doesn't like smiling faces - they want neutral expressions, so I had to take the silly smile off my face .

One thing the guy thought was that he thought I needed to put the photographed date on the back of the photos, but he wasn't sure. I don't see that in the guide either... Did any of you put dates on back of the photos? Which may not be a bad idea (along with your names so they have less chance of losing them.) but I am not sure what the proper protocol is (which I would rather adhere to since CIC seems quite picky.)

 

[triple p]

We went to Walgreen's and the photographer was a bit out to lunch. She stated that they could do photos for Canada and did not really look at the photo specifications sheet. She proceeded to take Canadian passport pictures and I showed her the sheet that states immigration photos are not the same as passport photos.

We eventually went to a photographer that stated they did Canadian immigration photos on their website. I'm just re-iterating to ensure the photographer is taking Canadian immigration photos & ensure they look at the photo specifications sheet.

 

[SuiGeneris]

I'm in Pittsburgh PA. So far we went to Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Rite-aid, and every employee said "We only do passports" with a look of confusion and uncertainty. Im trying to explain to these noobs that it's just a matter of cutting it smaller but they're all incompetent, non-thinking doorknobs.

Idiots