Question:
Hi - we're just about to kickstart
the K1 Visa process but are a bit
unsure about the format of the photos
they require? Are ordinary instant
passport photos (such as you'd get
from a photo booth) acceptable?
The reason I ask is that on the
Color Specs Form (M-378) it says
"HOWEVER SX-70 TYPE FILM OR ANY
OTHER INSTANT PROCESSING TYPE FILM
IS UNACCEPTABLE." but some people's
K1 sites I've read say that they
just used instant passport photos
and got their petition approved?
It would be a lot less hassle (and
cheaper!) to use ordinary instant
photos - but don't want to send
those in if they won't accept them!
Answer:
I'm not sure about a passport photo
booth. However, I went to my neighborhood
Walgreen's Pharmacy to get mine.
They advertised taking passport
photos, so I thought "what the heck?"
When I told the photo technician
that I was there for a visa photo,
she knew EXACTLY what I needed...
even down to the detail of making
sure my hair was pulled back over
my ear!
Perhaps it
means "polaroid" camera type film?
The photos from the booths aren't
really "instant" as you have to
wait a few minutes for developing.
I have the same experience as Shani.
I called around to several places
and asked. Several places didn't
know what I was talking about. Then,
I called Walmart Photo Studio on
the off chance they would know something
about it. To my surprise they did.
It cost us about $14.99 a person
to get the pictures done.
I would not
do them in an automated booth. You
will be better off getting them
done somewhere where they will keep
taking the picture until they get
it right for you. You don't want
to risk receiving an RFE for such
a simple matter. I went and had
mine done professionally for the
130 and 129F. My husband did his
in a booth. We got the K3. The photo
booth pictures are fine, I used
them in my K1 application and they
complied with the specification
stated on the application. If you
go to a Tesco store they have some
nice booths that allow you to preview
the picture before you print them,
this eliminates the wasted shots
you get sometimes, also they are
loads cheaper. I got ours done at
a local professional studio for
$10 each and got 6 photos of each
one of us. He even had the specification
sheet there. I think it'd be wise
to take it with you "just in case".
Seems like going through this process
I've learned to be very detail oriented....if
not to the extreme of being paranoid
about it.
