United States · Passport
US passport photo
The State Department asks for a 2 x 2 inch color photo with the head between 25 and 35 mm, on plain white or off-white, taken in the last 6 months. Upload a phone photo and we crop it to size and run the checks we can — free — before you decide to pay for the file.
Requirements verified October 6, 2026 — always confirm with the issuing authorityThe check is free and runs on your device. You pay only if you download the finished file: $4.99, or $6.99 with a 4 × 6 in print sheet.
The exact specification
The same numbers the checker applies, drawn from our United States guide. The official source of each value is listed under the table.
- Printed size
- 1 × 51 × 51 mm
- Print rules
- Matte or glossy photo-quality paper. No photocopies or scans of a print.
- Digital file
- JPG/JPEG/PNG/HEIC/HEIF · 600 × 600 to 4000 × 4000 px · 54 kB min, 10 MB max
- Head size
- 25–35 mm chin to crown
- Eye line
- 28–35 mm from the bottom edge
- Background
- Plain white or off-white
- Glasses
- Glasses must be removed. A medical exception needs a signed doctor's note with the application.
- Taken within
- the last 6 months
Where these values come from
- Printed size, Print rules, Digital file, Head size, Eye line, Background, Glasses, Taken within: checked against U.S. Department of State - Passport Photos (read on the adoption.state.gov mirror, October 6, 2026); U.S. Department of State - Uploading a Digital Photo for online renewal (read on the adoption.state.gov mirror, October 6, 2026); U.S. Department of State - Visa photo requirements and photo composition template (read on the adoption.state.gov mirror); U.S. Department of State - Digital image requirements for visa photos (read on the adoption.state.gov mirror), as set out in our US Passport Photo Requirements (2026): Complete Checklist guide.
About background editing. The State Department lists a photo whose background was cut out with a retouching tool as unacceptable, and says it checks for AI edits. Shoot against a real white or off-white wall; background replacement is off by default.
What the free check covers
We measure
- Head size against the published window
- Eye position, where the authority sets one
- Head tilt and rotation
- Background brightness and evenness
- Sharpness and exposure
Only you can confirm
- Glasses — we can't reliably detect them, so we flag rather than pass
- Expression and mouth position
- Red eye
- Filters, retouching or AI edits made before upload
We are an independent service, not affiliated with any government. The issuing authority always makes the final decision — a pass here means your photo meets the published measurements we can check.
What does a failure look like? See our accepted and rejected passport photo examples, with the fix for each one.
Common questions
A printed US passport photo must be 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm). Your head, measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head, must be between 1 and 1 3/8 inches (25 to 35 mm).
Yes. The State Department says you can smile as long as your eyes are open and your mouth is closed. Its online renewal guidance asks for a neutral expression or natural smile without showing teeth. Avoid exaggerated expressions.
No. You must remove eyeglasses, sunglasses and tinted glasses. If you cannot remove them for medical reasons, include a signed note from your doctor with your application.
One. The State Department asks for 1 color photo taken in the last 6 months with a paper application (Form DS-11 or DS-82). If you renew online, you upload a single digital photo instead: a JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF file between 54 KB and 10 MB, which you can crop inside the application.
A recent color photo of your full face, taken in the last 6 months, against a plain white or off-white background. For a paper application it must be 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) with your head 1 to 1 3/8 inches from chin to top, printed on matte or glossy photo paper, with no glasses and no filters or AI edits.
A plain white or off-white background, even light and someone to take the picture. The State Department accepts a photo taken at an acceptance facility, by any company that offers photo services, or by a friend or family member. At home, stand several feet from the wall, take off glasses and print on matte or glossy photo paper.
Be careful. The State Department rejects photos changed with software, filters or AI, and shows a photo whose background was cut out with a retouching tool as an unacceptable example. The safest approach is to take the photo against a real white or off-white background.
Keep reading
Troubleshooting US Passport Photo Rejection Letter: What to Send Back
Got a letter saying your passport photo can't be accepted? The 90-day deadline, where to mail the new photo, and how to make sure the second one passes.
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Requirements Online Passport Renewal Photo: US Upload Rules 2026
The photo file US online passport renewal accepts: JPG, PNG or HEIC, 54 KB to 10 MB, how to frame it, and what the two photo checks look at. Sourced.
Read the guide
Requirements US Passport Photo Requirements (2026): Complete Checklist
Every US passport photo rule in one checklist: 2x2 inch size, head height, white background, expression, glasses, head coverings and online renewal.
Read the guide