How to cut N-400 photos ??

T

teemcafe

Registered Users (C)
Hello everybody,

I'm about to send my application, and there's some confusing info about the photos.

Here's what the form M-476 Guide to Naturalization (http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/M-476.pdf, page 33) says:

"Be sure there is enough white
space in the margin of the
photographs so you will have
room to sign your full name if
your application is approved."

What does this mean? Do they have to be cut with a frame around, or maybe some white at the bottom? :confused:

Right now I have them both printed on the same sheet and not cut yet. I checked all other requirements and the pics look fine (only the image is about 1/16" larger than 2").

Also somewhere was something about numbering them on the back, one and two.

Any suggestions from your recent experience? Thanks in advance!
 
I shot my own pictures (I took my wife's picture and my wife snapped mine, in front of an off-white painted door :)) with my DSLR camera leaving sufficient space on top of the head, so that they can be trimmed later on. I made sure that the background was off-white and then uploaded the pictures on this website: http://www.epassportphoto.com/.

I then adjusted them according to the stencil provided and got them printed in CVS for free as they gave me 20 free photo prints in email. Each 6x4 print gave me 4 passport sized photos which I used for both N-400 as well as US PP application. For trimming 6x4 print all you need to do is follow the image boundaries (no white-space is required to be left all around an image) so basically when CVS gives you the prints just cut all around the image margin, leaving no white border.

Everything worked, no trimming required if you follow the instructions above.




teemcafe said:
Hello everybody,

I'm about to send my application, and there's some confusing info about the photos.

Here's what the form M-476 Guide to Naturalization (http://www.uscis.gov/files/article/M-476.pdf, page 33) says:

"Be sure there is enough white
space in the margin of the
photographs so you will have
room to sign your full name if
your application is approved."

What does this mean? Do they have to be cut with a frame around, or maybe some white at the bottom? :confused:

Right now I have them both printed on the same sheet and not cut yet. I checked all other requirements and the pics look fine (only the image is about 1/16" larger than 2").

Also somewhere was something about numbering them on the back, one and two.

Any suggestions from your recent experience? Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
 
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Thanks, that's a good site, I 'll definitely save it for my passport photos, hope I get it fast. :)

However my confusion is about what seems to be the "white margin" the instructions on form M-476 talk about. Is that a white border or just the white/off-white background? If the latter then it's redundant since following the head and eye height guidelines should do. Also "margin" has a different meaning than "background".
 
teemcafe said:
Thanks, that's a good site, I 'll definitely save it for my passport photos, hope I get it fast. :)

However my confusion is about what seems to be the "white margin" the instructions on form M-476 talk about. Is that a white border or just the white/off-white background? If the latter then it's redundant since following the head and eye height guidelines should do. Also "margin" has a different meaning than "background".
Click to expand...

I think it is the white border around the photo, not the background.

I think this whole issue is also not relevant any more since USCIS now uses digital photo captured during fingerprinting on certificates of naturalization. So it shouldn't really matter what you submit as long as it is close enough to being a good passport size photo 2" x 2" size. See http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/pptphotoreq/photocomptemplate/photocomptemplate_5297.html
 
Thanks. In the template from the link it shows that the whole photo is 2"x2" with no white border around (it's all image) so that's what I'm confused about. :confused:

However on the N-400 instructions this note about the white margin is missing. Bureaucracy is already tedious, no need to make it more confusing. Oh well.
 
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teemcafe said:
Thanks. In the template from the link it shows that the whole photo is 2"x2" with no white border around (it's all image) so that's what I'm confused about. :confused:

However on the N-400 instructions this note about the white margin is missing. Bureaucracy is already tedious, no need to make it more confusing. Oh well.
Click to expand...


OK, now I see what the issue is. I checked M-476 and I remember I signed my full name on both sides of the face (vertically), first name on the left side and last name on the right side. That is why the photos should have enough space between photo edge and the face edges to allow one to sign his/her name. If your name is long, this is the only way to fit your full name on the photo.
 
Yes thanks. So in other words they did mean space in background not a border around the image ("margin"). From your example that would mean in practice not having the shoulders too high within the square format. But again I think if the guidelines for the standard template are followed then the photos should all be composed pretty much the same.
 
teemcafe said:
Yes thanks. So in other words they did mean space in background not a border around the image ("margin"). From your example that would mean in practice not having the shoulders too high within the square format. But again I think if the guidelines for the standard template are followed then the photos should all be composed pretty much the same.
Click to expand...
Yes, that is correct. The narrow white border I mentioned earlier is too narrow for someone to sign. If your photo matches the guidelines, you should have enough space around shoulder area to place your signature.
 
Should there be a white border at all? There's none in any of the templates or samples shown on the govt sites. And if the photo is 2 x 2 and there's a small border then the image will be less than 2 x 2.
 
teemcafe said:
Should there be a white border at all? There's none in any of the templates or samples shown on the govt sites. And if the photo is 2 x 2 and there's a small border then the image will be less than 2 x 2.
Click to expand...

White border is not required if you go by the samples of photos shown on USCIS and dept of state websites.
 
$15, simple math. :) 4 pictures for free. :)

And with 20 free prints form CVS, where you can get 4 PP photos on each print, you can virtually get either 80 prints of your own or 80 prints combined for each member of your family. Assuming a family size of 4, each one can get up to 20 prints each.

With Walmart it all adds up, for a family of 4 you will end up paying $30 in total. Your choice buddy. :)

I needed pics for N-400 application, then N-400 Interview, The US PP, then OCI Card Application India, so I used 8 pictures of each family member in total.

schynam said:
2 pictures are like $7.50 @ Walmart. How much would you save by doing the pic yourself?
Click to expand...
 
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No border required, when they ask you sign they tell you to sign ACROSS the photo and paper on which it is attached.

nkm-oct23 said:
Yes, that is correct. The narrow white border I mentioned earlier is too narrow for someone to sign. If your photo matches the guidelines, you should have enough space around shoulder area to place your signature.
Click to expand...
 
Hello to ALL,

You DON'T need to submit photos anymore (UNLESS stationed abroad via Military Orders). When you go for Biometrics they will take the photo along with your fingerprints and signature.
 
Thanks for the info. The photos may not be needed anymore, but the instructions for the current N-400 still require them.
 
Can you please tell me if i have to leave some white border on the pictures so i can sign my name later or i don't have to?
 
That was my orig question. I went with the current instructions for N 400 and the passport photo guidelines and didn't leave any border. See also other comments above re: signature.
 
I toke ones at CVS and they didnt cut them for me, so im just gonna keep them both in one picture's paper without cuting them and send them with my N400.
 
I thought about doing that too but given what has been said above and the current instructions for N 400 I decided to cut them to 2/2. Let us know how that worked for you.
 
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