A US passport photo is 2×2 inches (51×51 mm) with the head measuring 1 to 1⅜ inches (25-35 mm) from chin to crown, on a plain white or off-white background, taken within the last 6 months.
Every rule on this page is verified from the official source, the U.S. Department of State. Last verified June 28, 2026.
A US passport photo is 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm), about the size of a matchbook. Your head has to fill most of it, from 1 to 1⅜ inches (25 to 35 mm) measured chin to crown, so your face is big enough to recognize but not cropped. Center your head and shoulders, face the camera straight on, and stand a few feet back so the lens does not distort your head size.
You do not need a tape measure. We measure your head and set it to the regulation size for you, so the framing is right before you pay.
The background has to be plain white or off-white, free of shadows, and without texture, objects or lines. A white wall, a door or a plain sheet all work. Stand a short distance from the wall so you do not cast a shadow on it.
If yours is not, we replace it with a clean plain white for you. We change what is behind you, never your face.
Face the camera directly with your full face in view and your head level, not tilted. Keep both eyes open and clearly visible, and your mouth closed. A natural expression is best, and a relaxed smile is allowed as long as your mouth stays closed and your eyes stay open. Avoid exaggerated expressions.
Take off all eyeglasses, sunglasses, and tinted glasses, and do not rest them on your head. Glasses are only allowed with a signed doctor’s note for a medical reason.
Remove hats and head coverings unless you wear one daily for religious reasons or a documented medical reason, in which case your full face must still be visible with no shadows. Do not wear a uniform, anything that looks like a uniform, camouflage, or headphones. Everyday clothes are fine, and you can keep jewelry and facial piercings as long as they do not hide your face.
Your photo must have been taken within the last 6 months so it reflects your current appearance, even if you already have an older photo that would otherwise pass.
Use a sharp, high-resolution color photo that is not blurry, grainy or pixelated, with no red eye. It has to be the original, unedited photo: no filters, no digital changes, no AI retouching of your face. This is the rule most home edits break.
We never retouch you. We only set the regulation head size and replace a non-compliant background with plain white, then check the result against every rule above. See exactly how it works.
Mailing a paper application? You send a printed 2 × 2 inch photo. Renewing online? You upload a digital one instead: Square, 600×600 to 1200×1200 px, JPG/PNG/HEIC, 54 KB-10 MB. You get both from us, so you are set either way, whether you mail it in or renew on the State Department website.
Take a phone selfie and we set the head size, fix the background if it needs it, and check your photo against every rule on this page before you pay. If a passport office ever turns it down, you get your money back.
A US passport photo is 2×2 inches (51×51 mm) with the head measuring 1 to 1⅜ inches (25-35 mm) from chin to crown, on a plain white or off-white background, taken within the last 6 months.
Your head has to measure 1 to 1⅜ inches (25 to 35 mm) from the bottom of your chin to the top of your head, centered in the 2×2 inch frame. Stand a few feet back from the camera and your head lands at about the right size. You do not need a ruler, we set it for you.
Plain white or off-white, free of shadows, and without texture, objects or lines. If yours is not, we replace it with a clean plain white for you. We change what is behind you, never your face.
You can keep a natural expression, a relaxed smile is fine, as long as both eyes are open and your mouth is closed. Glasses are not allowed, so take off all eyeglasses, sunglasses and tinted glasses unless you have a signed doctor's note for a medical reason.
No, unless you wear one daily for religious reasons or a documented medical reason. In that case your full face must still be visible with no shadows, and the covering should be a single plain color without patterns.
It must have been taken within the last 6 months so it reflects your current appearance.
Yes. The U.S. Department of State wants the original, unchanged photo, with no filters, digital changes or AI. We never retouch you. We only set the head size and replace the background with plain white if it is not already.
Yes. The State Department accepts a photo taken at home, as long as it meets every rule. We turn a phone selfie into a compliant 2×2 photo, check it against the official rules before you pay, and give you a digital file for online renewal plus a print-ready one.