Photo requirements we check

U.S. passport and visa (2×2 in)

• Photo 2×2 inches (51×51 mm); digital file square, 600×600 to 1200×1200 pixels, JPEG, color, 240 kB or less.
• Head (top of hair to bottom of chin) 1 to 1⅜ inches — 50% to 69% of the photo height.
• Eyes 1⅛ to 1⅜ inches from the bottom — 56% to 69% of the photo height.
• Plain white or off-white background, no shadows on the face or background.
• Full face, directly facing the camera, neutral expression or natural smile, both eyes open.
• No eyeglasses (since November 1, 2016).

Also check yourself: no hat or headphones, no uniform, photo taken in the last 6 months.

Green card (Form I-485, 2×2 in)

• Same size and head/eye position as the U.S. passport photo; white to off-white background; full face, frontal view; head bare unless for religious reasons (USCIS Form I-485 instructions).
• Printed on thin paper with a glossy finish, unmounted and unretouched; two identical photos, taken recently.

Online passport renewal

• Upload a JPEG (or PNG/HEIC) between 54 KB and 10 MB, in color, taken in the last 6 months (State Department upload page). Our digital file is a 600×600 JPEG between 54 KB and 240 kB, which also fits visa applications.

How each check works

• A face is visible. Face the camera in good light so your whole face is visible.
• Only one person in the photo. Make sure nobody else is in the frame.
• Whole head and shoulders in the shot. Step back or hold the phone a little further away so there is space around your head and your shoulders are in the shot.
• Photo is detailed enough. Your face is too small or soft in this photo. Add light and move the camera a little closer, keeping your head and shoulders in the shot.
• Head size (chin to top of hair). Keep your whole head in the frame; we size it automatically.
• Eye height in the frame. Hold the phone at eye level and look straight ahead.
• Head centered. Center your face in the oval.
• Head straight (not tilted). Keep your head level — both eyes at the same height.
• Facing the camera directly. Look straight into the lens; don't turn your head or chin.
• Both eyes open. Keep both eyes open and looking at the camera.
• Neutral expression, mouth closed. Relax your face and close your mouth. A natural closed-mouth smile is fine.
• No glasses. Take off your glasses (they are not allowed in U.S. passport photos).
• Everyday clothing. Wear a shirt — normal everyday clothing must be visible on your shoulders. No uniforms or camouflage, and nothing that covers your face.
• No shadows on your face. Face a window or lamp so light falls evenly on both sides of your face.
• Brightness. Find softer, brighter light — avoid direct sun and dark rooms.
• In focus. Hold still and wipe the lens; tap the screen to focus before the shot.
• Background is white or off-white. The wall behind you looks too dark or grey. Stand in front of a plain white or off-white wall and turn on more light, or face a window.
• Background is not tinted. The wall behind you looks coloured. Use a plain white or off-white wall and avoid coloured lamps — daylight from a window works best.
• Nothing else in the background. There are patterns or objects behind you. Use a plain wall with nothing on it — no pictures, doors, shelves or furniture in the shot.
• No shadow on the wall behind you. Your shadow shows on the wall. Stand a few feet (about 3 ft / 1 m) in front of the wall and have the light in front of you, not beside or behind you.
• Color photo. Turn off black-and-white or filter modes.

Getting the background right

• Use a plain white or off-white wall — no pictures, doors or furniture in the shot.
• Stand a few feet (about 3 ft / 1 m) in front of the wall, not against it.
• Light your face evenly from the front (face a window or lamp) so no shadow falls on the wall.
• Then retake the photo — we only crop and size it, so the wall has to be right in the photo itself.

We never digitally alter your face or background - we only crop and size your photo to the required 2×2 inch size.

Limits used by the automated check: head tilt ≤ 5°, head turn ≤ 8°, face at least 220 px tall in the original photo, wall brightness ≥ 190/255.

Not affiliated with the U.S. Department of State or any government agency.