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Immigration Canada requires applicants to supply Immigration size-specific photos with Permanent Resident applications. The photo specifications are consistent, regardless of whether you're applying inland or outside. They're located in Appendix C of the Region Specific Forms for any country, and in Appendix C of the inland application guide. However, the number of photos required varies, and how you are to include the photos in your application package varies depending on whether you file inland or outside.

So I've put together this thread for clarification. The info here was compiled from each Region's Applicant Document Checklist, and from the Applicant's Guide to completing the application.

Inland Aps: Information is found at the bottom of page 1 of the Document Checklist, and on page one of the Inland Applicant's Guide. Two photos of you and each of your dependent children in Canada are required with your application. Immigration photos are not the same as passport photographs. There are specific requirements that must be followed (Refer to Appendix C Photo Specifications). Give Appendix C to the photographer when having your photos taken.

Follow these instructions when placing the photographs with your application:

* On the back of each photo, write the name, date of birth, height and
eye colour of the person in the photograph.
* Insert the photographs in a separate envelope and
* Staple the envelope to your Application for Permanent Residence
(IMM 5002)
* Ensure that the staples do not puncture the photos."
.

Outside Aps: Information on how to process the photos is found on page 15 of the Applicant's Guide

"On the back of one photo (and only one) in each set, write the name and date of birth of the person appearing in the photo as well as the date the photo was taken. Enclose each set of photos in separate envelopes. Write the family member's name, date of birth and relationship to you on the corresponding envelope and close the envelope with a paper clip. Photos must not be stapled, scratched, bent or bear any ink marks." (It doesn't say what to do with the photo envelopes, so I paperclipped them to Form IMM0008 per the instructions for inland aps above.)

Information on the number of photos to supply varies by country and is in the Applicant Checklist found in each of the Region Specific Forms sections. Here's a list:

Africa - 8
Asia, General -9
Asia, Southeast - 5
Asia, Central - 8
Bermuda - 4
Caribbean - 8
China - 5
Europe, Eastern - 8
Europe, Western - 8
India - 6
Latin America - 8
Middle East - 8
Pacific - 5
Philippines - 9
Puerto Rico - 4
Saint Pierre & Miquelon - 4
United States - 4

Also, the DMP who conducts your medical exam will also require a number of these immigration specific photos. Consult with the DMP before having photos taken so that you know how many to order in total.

Are these photos must be taken by a legit photo studio? I know for passports they require the back of the photos to be stamped by the studio name, etc. I don't see this requirement on immigration photos. I have the equipment and skills to do it myself, but don't have an official "studio stamp" or a photo studio business. So would this work?

I don't really know the answer to this - the only thing I can think of that might be a complication is that CIC does mention that the pics need to have been taken within the past six months . . . I sorta always thought, because the guy who took our pics and stamped the back stamped it with the date, that that was basically what the "stamp" was about. I do know this: I ended up being short the right number of photos, so I scanned and printed copies of the ones we had done at the photo place (I just went to a passport photo shop, they have them sometimes in WalMart even) and CIC didn't seem to care that not all of them had stamps on the back. In fact, come to think of it, not all of the original ones were stamped on the back either.

That's a good point that this stamp will show the date, and this is how CIC will know when it was taken. But reading the instructions again, I see they say:

“On the back of one photo (and only one) in each set, write the name and date of birth of the person appearing in the photo as well as the date the photo was taken."

So it seems like it can be hand written, not stamped. I hope I'm getting this right.

robsluv do you think they take a ruler and measure the photos? i cant find anyone to do immigration photos so i got the passport photos taken again but a little closer this time and its almost perfect but its off by a fraction.

If it's about photo size, then they will probably glue it into spots on application forms where there is a rectangle for a photo. If it's too big, then it may overlap, and then who knows...

Tomorrow I'll be printing my wife's photos at Wal-Mart. I took it myself and fit 11 (just in case) on a single 5x7 sized photo. It is only $1 to print...and I know that it will be exactly the size they need :) ...and it also made my wife happy 'cause she actually got to pick the one where she looks her best :)

tamee Wrote:robsluv do you think they take a ruler and measure the photos? i cant find anyone to do immigration photos so i got the passport photos taken again but a little closer this time and its almost perfect but its off by a fraction.

Tamee - I doubt they'll go so far as to measure with a ruler! But there is a certain size they're looking for - to fit into the boxes on the applications and to fit the PR card later. It's like with passport pics - my son went to get his US passport and the photos were just a little off. They made him to get new ones done. The photo specs are in Appendix C of the Region Specific guides for outside aps, and in Appendix C of the inland application guide.

i took that guide with me and no one will do the photos, no one, so i got the passports photos resized but they are still not EXACT size.

Well, I'd say all you can do is submit them and hope for the best. I'm sure they get a bunch that aren't "perfect" considering people are coming from all over the world.

tamee Wrote:i took that guide with me and no one will do the photos, no one, so i got the passports photos resized but they are still not EXACT size.

It is really strange that they couldn't do it. Maybe you didn't go to an actual photographer, but instead went somewhere like Black's? It's not really that big of a deal to make a photo to a certain spec. If you were in Vancouver, I would happily do them for you for free, but you pay them and they still can't do it - that's beyond me.

PS. What is not EXACT on the photos you got? Is it its physical dimensions or the size of the face in the photo is not what is required? I might be able to fix it for you if you scan it and email it to me.

i called every photographer in richmond virginia, and NONE did them smaller than passport size, i can cut the edge to make it the closer to pysical size but its the chin to crown measurements that are off. only by a fraction of an inch but none the less its not exact, thank you so much for your offer, ill send you one and give me your opinion i really appreciate this!! :)

Alright, I'll be waiting.

soon as i get home from work ill send to you, thru here right?

I just emailed you so you'd know where to email your photo. The forum doesn't have an option to attach a photo when you email someone through it, so you'd have to use your normal email provider.

I myself went to Black's Photo in the mall, they do passport and immigration photos. Not the cheapest place in the world, however they are fast and know what they are doing.

You could always call where you get your passport done locally and ask where they suggest to get photos.