US Passport Photo Requirements
The State Department rejects photos for the same handful of reasons every year: wrong head size, shadows, glasses, an old picture. Read the rules below, then upload your photo and the tool crops it to 2 × 2 in with the head inside the official range.
Passport Photo
or drop JPG, JPEG, JFIF … files here ·
Max 95 MB per file· Up to 20 files· Deleted after 30 minutes
Files are processed on our servers and deleted after 30 minutes.
Quality is lowered until the photo is at or just under this size; tiny files are padded up to the spec's minimum.
300 DPI is the print standard for passport photos; a 35×45 mm photo is then 413×531 px.
Place several copies on a 4×6 in (10×15 cm) photo print or an A4 page, ready for a photo kiosk or home printer.
How many photos on the sheet. A 4×6 in print fits 6 photos of 2×2 in or 6 of 35×45 mm; an A4 sheet fits more.
How to use this tool
- 1
Upload a photo someone else took
Stand about 4 ft from a plain wall, face the camera straight on in even light. A phone's rear camera is fine.
- 2
Check the head guide
The page uses the US 2 × 2 in spec with a white background. The Head-size guide marks 1 to 1 3/8 in from chin to top of head; drag or zoom until the face fits it.
- 3
Download for print or upload
The 600 × 600 px JPG works for online renewal and visa forms. For a mailed application, set Print layout to the 4 × 6 in sheet and print it on photo paper.
A US passport photo is 2 × 2 in, in color, on white or off-white, with the head 1 to 1 3/8 in tall, taken within the last six months and without glasses.
US passport photo size, print and digital
2 × 2 in
Printed photo
51 × 51 mm; head 25–35 mm chin to crown
600 × 600 px
Digital, minimum
Online renewal, DS-160, DV Lottery
1200 × 1200 px
Digital, maximum
Larger files are rejected by the upload
4 × 6 in
4 × 6 in print sheet
Order as a normal photo print, cut two or more copies
Which US applications use the 2 × 2 photo
| Organisation | Requirement | Source |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Department of State, passport by mail or in person (DS-11, DS-82) | One 2 × 2 in color print on photo paper, white or off-white background | travel.state.gov |
| Online passport renewal | Digital JPEG, square, 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 px | travel.state.gov |
| Nonimmigrant visa (DS-160) | JPEG, 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 px, 240 KB or less | ceac.state.gov |
| Diversity Visa Lottery | JPEG, exactly 600 × 600 px, 240 KB or less | dvprogram.state.gov |
| USCIS (green card, naturalization, travel documents) | Passport-style 2 × 2 in color prints | uscis.gov |
US passport photo head size and position
The rule that trips up most home-made photos is head size. Measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the hair, the head must be between 1 in and 1 3/8 in (25–35 mm), which is 50–69% of the photo's height. The eyes should sit roughly between 1 1/8 in and 1 3/8 in from the bottom edge.
The tool handles the geometry for you: Auto-centre face finds the eyes and chin and places them inside those ranges,. What it cannot fix is lighting. Shadows on the face or a dark halo on the wall behind you are a common rejection, so take the photo facing a window in daylight, with no lamp directly overhead.
Clothing is less strict than people think: everyday clothes are fine, uniforms and camouflage are not, and headphones or wireless earbuds must come off. Our guide on what to wear for a passport photo covers colors that disappear against a white background.
US passport photo rules people get wrong
MythYou are not allowed to smile.
FactA neutral expression or a natural smile is accepted, as long as both eyes are open.
MythGlasses are fine if there is no glare.
FactGlasses have been banned since November 2016 unless you include a signed medical statement.
MythAny light background will do.
FactIt has to be white or off-white, with no pattern, texture or visible shadow.
MythA photo from your last passport is good enough.
FactIt must have been taken in the last six months, so the picture from an old passport does not qualify.
MythHats are fine if your face is visible.
FactHats and head coverings are allowed only for religious or medical reasons, with a signed statement.
US passport photo questions
Can I wear glasses in a US passport photo?
No. Since November 1, 2016, glasses are not allowed in US passport photos. The only exception is a medical reason, and then you must send a signed doctor's statement with the application.
Is a smile allowed in a US passport photo?
Yes, a natural smile is fine. The State Department asks for a neutral expression or a natural smile with both eyes open; a wide grin that narrows the eyes or shows a lot of teeth is risky.
What size in pixels is a digital US passport photo?
At least 600 × 600 px and at most 1200 × 1200 px, square, in JPEG. That equals 2 × 2 in at 300 to 600 DPI. The tool exports 600 × 600 px, the minimum that every US online system accepts. For visa uploads the same size applies, and the 600 × 600 visa photo guide covers the 240 KB cap.
How old can my passport photo be?
It must have been taken in the last six months and show you as you look now. After a major change in appearance, such as facial surgery, a new photo is needed even if the old one is recent.
Can I use the same photo for a green card or citizenship application?
USCIS asks for passport-style 2 × 2 in photos for most forms, so the same print usually works. Check the form instructions on uscis.gov for how many copies to send.
How do I make a US passport photo for a baby?
Lay the baby on a plain white sheet and photograph from above, or hold them with your hands out of frame. Eyes should be open where possible; infants are the one group allowed some leeway. See baby passport photo for the crop.
More US photo tools
- 2x2 Photo MakerTurn any front-facing picture into a 2x2 photo (51 × 51 mm, 600 × 600 px) and get six copies on one 4 × 6 in print for a kiosk or photo lab.
- DV Lottery Photo ToolDV Lottery photo tool: crop to a square 600 × 600 px JPEG under 240 KB on white, head 50–69% of the frame, so your green card lottery entry is not disqualified.
- Baby Passport PhotoBaby passport photo requirements for the US, UK and India: size, head height, background and the eyes-open rule. Crop a photo taken at home to spec.
- 2x2 Picture Size in PixelsA 2x2 picture is 600 × 600 px at 300 DPI. Online forms take 600 to 1200 px squares; the head is 300–413 px tall. Make the exact file from any photo.
- Passport Size Photo MakerMake passport size photos online: crop to 35 × 45 mm, 2 × 2 in or 25+ country specs, swap the background and print six copies on a 4 × 6 in sheet.
- Canada Visa Photo SizeCanada visa photo size: 35 × 45 mm, head 31–36 mm, white or light background, within six months; digital at least 420 × 540 px. Not the passport size.