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U.S. Passport photo - Digital photo size & requirements

  • Size
    • Width: 2 in
    • Height: 2 in
  • Resolution
    300 dpi
  • Image definition parameters
    • Head height: 1.29 in
    • Bottom of the Photo to the Eye Line: 1.18 in
  • Background Color
     
  • Is it printable?
    yes
  • Is it suitable for online submission?
    yes

Requirements for a passport photo

Current requirements for a passport photo are determined by the regulations of individual exhibitor states. It is worth noting that the photo format and its other features often differ, e.g. the photo we use for a US passport will most probably not be useful to us when we apply for a Vietnamese passport. However, there are some universal guidelines as for the passport photos:

US Passport photo requirements

  • Neutral facial expression
  • One should directly face the camera with full face in view
  • Normal clothing. Extravagant outfit or uniforms might cause a photo rejection. Religious clothing, however, is allowed
  • Background should be white or off-white in color.
  • Glasses, headphones and other items should not be worn
  • The passport photo should be taken within the last six months

Generally, ID card photos are also called biometric photos. all passport photos are so-called biometric photos, i.e. those that allow us to download our individual features that allow for quick and reliable identification. Therefore, usually in photography we should be positioned frontally and look straight ahead. Visibility of the other person is always excluded, and the background requirements vary, but in most cases it should be uniform, one-color (usually light, but it also happens that e.g. the background must be blue or dark blue). Records regarding glasses and headgear are also usually the same, i.e. we photograph ourselves without a hat and without glasses (although they are allowed, even if the sight is impaired, you can take off the glasses - then we minimize the chance of rejecting the composite photo, because the risk is that glare will be visible on the glasses or the frame will cover our pupils). Photos for passports differ primarily in size. Some countries allow only a specific photo format, others offer several possibilities. An example of a strictly defined size of the photo is a US passport, which must always have the dimensions of 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm). Vietnam, on the other hand, expects a 4 x 6 cm photo.

How long does one have to wait for a passport?

The government of the United States usually processes passport applications between 3 to 6 weeks after you've sent off the application. We recommend you to apply for your US passport in low travel seasons, like winter or fall.

However, you can get the digital photo for US passport on our website in no time!

Where can I get and print my US passport photo?

Firstly, prepare your printable passport photo template on our website - take a selfie, upload it, and check if you like it. If you think you don’t look good in the photo, simply retake the picture!

Secondly, choose one of the options - you can get the passport photo template for free, though it won’t have the background automatically removed, so it would require you to follow the guidelines more precisely. Or save some time and for 4.99$ you will be able to download a professional US passport photo with acceptance guarantee! For 6.99$ you will also get a printout delivered at your doors!

Thirdly, if you decided on a digital version of the photo, find the closest photo-copying point or pharmacy with photo printing service where you can print it out as a 4x6 inch photo (postcard-size photo). On such a US biometric photo template, you will find 4 passport photos ready to be cut out and submitted to the US passport office!

Long story short - you can get a digital US passport photo here and print it out at any photo-copying service (like Walmart or Costco). Scroll down to see the guidelines on how to take a biometric photo that will meet all the official requirements! (or just take a photo and our AI compliance check tool will tell you what’s wrong)

Does the US passport photo have the same size as other passport photos?

US passport photo is a biometric photo, which means the photo should enable the authorities easy recognition of a passport holder. Most of the requirements are standard biometric photo requirements. The key difference between passport photos around the world consists usually in size and background of the photo. For example, Canadian passport photo has the dimensions of 50x70mm, Chinese passport photo 33x48 mm and British one 35x45 mm. US passport photo size, being 2x2 in (51x51mm), is pretty uncommon. Make sure your photo follows US passport photo requirements and not, for example, British passport photo requirements.

As we have mentioned above, a biometric photo function is to let an officer recognize you as a valid passport holder. That’s why, while taking a biometric photo, you should follow some guidelines. You can find them below. Make sure you read them before taking a US passport picture for your documents!

Universal guidelines for a 2x2 US passport photo

  • Stand close to wall to minimize shadows
  • Turn off overhead lighting to eliminate shadows
  • Look straight at the camera.
  • The head must be neither twisted nor tilted in any direction, look straight ahead.
  • Make sure that the hair does not cover the face or even the eyebrows.
  • Do not wear jewellery, hat or headphones
  • Note that the camera lens should be placed at eye level
  • It is good to take the picture from a distance of about 3 feet.
  • Photo should include shoulders and some space above head
  • You must have a neutral facial expression.
  • Size of the US passport photo has to be exactly 2x2 inch - But don’t worry about it - our photo cropping tool will crop it accordingly. (Or you can prepare a 4x6 inch photo template and print 4 US passport photos)
  • Background has to be white or off-white so remember to take the photo standing against a white-colored wall (or we can correct the background automatically for you within $4.99 service)

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a passport photo cost?

The cost of a passport photo depends on the way you get the photo. In a professional photography studio it may cost around 20$, Walmart charges 7.44$ and Passport Photo Online (which is more than a usual photo maker or cropping tool) will charge you just 4.99$. By taking the passport photo yourself, you save not only money, but also time. 

How can I take a passport photo at home?

Yes, it is possible to take a passport photo at home as long as it meets all the requirements. The easiest way is to use a photo cropping tool or a passport photo generator which will detect all the potential problems with a photo, crop it and frame in agreement with the document’s size and requirements. Our suggestion is to try out Passport Photo Online website or its photo cropping app on Android.

What should I wear in a passport photo?

Since passport is an official document, we suggest a smart-casual style, which will make you look good and professional. Extravagant outfits or uniforms might cause a photo rejection. Religious clothing, however, is allowed, so in case your beliefs require a specific outfit, there shall not be any problem on that matter.

Look at the following blog article to find out what tricks do models use to look good in the passport photos.

Yes, you can take a passport photo with your phone. All you have to do is upload a selfie to our website and our tool will transform it to a professional passport photo. You can also use our photo cropping app and take a passport photo with your phone.

Yes, a passport photo can be taken easily and quickly by yourself and in almost any place.

The best and easiest way to take a photo is to use passport-photo.online, which is much more advanced than any online document photo generator available online. Using our website, all you have to do is take a selfie, against any background, and only pay attention to evenly light up your face. The rest will be taken care of by passport-photo.online, i.e. it will plot the face, clear the background from shadows and other images and save the photos in the right format and size. An additional advantage is that you do not have to go anywhere and pay 20 or even 25$ for the photos. This option is especially useful for passport photos for small children and babies.

No, glasses are not allowed in a US passport photo - neither prescription glasses nor sunglasses, unless you have a medical reason which forbids you from taking the glasses off. In such a case a statement signed by a doctor is required.

Unless it covers a distinguishing mark, lipstick is allowed in passport photos, as well as in the other official documents. Our suggestion, however, is to not use too flashy kind of lipstick.

Makeup for a passport photo is allowed, but it must be subtle and delicate enough to make the person in the photo recognizable. Women can accentuate their eyes with mascara or crayon and their lips with lipstick, they may use a gentle foundation. However, we would like to stress that makeup cannot hide or mask the so-called special characters, i.e. furrows, strong wrinkles, scars or permanent beauty marks. If such characteristics are covered in the photo, the photograph will not meet the requirements of law and should be rejected. Even if the photo passes the verification process, we can expect problems at the airport or border control.

Have a neutral facial expression with both eyes open. All types of unusual expressions are forbidden. Do not cross your eyes or stick your tongue out. In the United States a natural smile is allowed, however, the smile should not show your teeth. 

You can wear lenses in your passport photo, as long as they do not cover any distinguishing marks. If you have tinted lenses for medical reasons, you may have to provide a signed medical statement.

Yes, you can wear earrings or clips on your passport photo. The only requirement is that they should not impede one’s face recognition. Such earrings that would cover e.g. part of the neck or cheeks cannot be worn in the photo.

Sit up straight, do not hold your head up high, look directly at the camera and keep your shoulders down and back.

If you want to look good in your passport photo, make sure you learn all the tricks used by models we discussed in our blog article.

U.S. passport photo has the dimensions of 2x2 inches (51x51 mm). It is also the size of most official documents in the USA, including driver’s licence or Identity Card.

Since passport is an official document, consider dressing up for this occasion. We recommend smart-casual clothing. It will make you look good and professional. Extravagant outfits or uniforms might cause a photo rejection. Religious clothing, however, is allowed, so in case your beliefs require a specific outfit, there shall not be any problem on that matter.

If you want to make sure you look good in the photo, take a look at this blog article.

Yes - the photo taken in a photo booth can be used as a photograph attached to the application for a passport, driving licence or identity card, as long as it meets all the requirements. Most photo booths allow the passport photo size to choose, so make sure you chose 2x2 inches dimensions. Photographs taken in photo booths are cheaper and often of better quality than those taken in 'professional' photography studios. That is why more and more town halls and embassies decide to place photo booths in their buildings. 

Remember that you can also use a photo booth mobile application, which will let you get the same result cheaper and faster.

Every U.S. citizen, including a newborn baby, can have a passport, but in order to get one you not only can, but you have to take a photo of such an infant and only then apply for the document. In the case of a newborn baby, it is best to take the passport photo by yourself in order not to expose the baby to infections and contact with germs, which unfortunately happens in some photographic institutions. You can even take such a photo with your mobile phone, for example using the passport-photo.online service or with one of the passport photo maker apps.

US passport photo, having the dimensions of 2x2 inches (51x51 mm) is the official photo format for your driver’s licence and citizenship application.

The main US passport photo requirements:

  • Neutral facial expression
  • One should directly face the camera with full face in view
  • Normal clothing. Extravagant outfits or uniforms might cause a photo rejection. Religious clothing, however, is allowed
  • Background should be white or off-white in color
  • Glasses, headphones and other items should not be worn
  • The dimensions of the photo have to be 2x2 inches (51x51 mm)
  • The passport photo should be taken within the last six months

Yes, it is definitely legal to have a beard in a passport photo, although you should bear in mind that the passport photo has to resemble you in the way it would not constitute any problems for the border control. Hence, if you drastically change your look by shaving it, consider renewing the passport photo to avoid any problems.

In order to be accepted passport photos have to meet several requirements like colour of the background or size of the photo. Hence, your iPhone camera might not let you take a valid passport photo, however, you can use our photo cropping tool or a passport photo maker that will edit your photo for you. 

If being best applies to the price, user experience and quality, we would recommend you our passport photo maker. For 4.99$ You will get a professional passport photo within a few seconds!

If you need the digital passport photo and don’t need to bother with the printed one, you should use our passport photo generator. It will transform your selfie into a digital passport photo within a few seconds. It will be downloadable in the most useful formats.

The easiest way to do so is to use a passport photo maker. All you will have to do is upload a photo and choose “US passport” to crop it properly. You can do it for 4.99$ here.

The height of a passport photo is 2 inches (equivalent to 51mm) and its width is 2 inches (equivalent to 51mm) as well. You can check the other requirements of the passport size photo at our website.

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