DOWNSVIEW, Ontario - TelAve -- Visa Center has added a free online photo tool to its website. It lets visa applicants prepare a 35 × 45 mm photo at home using an existing portrait or a photo taken with a phone.

The free photo tool is now available at https://visacenter.ca/photo.

A user uploads a photo, positions the face in the frame and downloads the finished PNG file. The tool puts the photo on a white background and produces an image at 600 DPI and 827 × 1063 pixels. There is no watermark.

The photo is processed on the user's device rather than uploaded for processing elsewhere.

Visa Center created the tool after seeing how often applicants had questions about visa photos and how to send them when applying through the company.

"A visa photo is not complicated, but people still run into problems with it," said Alex Selivanov, founder of Visa Center in Toronto. "Sometimes the size is wrong, sometimes the person is too close to the camera, or the photo has shadows. And sometimes a client simply doesn't know whether they have to go somewhere and have a new photo taken. We wanted to make this part easier."

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Applicants should start with a clear, recent photo. The person should look directly at the camera, with the full head visible and reasonably even lighting. Blurry photos, strong shadows, glasses and hats can cause problems.

For Visa Center clients, there is no need to print the finished photo when printing is included with the visa service. They can download the file and email it to Visa Center with the rest of their application materials.

The tool can also be used by people who are not Visa Center clients. They can download the finished image free of charge and print it themselves. Visa Center also offers printing and mailing for those who need a physical copy.

The tool does not decide whether a photo will be accepted. Photo rules vary depending on the visa and the authority handling the application, and the final decision remains with the consulate or visa office. Applicants should check the requirements for their particular application before submitting the photo.

About Visa Center

Visa Center has operated in Toronto since 2003 and provides visa and international document services to individuals and businesses across Canada. Its services include visas, Russian documents, powers of attorney, police certificates, apostilles, legalization and translations.