# Certifying Passport Picture



## havegonetooz (Dec 29, 2011)

For the people that applied for a permanent residency visa, how did you certify your passport picture?

How does someone certify a small picture that states that the picture is a true representation of the me? How does a person certifying the picture write that on the actual photograph?


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## havegonetooz (Dec 29, 2011)

Whoops, I think I just need to get the bio page of my passport certified, correct?

I do not need to get the passport photographs (45mmx35mm) certified, right?


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## coolsnake (Nov 12, 2011)

havegonetooz said:


> Whoops, I think I just need to get the bio page of my passport certified, correct?
> 
> I do not need to get the passport photographs (45mmx35mm) certified, right?


You don't even need to get the Passport Bio page certified if you can scan and upload the same in colour.

No, you don't need to certify your Passport photograph.

Good luck with your 175 application.


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## twister292 (Mar 25, 2011)

If you scan the document in colour, no need to certify for an online application.


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## havegonetooz (Dec 29, 2011)

Ok thanks guys


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## jb12 (Jan 27, 2012)

Hi havegonetooz,

Just scanning the passport biopage doesn't certify it's a true copy. Check out the Australian Embassy website since they can do this for a fee. What you do is that you need to send in your passport with the request in a letter what you want the consulate of the Australian Embassy located in Washington DC. They will send back your passport with an attached letter having your bio passport page scanned along with that Consulate's signature and some other information signifying their current position. Here is the website link for that : Consular TFN - Embassy of Australia

I had to get this done twice to get my skills assessed with the Engineers Australia and for visa 175. Another way is to try to get a lawyer to do this as well. But in the US, I had a difficult time getting anyone else to provide a letter stating it was me on that passport,etc. Even in the local govt level! So I had no choice but to send it to the Australian Embassy to get it certified true copy.

Just scanning the passport bio page in color would not make it a certified true copy because who other than your self has certified that it's you? But I've heard that people have done it this way and it has been okay. I guess may depend on the case officer or person that reviews your information?


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## JimJams (Jan 11, 2010)

jb12 said:


> Hi havegonetooz,
> 
> Just scanning the passport biopage doesn't certify it's a true copy. Check out the Australian Embassy website since they can do this for a fee. What you do is that you need to send in your passport with the request in a letter what you want the consulate of the Australian Embassy located in Washington DC. They will send back your passport with an attached letter having your bio passport page scanned along with that Consulate's signature and some other information signifying their current position. Here is the website link for that : Consular TFN - Embassy of Australia
> 
> ...


You only need to get documents attested if you do not send colour scans. I have received an email from CO confirming this.


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## jb12 (Jan 27, 2012)

Hi JimJams,

The definition must be different of how people interpret "certified true copy".

According to Wikipedia: 
In Australia

_In Australia, certified copies are solely the creation of administrative practice. There is no specific legislation at either federal or State level.

Certified copies have long been used to give a veneer of authenticity to a photocopy of a primary document. In practice, they are very easy to obtain at almost no cost other than the photocopy, and are used in a wide range of situations, especially with identity documents.

In practice, and purely for convenience, a copy may usually be certified by a person who is able to witness a statutory declaration under federal legislation about Statutory Declarations. Categories of people are listed in Schedule 2 of the Statutory Declarations Regulations 1993 (Cth).[2] Schedule 2 states that Chiropractors, Dentists, Legal practitioners, Medical practitioners, Nurses, Optometrists, Patent attorneys, Pharmacists, Physiotherapists, Psychologists, Trade mark attorneys and Veterinary surgeons may certify copies. Part 2 of the Schedule lists various other professions and positions, the members or occupants of which may also certify copies (for example, Judges, Police Officers and Members of Parliament).

A typical certificate endorsed on the photocopy is -

CERTIFIED TRUE COPY OF THE ORIGINAL

I certify that this is a true copy of the original document.

Signed: Dated: Authority to sign: Postal address/email address/telephone number:

There are notaries public in the Australian capital cities if a notarized copy form is required._

So if an organization is asking for a "certified true copy", sending them a colored copy scan of the document does not make it a certified true copy as it has to say in the same document stating it is a true copy of the original document and signed by a person with specific occupation and authority as described above in the definition. 

The passport biopage would be very important to have a certified true copy for possibility of fraud by some people. Other documents required by case officer such as bank statements, college transcripts (seal and stamp by university), etc. can be scanned in color if by chance they actually come in color. 

It's just my personal opinion about this since I've seen other posts in this forum when someone asked about how to get a certified true copy. It's almost the same as the document getting notarized but some words added like stated in the definition.


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## JimJams (Jan 11, 2010)

Yes, I understand that, I had all my documents certified as true copies for my ACS application. But DIAC will accept colour scans and only request true certified if you are providing black & white copies.

Although my ACS application had certified documents, my DIAC application DID NOT. I have a CO allocated and have not been told this is a problem, and I have read on here several times that colour scans are valid.

This is from my request for more info email from DIAC:



> GSM Adelaide accepts scanned copies. If possible, please provide colour scanned copies of original documents. If you are unable to colour scan documents, please ensure that the documents you scan are certified copies. If you send us a scan of the original document, we can accept PDF, JPEG, TIFF or BMP file formats, although we prefer that it be in PDF format.


Don't confuse the requirements of ACS and DIAC.


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## havegonetooz (Dec 29, 2011)

Good information...has anyone scanned an original black and white document in color and submitted it without getting certified?


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## JimJams (Jan 11, 2010)

havegonetooz said:


> Good information...has anyone scanned an original black and white document in color and submitted it without getting certified?


My original birth certificate was black and white, although it is old now that the paper has gone a bit yellow! What document do you have that is in black and white? Is there any colour on there what so ever?


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