The pictures for the K-1 visa

[jaske78 1]

I have had a problem with the K-1 pictures, and whatever advice I can get is really appreciated.

I took the pictures in Serbia, and got them printed out at several different places Stateside. At Wallgreens, they went so heavy on the background whitening for the off-white background (a sheet) that they CUT OFF AN EAR. I had to take it back twice to have it done right, but you can still tell from the moon that the background has been doctored even after I specifically said, leave it be.

For my own, my first pictures were clearly also doctored: there is a small ridge where you can see that someone as taken an eraser tool above my shoulders. I used to take passport photos about fifteen years ago, and I recall that the rules were VERY clear and VERY specific: the image MUST be the undoctored, natural image that is IN FRONT OF THE LENS AT THAT MOMENT. This was before we could alter things easily via computer, of course, but I cannot imagine that they grew less strict about this over the years.

I finally went to CVS and had them do it. I am satisfied with these, BUT for mine, they gave me one sheet with two pictures on them, which they said they are required to do for passport and visas. They said that they have a tool that they can sort of punch out the pictures.

So now I am at a loss. The European pictures are natural, the background is an off-white wall. There are no shadows and the pictures fit the standards exactly - I checked with several places first. The American pictures, of me, show either this extremely white background that looks like someone took an eraser to it (and from the line above y backgrounds or are merged together into one sheet.

Should I cut out the pictures for the application from the sheet, or leave them be as proof that they were taken together? Am I being too picky? When every detail feels of equally-weighted importance, I am at a loss. Part of me looks at the "doctored" picture, and says, it is 2x2, my face is clear, the background is completely white, but my face is untouched, so what's the problem? They will not look at mine as closely as my partner's, and they certainly won't take a magnifying glass to it. But you know how it is when your own desire is to get everything exactly right. You start feeling a little bit crazy.

I plan to post this as soon as tomorrow, if I get some feedback. Help would be very much appreciated.

[Ortolan 381]

Trim the photos to 2x2" that fit the format. Write your name in pencil or light-colored felt-tip pen on the back.

If you're still not happy with them, try going to Target or a store besides Walgreen's. And make them adjust the exposure until the photo looks correct...they've got a lot of latitude with those printers. I went by the post office passport desk and asked them for their opinion on mine, and they vetted them. You could do that too.