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United States

United States passport photo size

51 × 51 mm · Plain white or off-white · 54 KB – 10 MB · Taken within the last 6 months

Requirements

Photo size51 × 51 mm  (2.01 × 2.01 in)
Head height50–69% of the photo height
Eye lineabout 38% down from the top edge
BackgroundPlain white or off-white
File size54 KB – 10 MB
File formatjpg/png/heic
How recentTaken within the last 6 months
RetouchingNot allowed. The photo must not be digitally altered beyond cropping.
Background replacementNot allowed. Shoot against a wall of the required colour.
Where to take itYou can take this photo yourself.
  • Glasses are not allowed. If glasses cannot be removed for medical reasons, include a statement signed by a medical professional.
  • A neutral expression or a natural slight smile is accepted.

Last checked: Oct 10, 2026 · Source: travel.state.gov passports/photos. Rules change — check the issuing authority before you submit.

You can take this photo yourself

A plain, empty wall. Nothing behind you.
Good example. A plain, empty wall. Nothing behind you.
Frames, shelves and curtains behind you.
Avoid this. Frames, shelves and curtains behind you.
Light on your face from the front, and no shadow on the wall.
Good example. Light on your face from the front, and no shadow on the wall.
Light behind you, so half the face falls into shadow.
Avoid this. Light behind you, so half the face falls into shadow.
Neutral: mouth closed, eyes open. This is what most passports and visas ask for.
Good example. Neutral: mouth closed, eyes open. This is what most passports and visas ask for.
A wide grin with teeth showing, and a tilted head.
Avoid this. A wide grin with teeth showing, and a tilted head.

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Checklist & printable sheet for this document

Check the photo requirements, and print or share a sheet with the official source and a QR code.

How the passport photo is submitted

Submission

  • Online application: upload a digital photo.
    For online renewal, upload a digital photo travel.state.gov
  • The photo can be taken at the application office.
    An acceptance facility that will take a photo when you apply travel.state.gov

If you hand in a printed photo

Who can take the photo

  • The authority allows a photo taken without a studio — its own wording is below.
    A friend or family member travel.state.gov

Rules the authority states for this photo

  • Colour photo.
    Submit 1 color photo taken in the last 6 months travel.state.gov
  • No filters, retouching or digital changes.
    Submit the original, unedited photo without filters or digital changes travel.state.gov
    Digital manipulation and/or retouching of the facial image on photographs is not acceptable fam.state.gov

What is specific to this document

  • At 10240 KB the upload limit is the most generous of the 2 United States documents we cover — a file prepared for one of the others will fit.
  • The authority sets a maximum file size but does not publish a pixel size, so the dimensions are your decision. Compress from a full-resolution photo rather than shrinking the picture until it fits.
  • HEIC is accepted, so a photo taken straight on an iPhone does not have to be converted before you upload it.

Checked against the issuing authority’s own published material. Requirements change without notice — confirm before you submit.

Questions

What size is a United States passport photo?
51 × 51 mm (2.01 × 2.01 in).
Can I take a United States passport photo with my phone?
Yes. PhotoSpec crops to 51 × 51 mm and checks the framing before you save. Photos are processed on the phone and are not uploaded.

How it differs from other United States documents

  • Visa — digital file 54 KB – 10 MB here, 600–1200×600–1200 px, 240 KB there
  • Residence permit — same published size, background, digital file and capture rules as this document
  • Work permit — same published size, background, digital file and capture rules as this document
  • Citizenship — same published size, background, digital file and capture rules as this document

Related tools and guides

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