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

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
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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!