April 4, 2003	Friday	Safar 1, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, April 3: The Press Information Department on Thursday issued a Press release of the US embassy regarding some changes about the non-immigrant visa to the United States of America.

The PID, an attached department working under the Ministry of Information, Government of Pakistan, is to ensure proper coverage of government and its affiliated ministries and departments. However, it was probably for the first time that the PID issued a Press release of the US embassy in Islamabad.

The United States Information Services has its own setup to disseminate information to the local media about the changes regarding visa information, however, the release by the PID did raise many eyebrows in the newsrooms of local newspapers.

The PR No: 54 gives detailed information to the Pakistani aspirants, who want to apply for a non-immigrant visa to the United States. The details also included the size of photograph as how the applicant should look straight into the camera.

According to the PID’s release for the US visa requirement, “the head of the applicant including face and hair, should be shown from the crown of the head to the tip of chin on top and bottom, and from hair line side to side. It is preferable that the ears be exposed.”

“The photograph should measure 2 inches square (roughly 50 mm square) with the head centred in the frame. The head (measured from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin) should measure between 1 inch to 1.3/8 inches (25 mm to 35 mm) with the eye level between 1.1/8 inch to 1.3/8 inches (28 mm and 35 mm) from the bottom of the photo.”

Our Reporter ADDS: The photograph of each visa applicant must be an unmounted full-face photo, taken within the past six months. A “full face” photo is one in which the applicant is facing the camera directly.

The applicant should not be looking down or to either side, and the face should cover about 50 per cent of the area of the photo.

Photo may be either in the colour or black and white and must be taken against a white or off-white background. Photos should be printed without borders. Photos should be stapled or glued to From DS-156, Non-immigrant Visa Applicant‘s face. Photo taken in front of busy, patterned, or dark backgrounds will not be accepted.