J1 - DS 160 photograph

cathalosullivan

Whats the story with this digital photo required for the ds 160. it must be a new thing because they didnt have it when i was on my j1 a couple of years ago.

go4less are telling me i have to take the picture, send it on to photocare.ie so they can ensure it 'complies' with standards for 8 quid and only then can i go ahead with the ds 160

anybody know if you can just 'adjust' the picture yourself?

JohnMearsheimer

What are the specifications for the photo?

FouxDaFaFa

Hey,
Usit said the same thing to me (except it was 10e :cool:) and had me under the impression that you had to have a degree in computer science to possibly get it right yourself.
I ended up going to the chemist and getting photos. Went home and scanned them to the exact specs on the website and the site wouldn't accept it. Got really frustrated and took a pic with the webcam and it worked.
Long story short, I don't think it's necessary to pay someone to do it for you.

Even if it doesn't accept your pic, you can fill out the form without it and bring a physical copy of it with you to the interview instead.

Artfully Dodgin

FouxDaFaFa wrote: »

Even if it doesn't accept your pic, you can fill out the form without it and bring a physical copy of it with you to the interview instead.

You can't do this as the pic must be in digital format.

On the Dublin US embassy website they do say a pharmacy close to the embassy will take your photo and email it to you. Its on the bottom of the page on the following link

http://dublin.usembassy.gov/how_to_apply/application-procedures.html

avalon68

Just get someone to take a picture of you with digital camera - and make sure its on the highest image quality setting or it wont be accepted online

MedHead

If you cant upload the photo then a physical copy is ok, it has to meet the reqs on the site. Most pharmacies can do it but make sure to ask for the J-1/American passport photo not the Irish kind.

From http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/forms/forms_4401.html

"6. The confirmation page has an "X" in the box where the photo should be. What does that mean?
That means that the photo upload failed. Therefore, you will need to submit one printed photograph meeting requirements, along with the online DS-160 confirmation page. Please verify with the U.S. Embassy or Consulate where you are applying for specific instructions on how to attach your photo to your confirmation page. See the print photo format found in the Nonimmigrant Photograph Requirements. If the confirmation page includes a photo image, then the photo upload function has succeeded and no separate print photograph is required."

MarvinMartian

https://ceac.state.gov/GENNIV/General/complete/complete_gettingstarted.aspx?node=Getting+Started

This is a link to the site I used to submit my application for a different US visa. On it I could test whether or not my photo was acceptable. I assume all US visa photos have the same requirements so maybe you can test them out here. I took mine with my own camera, it took 2 or two attempts to get it but I had no issues with it after.

cathalosullivan

i ended up doing it all myself. basically took a picture and made the adjustments as per the website on microsoft picture manager (changed the resolution) and it seemed to work fine for me!

iilovelamp

I was last minute sending in the form so just got someone to take a photo of me with the digital camera. No issues at all uploading it or with the embassy. Free is definitely better value than the €15 they charge you at the place beside the embassy too!

fiddlesticks7

for the interview it says you need a signed photo 2x2 inches. Does this have to be done professionally? On photo paper etc? Or can you again edit this yourself to the specifications?

lil_lisa

You can do it yourself as long as the measurement is exact, the background's white and there's nothing obscuring your face in anyway. (Also no makeup!)

agrady

In case anyone else stumbles across this thread from search engines, there's actually some tips on the US gov site on how to take the photo yourself and even a photo tool to edit the photo to the right size.

http://travel.state.gov/visa/visaphotoreq/visaphotoreq_5334.html#tips

Also I don't see anything about make-up / cosmetics not being allowed - at least I hope not!

Padlock69

I tried for ages to submit photos i took myself but they kept rejecting. Theres a photo shop right beside the luas stop on abbey street. They did mine, just bring a USB key and they will put it on it for you.
Or they can give you phycical copies to the exact specification needed and you can bring them to the embassy interview.

bearnabeauty

Easiest thing to do is just bring 2x2in picture to embassy with you. These can be printed off at any good pharmacy. Saves you trying to upload digital photograph online.