Folinskyinla

As per AILA this morning [Thank you AILA], CIS-HQ sent the following e-mail instruction to the Service Centers:

"Directors/Deputies--As you know, we are in the process of transitioning from a 3/4 to the full-frontal ('passport style') standard with respect to our photo requirements. Per instructions from Carl Morse to your COTRs, we are currently accepting both photo standards in order to give our customers time to adjust to this change. While formal CIS guidance on this has not yet been issued, we anticipate extending this transition period until September 1, at which point we will begin rejecting photos which are not 'passport style'. We will, of course, continue to produce documents for pipeline cases for which 3/4 profile photos have been submitted, and will reassess next January when we might cut off production of documents with the old photo standard.

It has come to my attention that some Centers have begun posting or otherwise sending out to the public guidelines delineating the new standard. Please do not do this. Once we begin rejecting the old style photo, we are only to advise our customers that they should be submitting 'passport style' photos and referring them to the DOS web site for delineation of that standard. Also, we should not be issuing RFEs for the new standard for new, incoming cases until after the anticipated Sep 1 cut-off date, and we should not be issuing RFEs to replace photos for pipeline cases at all at this point. If an RFE is required for a pipeline case for other than photo reasons, of course, you may request a new photo in addition. Please let me know if you have questions on any of this."

Noorah101

Thank you for the updates, Folinskyinla! What's a pipeline case?

Rene

sphyrapicus

Applications / petitions already submitted to USCIS.

Folinskyinla

Hi:

"Pipeline" are the already filed cases which are pending. Do note that lets say you filed an adustment two months ago with the 3/4 view pics enclosed and you interviewed next year, you may very well be asked to submitt new photos.

However, this is a "ministerial" type thing which is more annoying than substantive.

Noorah101

Thanks!

Bluegrass Lass

Cool...thanks for letting us know. Now maybe Patrick will stop worrying about that Sears refund, eh?

inquisitive40

LOL.. long done worrying about it.. BUT plenty of other stuff I can worry about out there
So which way to go? Stick with present pics or return and get the passport style? We are filing mid August, would it be best to just get the new syle?
Patrick

kud

As the old saying goes "Better save then sorry" I think I would send both. But set's just my Opinion.

danlynclark

I just learned of this yesterday. I am a photographer and we take passport photos. Someone came in asking if I take immigration photos. We haven't been able to do the ADIT style in the past because it never comes out right. But this gentleman showed me a letter from his lawyer stating the change to Passport/Frontal Style. The only question was, for some reason his lawyer wasn't sure about the size requirements. Passport photos are 2 x 2 inches. Which is larger than the ADIT style. His lawyer thought maybe the photo had to be frontal, but still the small size (1 1/2 or something?)

I'm pretty sure if they are saying Passport size, it has to be 2 x 2?
I hope this makes sense. Hopefully someone can answer my question.

Thanks!
Lyn

Bluegrass Lass

Hey Lyn, why don't you check out the Passport Agency site and see what the size requirements are for a passport photo! That might answer you question.

sphyrapicus

See: http://travel.state.gov/visa/pptphotos/index.html