US Passport Photo: size and requirements
The US Passport Photo size is 51 x 51 mm (2.01 x 2.01 inches). White or off-white background without shadows, texture, or lines; head 49 to 69 percent of the photo height. Photo taken within the last 6 months. Last verified 2026-09-30 against U.S. Department of State.
For a U.S. passport book or passport card applied for by mail or in person (forms DS-11, DS-82). Not for a U.S. visa or the DV lottery, which use a 600x600 pixel digital photo.
Requirements at a glance
- Size
- 51 x 51 mm (2.01 x 2.01 inches)
- Head height
- Head 49 to 69 percent of the photo height (1 to 1 3/8 inches (25 to 35 mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head)
- Eye line
- 56 to 69 percent from the bottom of the photo
- Background
- white or off-white background without shadows, texture, or lines
- Expression
- Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open, looking at the camera
- Glasses
- Not allowed
- Head covering
- Only for religious or medical reasons; full face visible
- Photo age
- Taken within the last 6 months
- Prints needed
- 1
- We deliver
- 602 x 602 px (300 DPI), plus a 4 x 6 inch print sheet
What trips people up
- CheckGlasses are not allowed at all since November 2016, even clear ones.
- CheckThe State Department says no selfies: have someone else take the photo, or use a timer and tripod so the framing is not at arm's length.
- CheckThe photo must be printed on photo-quality paper at exactly 2 x 2 inches. Plain office paper is rejected.
Known portal issues
- Note
Your photo does not need cropping (red icon)
Check the file is 600 x 600 pixels (or 2 x 2 in at 300 DPI) as our output is. Read the fix - Note
Your face is not the correct size or properly centered
Start from the uncropped original, with head, shoulders and some space above the head in frame. Read the fix
Good to know before you pay
If you are renewing online through MyTravelGov, you upload a digital photo and the State Department's free photo tool crops it for you. Our tool is still useful for the background and the compliance checks, but the cropping itself is free there.
Source and verification
Read from the official page. Last checked 2026-09-30 (archived copy dated 2024-09-15) at U.S. Department of State.
The correct size of a passport photo is: 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
Take off your eyeglasses for your photo
Use a white or off-white background without shadows, texture, or lines
travel.state.gov blocks automated readers; quotes were read from the Internet Archive snapshot. The eye-line range (1 1/8 to 1 3/8 inches from the bottom) comes from the State Department photo composition template and is re-checked monthly.
We are an independent service, not a government website. Applying for a passport or visa is done with your government; we only prepare the photo.
Frequently asked questions
