US passport photo requirements (2×2)
This is a short summary of the usual rules for a US passport photo. Rules can change. Always confirm the latest requirements on the official travel.state.gov photo page before you apply. PassPhotoSnap is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the U.S. Department of State.
Size and digital file
- Printed photo: 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm), in color.
- Digital: square JPEG, often at least 600 × 600 pixels (2×2 in at 300 dpi).
- Taken within the last 6 months.
Head, face, and pose
- Head height (chin to top of head, including hair): 1 to 1 ⅜ inches (25–35 mm).
- Face the camera directly; both eyes open; neutral expression or a natural smile.
- No shadows on the face; even front lighting works best.
Background and clothing
- Plain white or off-white background—no patterns, objects, or other people.
- Everyday clothes are fine. Uniforms are usually not allowed (religious clothing is an exception when worn daily).
- Hats or head coverings only for religious or medical reasons, and they must not hide the face.
Glasses and edits
- Glasses are not allowed (since 2016) unless you have a signed medical statement.
- No filters, retouching, or face changes. PassPhotoSnap only crops, scales, rotates slightly, and replaces the background—we never retouch faces.
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