FYI on Philly photo vans
Feb 10th 2004, 9:08 am
#1
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FYI on Philly photo vans
I had previously thought that the photo vans outside the Philly DO had some affiliation with the USCIS and were provided as a courtesy...WRONG!!!!!
When I went today I found out the vans are more like...I don't know what to call them...hot dog vendors. Seriously, I found out while I was there that I would need one ADIT photo of myself. I walked out to the vans and was greeted by a man saying "Passport pictures"...then he rolled through other services the van provided. He reminded me of a hotdog vendor saying "hot dogs, come and get your hot and juicy hot dogs!"
I asked how much for 2 ADIT photos (I was told inside they only give them in groups of 2). He looked at me blankly and I had to repeat myself 3 times before he understood what I was talking about...not a good sign. He said it was $15 for two!!!!! That prompted me to prance across the street to the other van.
I asked the same question to the man standing outside of this van. He at least knew what I was talking about. He said $15 for two but that he'd give me two for $10. I told him I only had $7 (which was no lie, my husband had all of our other money and he was still in the office). He said he could do the pictures for that price. The rest was matter-o-fact. Went in the van, he took the picture a minute later I had two ADIT photos and paid him $7.
Moral of story don't pay $15 for ADIT pictures at photo vans in Philly. The two vans are in direct competition with eachother. The pictures probably cost next to nothing to make since he just used a modified polaroid camera to take them. Plus later when I walked to my car I passed a 3rd van, more competition.
Maybe this seems like common sense to others but to me as a typically non-haggler it was enlightening.
Just a little word to the wise for all Philly applicants.
P.S. To get back in after getting the photos were taken the woman who took our application gave me a piece of paper that let me bypass the line outside and get straight back in. They didn't collect it when I came back through so it was a great help getting back in when I had to leave a second time to feed the meter. I'll post the whole AOS experience on Kamya in the near future.
MarDae
When I went today I found out the vans are more like...I don't know what to call them...hot dog vendors. Seriously, I found out while I was there that I would need one ADIT photo of myself. I walked out to the vans and was greeted by a man saying "Passport pictures"...then he rolled through other services the van provided. He reminded me of a hotdog vendor saying "hot dogs, come and get your hot and juicy hot dogs!"
I asked how much for 2 ADIT photos (I was told inside they only give them in groups of 2). He looked at me blankly and I had to repeat myself 3 times before he understood what I was talking about...not a good sign. He said it was $15 for two!!!!! That prompted me to prance across the street to the other van.
I asked the same question to the man standing outside of this van. He at least knew what I was talking about. He said $15 for two but that he'd give me two for $10. I told him I only had $7 (which was no lie, my husband had all of our other money and he was still in the office). He said he could do the pictures for that price. The rest was matter-o-fact. Went in the van, he took the picture a minute later I had two ADIT photos and paid him $7.
Moral of story don't pay $15 for ADIT pictures at photo vans in Philly. The two vans are in direct competition with eachother. The pictures probably cost next to nothing to make since he just used a modified polaroid camera to take them. Plus later when I walked to my car I passed a 3rd van, more competition.
Maybe this seems like common sense to others but to me as a typically non-haggler it was enlightening.
Just a little word to the wise for all Philly applicants.
P.S. To get back in after getting the photos were taken the woman who took our application gave me a piece of paper that let me bypass the line outside and get straight back in. They didn't collect it when I came back through so it was a great help getting back in when I had to leave a second time to feed the meter. I'll post the whole AOS experience on Kamya in the near future.
MarDae
Feb 10th 2004, 10:51 am
#2
foxy little minx
Joined: Jan 2003
Location: Mexicana in Chicago
Posts: 770
Re: FYI on Philly photo vans
I told you this on a pm, but it might have been the one that got lost when your box was full.... I do remember saying that the petitioner needs 8 pics, sponsor needs 1, and the van's price for 2 pics was around $7 dollars.
And I agree, it is a robbery. The one I used was some guy's digital camera hooked up to his personal pc and a printer on photographic paper. Surely not worth the asking price, but at least always regulation-approved.
They're certainly not a part of, or sponsored by, the USCIS. Just someone cashing in on the fact that nobody gets there with a complete set of regulation pics.
Hey did you say 3 vans? There were only 2 when I went! Ah, capitalism...
And I agree, it is a robbery. The one I used was some guy's digital camera hooked up to his personal pc and a printer on photographic paper. Surely not worth the asking price, but at least always regulation-approved.
They're certainly not a part of, or sponsored by, the USCIS. Just someone cashing in on the fact that nobody gets there with a complete set of regulation pics.
Hey did you say 3 vans? There were only 2 when I went! Ah, capitalism...
Feb 11th 2004, 12:44 am
#3
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Re: FYI on Philly photo vans
Originally posted by bequibar
I told you this on a pm, but it might have been the one that got lost when your box was full.... I do remember saying that the petitioner needs 8 pics, sponsor needs 1, and the van's price for 2 pics was around $7 dollars.
And I agree, it is a robbery. The one I used was some guy's digital camera hooked up to his personal pc and a printer on photographic paper. Surely not worth the asking price, but at least always regulation-approved.
They're certainly not a part of, or sponsored by, the USCIS. Just someone cashing in on the fact that nobody gets there with a complete set of regulation pics.
Hey did you say 3 vans? There were only 2 when I went! Ah, capitalism...
I told you this on a pm, but it might have been the one that got lost when your box was full.... I do remember saying that the petitioner needs 8 pics, sponsor needs 1, and the van's price for 2 pics was around $7 dollars.
And I agree, it is a robbery. The one I used was some guy's digital camera hooked up to his personal pc and a printer on photographic paper. Surely not worth the asking price, but at least always regulation-approved.
They're certainly not a part of, or sponsored by, the USCIS. Just someone cashing in on the fact that nobody gets there with a complete set of regulation pics.
Hey did you say 3 vans? There were only 2 when I went! Ah, capitalism...
For some reason I still thought they were more official. I didn't get a chance to get a picture of myself and since I knew the vans would be there I wasn't too worried about it. They only took 6 pictures of Anthony...we had about 10 with us just in case. One of the reasons I immediately walked away from the guy saying $15 for two pictures was that in the back of my mind I thought you had said it would be $7 for two. That's why I didn't bother getting any more money before I went to get the picture. They must be getting gready if they've doubled their asking price!The third van wasn't right on the street where the other two were parked...it was down around the corner so you would pass it if you parked in the parking garage and then walked to the office. The must compete daily for the prime parking spaces.
MarDae
PS CONGRATULATIONS on getting your EAD!!!!!! It's too bad you had to wait so long once you were there but what a great thing to wait for! CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!!
