United States
Passport / Visa / Green Card Photo Requirement and Size
Passport / Visa / Green Card Paper Photo Specification
- Color photo, taken in last 6 months
- Clear image of your face. Do not use filters commonly used on social media.
- Have someone else take your photo. No selfies.
- Take off your eyeglasses for your photo.
- Use a plain white or off-white background
- Submit a high resolution photo that is not blurry, grainy, or pixelated.
- 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm)
- Head must be between 1 -1 3/8 inches (25 – 35 mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head
- Printed on matte or glossy photo quality paper
- Do not digitally change the photo
- You cannot submit a damaged photo with holes, creases, or smudges.
Pose and Expression
- Have a neutral facial expression or a natural smile, with both eyes open.
- Face the camera directly with full face in view.
- Note to parents of young children: we have sample photos in the Photo Examples section below with tips for submitting a baby’s passport photo. We realize that an infant’s pose and expression are challenging to maintain for a photo.
Attire
- You cannot wear glasses.
- If you cannot remove your glasses for medical reasons, please include a signed note from your doctor with application.
- Taken in clothing normally worn on a daily basis.
- You cannot wear a uniform, clothing that looks like a uniform, or camouflage attire.
- You cannot wear a hat or head covering.
- If you wear a hat or head covering for religious purposes, submit a signed statement that verifies that the hat or head covering in your photo is part of traditional religious attire worn continuously in public.
- If you wear a hat or head covering for medical purposes, submit a signed doctor’s statement verifying the hat or head covering in your photo is used daily for medical purposes.
- Your full face must be visible and your hat or head covering cannot obscure your hairline or cast shadows on your face.
- You cannot wear headphones or wireless hands-free devices.
- You can wear jewelry and keep on your facial piercings as long as they do not hide your face. Permanent tattoos are acceptable for passport purposes as well.
Passport / Visa / Green Card / LSAT Digital Photo Specification
- The image dimensions must be in a square aspect ratio (the height must be equal to the width)
- Minimum acceptable dimensions are 600 x 600 pixels. Maximum acceptable dimensions are 1200 x 1200 pixels
- Must be Color (24 bits per pixel) in sRGB color space
- Must be in JPEG file format
- Must be less or equal to 240 kb (kilobytes)
- Compression ratio should be less or equal to 20:1
- In color
- Sized such that the head is between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches (22 mm and 35 mm) or 50% and 69% of the image’s total height from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. View the Photo Composition Template for more size requirement details.
- Taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance
- Taken in front of a plain white or off-white background
- Taken in full-face view directly facing the camera
- With a neutral facial expression and both eyes open
- Taken in clothing that you normally wear on a daily basis
- Uniforms should not be worn in your photo, except religious clothing that is worn daily.
- Do not wear a hat or head covering that obscures the hair or hairline, unless worn daily for a religious purpose. Your full face must be visible, and the head covering must not cast any shadows on your face.
- Headphones, wireless hands-free devices, or similar items are not acceptable in your photo.
- Eyeglasses are no longer allowed in new visa photos, except in rare circumstances when eyeglasses cannot be removed for medical reasons; e.g., the applicant has recently had ocular surgery and the eyeglasses are necessary to protect the applicant’s eyes. A medical statement signed by a medical professional/health practitioner must be provided in these cases. If the eyeglasses are accepted for medical reasons:
- The frames of the eyeglasses must not cover the eye(s).
- There must not be glare on eyeglasses that obscures the eye(s).
- There must not be shadows or refraction from the eyeglasses that obscures the eye(s).
- If you normally wear a hearing device or similar articles, they may be worn in your photo.
FAQ
You could find a Pro Passport Photo location near you by using our store locator.
Face the camera with your head centered in the frame and not tilted with a neutral expression or natural smile.
You may wear a hat or head covering, but you must submit a signed statement that verifies that the hat or head covering is part of recognized, traditional religious attire that is customarily or required to be worn continuously in public or a signed doctor’s statement verifying the item is used daily for medical purposes.
Your full face must be visible and your hat or head covering cannot obscure your hairline or cast shadows on your face.
No. Both adults and children cannot wear uniforms, clothing that looks like a uniform, or camouflage attire in their photos.
Yes, but it must be a natural, unexaggerated smile. Both your eyes must be open.
No, take them off for your passport photo.
If you cannot remove your glasses for medical reasons, you must submit a signed statement from your doctor with your passport application.
Make sure the baby is awake and dressed in dark color top, to find a baby photo location, please use our store locator, and choose Baby Photos under the Category option.
It is acceptable if an infant’s eyes are not open or entirely open. All other children must have their eyes open.
Only if your appearance has significantly changed from what is in your current passport. Growing a beard or coloring your hair would not constitute a significant change. If you can still be identified from the photo in your current passport, you do not need to apply for a new passport.
You may have to apply for a new passport if you have:
- Undergone significant facial surgery or trauma
- Added or removed numerous/large facial piercings or tattoos
- Undergone a significant amount of weight loss or gain
- Made a gender transition
If the appearance of your child under the age of 16 has changed due to the normal aging process, you do not need to apply for a new passport for him or her.
External Links:
United States Passports
Travel.State.Gov U.S. Passport Service
United States Visas
Travel.State.Gov U.S. Visa Service
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Green Card Service
To find a location near you
