App for PR inside or outside Canada?

[Benni]

Photos:

Can you take your own photo for the application?
I am a digital artist so I know how to frame/crop a pic and get it to the required size.

 

[DuberBlue]

I believe you can, as long as you can adhere to all the specifications (photo quality paper, size, no shadow, glare, etc). I don't believe there was a requirement to have a professional stamp on the back of the photos my wife sent when we did ours.

 

[Benni]

Cool! Thanks!

 

[sounion]

Photos:

Can you take your own photo for the application?
I am a digital artist so I know how to frame/crop a pic and get it to the required size.

MY photos were stamped on the back. You should call CIC in all honesty on this one.

 

[Benni]

Thanks, sounion. I wonder if I can have it done at the post office where I got my passport picture done?

 

[Benni]

When we write up our relationship essay, should we use our legal names or can we use nicknames -- When my guy and I met online, he called me Benni (the name I use there) and he has called me that ever since. Can he use that name when writing his essay, or should he clarify it?

 

[Benni]

I'm starting on this document - Additional Family Information (IMM 5406)

It states : This form must be completed by:

You, as the principal applicant,
Your spouse or common-law partner (whether accompanying you to Canada or not), and
Your dependent children aged 18 or over (whether accompanying you to Canada or not).

However this document is not on the Sponsor list of docs. Does he need his own copy to fill out?

Plus, my children are in their 40's and live across the US. Actually, one is estranged from the entire family and we have no contact info for her.
How can I get them to fill it out?

 

[canuck_in_uk]

You, as the principal applicant,
Your spouse or common-law partner (whether accompanying you to Canada or not), and
Your dependent children aged 18 or over (whether accompanying you to Canada or not).

The keyword there is dependent.

 

[Benni]

Thanks canuck_in_uk!

 

[DuberBlue]

I'm starting on this document - Additional Family Information (IMM 5406)

It states : This form must be completed by:

You, as the principal applicant,
Your spouse or common-law partner (whether accompanying you to Canada or not), and
Your dependent children aged 18 or over (whether accompanying you to Canada or not).

However this document is not on the Sponsor list of docs. Does he need his own copy to fill out?

The sponsor doesn't fill it out. Only YOU do.

 

[Benni]

Thanks DuberBlue! Can you answer my other question that got skipped over? ----

Current photos needed for app -- I wonder if I can have it done at the post office where I got my passport picture done?

 

[DuberBlue]

Thanks DuberBlue! Can you answer my other question that got skipped over? ----

Current photos needed for app -- I wonder if I can have it done at the post office where I got my passport picture done?

I don't see why not. Sounion and I might disagree on whether this is actually necessary, although his advice is good, to contact CIC to be absolutely sure. The forms I saw only say "bring these specifications to the photographer" but I haven't seen anywhere that states who the photographer must be -- i.e. whether it needs to be an officially certified photographer or what.

I ended up getting our done at the Loblaws superstore near us, because the Photography Centre there specifically said "Immigration Photos" so I thought it would make things easier to have that distinction there. You might want to look at places that say similar things rather than just the rote "Passport Photos".

 

[Benni]

How do I contact CIC? I found a phone number for General Inquiry and that's all.

Not sure I can call from here, my cell phone doesn't support international calls.

Maybe there's an email addy I can write to?

 

[DuberBlue]

There's a 1-888 number on the site which I think ought to work.

In all honesty, I think you're overthinking this The reason I say that is because...think about it...PR applications can come from anywhere in the world. This is different than say, getting a Canadian Passport or Canadian Citizenship photo, where the CIC can impose more stringent guidelines because the idea is those happen within Canada.

It wouldn't make sense to me for them to say the photo must be taken at a certified photographer with a stamp, if some countries around the world don't even follow that as a process.

That's why they have the guidelines form...which doesn't talk about a photographer's stamp. Here are the guidelines.

 

[Benni]

Thanks for the info!

I don't have that guideline. My guideline is IMM3999. My guideline just shows the measurements and that I need 4 photos.