Photo guarantor

[WeegieInOttawa]

I may be being a complete dummy here (very possible!) but i have a question on the two photos that you have to submit with the PR application..

I went to Costco yesterday to get these done.. I gave her the photo spec but she said it was ok and she knew what i needed. She takes the photo and i go back 20 minutes later to collect them. I then get into car and check the photos. Both are stamped on the back (with the date and address of the Costco and a space for a guarantor to sign). I know that only one should have been stamped so i go back in and luckily the stamp wasn't dry so they just wiped it off one.

But i guess the bit that puzzled me was the section for the guarantor to sign and write my name/DOB in. I have read (and reread x 10) the photo spec page and it doesn't say anything about a guarantor and who this can be. I thought the photo studio would write my name and DOB.

I have done a bit of research and from what i can gather the guarantor can be anyone who has known me for 2 years (but not my common law partner). I know when obtaining a police certificate the guarantor has to be of a certain profession/standing.

Hoping someone can just point me in the direction of where it says something about this because i am sure my eyes are just deceiving me!

Thanks!

 

[Hurlabrick]

I may be being a complete dummy here (very possible!) but i have a question on the two photos that you have to submit with the PR application..

I went to Costco yesterday to get these done.. I gave her the photo spec but she said it was ok and she knew what i needed. She takes the photo and i go back 20 minutes later to collect them. I then get into car and check the photos. Both are stamped on the back (with the date and address of the Costco and a space for a guarantor to sign). I know that only one should have been stamped so i go back in and luckily the stamp wasn't dry so they just wiped it off one.

But i guess the bit that puzzled me was the section for the guarantor to sign and write my name/DOB in. I have read (and reread x 10) the photo spec page and it doesn't say anything about a guarantor and who this can be. I thought the photo studio would write my name and DOB.

I have done a bit of research and from what i can gather the guarantor can be anyone who has known me for 2 years (but not my common law partner). I know when obtaining a police certificate the guarantor has to be of a certain profession/standing.

Hoping someone can just point me in the direction of where it says something about this because i am sure my eyes are just deceiving me!

Thanks!

Official CIC photo stuff here:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/pr-card/apply-photos.asp

It says (and I have cut and pasted):

The back of one photo must include:

• the subject’s name and date of birth
• the name and complete address of the photography studio
• the date the photograph was taken

The photographer may use a stamp or handwrite this information. Stick-on labels are unacceptable.

So there is no 'guarantor' and no signature mentioned anywhere - you don't need it, not for the photos anyway. Does the back of one of your photos have all of this? If so, then you are good to go!

 

[WeegieInOttawa]

Official CIC photo stuff here:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/pr-card/apply-photos.asp

It says (and I have cut and pasted):

The back of one photo must include:

• the subject’s name and date of birth
• the name and complete address of the photography studio
• the date the photograph was taken

The photographer may use a stamp or handwrite this information. Stick-on labels are unacceptable.

So there is no 'guarantor' and no signature mentioned anywhere - you don't need it, not for the photos anyway. Does the back of one of your photos have all of this? If so, then you are good to go!

Hmmmm yeah thats exactly what i had read too.

Im worried they have done it wrong. My name and DOB isn't on there. When i challenged them they said that the guarantor writes it on and then signs on the line.

Faaaaaaaaaark!

 

[Hurlabrick]

Hmmmm yeah thats exactly what i had read too.

Im worried they have done it wrong. My name and DOB isn't on there. When i challenged them they said that the guarantor writes it on and then signs on the line.

Faaaaaaaaaark!

They are wrong. There is no guarantor. It should have been written on there by the 'commercial photographer'. See that link again to the CIC spec. It specifically says in the first line:

Your photos must be:

• Taken by a commercial photographer.

So it is the 'commercial photographer' that must write this information on. Note that it does not ask for their signature!

It is not uncommon for photographers who take these all the time to be 'yeah, yeah, I know exactly what they want'. But I strongly suggest that you make them read the instructions carefully, then before you go, re-read them yourself and measure the photograph and head size and challenge them if it does not meet the specifications!

PS - I know Embrun pretty well. My buddy used to live there and we just bought a bed in Maheu - pretty good furniture store!

 

[WeegieInOttawa]

They are wrong. There is no guarantor. It should have been written on there by the 'commercial photographer'. See that link again to the CIC spec. It specifically says in the first line:

Your photos must be:

• Taken by a commercial photographer.

So it is the 'commercial photographer' that must write this information on. Note that it does not ask for their signature!

But Costco should be an acceptable option as they do PR photos passport photos etc no? Obviously they have done it wrong, but they should have done it right, right?

 

[JulianaAndrew]

Hi. The photographer doesn't need to write that stuff on the back of the photos, you can write it all by yourself and it is more than okay, the photos will be accepted as long as they are the right format. Any commercial, professional photographer would be accepted.

 

[Hurlabrick]

I am not saying that Costco can't take them. They can, they are a commercial photographer. But it is THEY / the person at Costco that took it that must put that information on the back.

Note that the spec for Canadian passport photos is NOT the same as PR photos. It is in many respects except that for passport photos, they need to be signed by a guarantor. This from a quick Google of Canadian Passport specs:

Back of photo details
The back of one photo must include:

• the photographer’s stamp or written information of the:
  • date the photo was taken
  • name and complete address of the photo studio
• your guarantor’s:
  • clearly writing of "I certify this to be a true likeness of (applicant's name)"
  • signature (name and surname)

If you’re renewing an adult passport, you don’t need a guarantor.

The person that took your photo has obviously not done many (any?) PR photos and was answering your question as though it was a passport photo.

Go back to Costco with the PR Photo spec and get the person that took the photo to put that required information on the back. They MUST read the spec and not assume 'yeah, yeah, we do passport photos all the time'. See what I mean!!

Now breathe! This is not a trainwreck.

 

[WeegieInOttawa]

This is what the says...

Costco 511
1900 Cyrville RD
Gloucester, ON
K1B 1A5

Photo taken Oct 17 2017

I verify this to
be a true likeness of
(applicants name)

<SPACE>

___________________
Guarantors signature




I tried to post pic instead but guess you cant do that on here.

 

[WeegieInOttawa]

I am not saying that Costco can't take them. They can, they are a commercial photographer. But it is THEY / the person at Costco that took it that must put that information on the back.

Note that the spec for Canadian passport photos is NOT the same as PR photos. It is in many respects except that for passport photos, they need to be signed by a guarantor. This from a quick Google of Canadian Passport specs:

Back of photo details
The back of one photo must include:

• the photographer’s stamp or written information of the:
  • date the photo was taken
  • name and complete address of the photo studio
• your guarantor’s:
  • clearly writing of "I certify this to be a true likeness of (applicant's name)"
  • signature (name and surname)

If you’re renewing an adult passport, you don’t need a guarantor.

The person that took your photo has obviously not done many (any?) PR photos and was answering your question as though it was a passport photo.

Go back to Costco with the PR Photo spec and get the person that took the photo to put that required information on the back. They MUST read the spec and not assume 'yeah, yeah, we do passport photos all the time'. See what I mean!!

Now breathe! This is not a trainwreck.

This is what i thought.... Thanks Hurlabrick!

Not a trainwreck but just freeeeeeeaking annoying!

 

[JulianaAndrew]

Go back to Costco with the PR Photo spec and get the person that took the photo to put that required information on the back.

No. That is incorrect. The person who takes the photos does not need to put the information on the back of it. The person here asking the questions can do that by him/herself and it will be easier than having them put something on the back that may be wrong.

 

[WeegieInOttawa]

Official CIC photo stuff here:

http://www.cic.gc.ca/english/information/pr-card/apply-photos.asp

It says (and I have cut and pasted):

The back of one photo must include:

• the subject’s name and date of birth
• the name and complete address of the photography studio
• the date the photograph was taken

The photographer may use a stamp or handwrite this information. Stick-on labels are unacceptable.

So there is no 'guarantor' and no signature mentioned anywhere - you don't need it, not for the photos anyway. Does the back of one of your photos have all of this? If so, then you are good to go!

Hurlabrick... Can i MYSELF write my name and DOB on it or do they have to do it?

I understand that THEY must put their stamp and the date.

 

[Hurlabrick]

Hurlabrick... Can i MYSELF write my name and DOB on it or do they have to do it?

I understand that THEY must put their stamp and the date.

I don't see how CIC would know one persons handwriting from another (or care probably)!

 

[Hurlabrick]

This is what the says...

Costco 511
1900 Cyrville RD
Gloucester, ON
K1B 1A5

Photo taken Oct 17 2017

I verify this to
be a true likeness of
(applicants name)

<SPACE>

___________________
Guarantors signature




I tried to post pic instead but guess you cant do that on here.

Yes, as I thought. They simply ignored what you said about a PR Photo and used a standard stamp that they use for passport photos. What was I saying about photographers?

 

[WeegieInOttawa]

Yes, as I thought. They simply ignored what you said about a PR Photo and used a standard stamp that they use for passport photos. What was I saying about photographers?

Well i did only tell them 3 times..

Thanks for the quick help.. Off to Costco I go!

 

[Hurlabrick]

Well i did only tell them 3 times..

Thanks for the quick help.. Off to Costco I go!

As the other poster said, I am sure it will be fine if you just write it in yourself, save on the gas!

Perhaps don't be too harsh on them, they probably only ever do passport photos and rarely if ever see a PR photo!