EN
Open Studio Take photo
Open Studio
Home photo OK

US Passport Photo — at home in 60 seconds

U.S. Passport book / passport card (paper DS-11 / DS-82 and online renewal)

Take it with your phone against a plain, light wall. We crop it to the exact size (2×2 in) and check the head size, position and background against the published rules.

Take my photo Upload a photo

Free to try. From $3.99, paid once, only if you like your photo.

Limited time offer then $6.99 from Jan 1, 2027

Your exact local price is shown before you take your photo. Processed on your device. Never uploaded to our servers.

Example US Passport Photo: a man with a short beard, 2×2 in, white background (fictional AI-generated model)Good
2×2 in · white backgroundExample (AI-generated model)
  • Wrong US Passport Photo: the head is too small in the frame (fictional AI-generated model)Head too small
  • Wrong US Passport Photo: a busy room is visible behind the person instead of a plain white background (fictional AI-generated model)Busy background

Quick answer

A US Passport Photo must be 2 × 2 in (50.8 × 50.8 mm) when printed, or a digital file of 54 KB – 10 MB, JPEG/PNG/HEIC/HEIF, with the head 25–35 mm from chin to top of head, on a white or off-white background, taken within the last 6 months. A photo you take yourself is accepted when it meets these rules.

Printed photo
2 × 2 in (50.8 × 50.8 mm)
Digital file
54 KB – 10 MB · JPEG, PNG, HEIC, HEIF

Verified October 3, 2026 from travel.state.gov (U.S. Department of State).

Photo requirements

Summarised from the official sources below.

Printed photo
2 × 2 in (50.8 × 50.8 mm)
Digital file
54 KB – 10 MB · JPEG, PNG, HEIC, HEIF
Head size (chin to top of head)
25–35 mm (50–69 % of the photo height)
Eye line from the bottom
28–35 mm (56–69 %)
Background
White, off-white. Plain, free of shadows, texture, lines or objects. Blue/grey backgrounds shown as UNACCEPTABLE examples.
Expression
Neutral expression or natural (unexaggerated) smile, mouth closed; online page adds 'avoid showing teeth'; both eyes open, irises visible.
Glasses
Not allowed (only with signed doctor's statement for medical reasons; frames must not cover eyes, no glare)
Head covering
Not allowed unless worn daily for religious or medical reasons (signed statement for paper applications); full face visible, no shadows; one colour, no pattern, no small holes.
Babies and children
Child alone in photo; no other person (parent's hands/face must not be visible); plain white/off-white sheet or covered car seat; infants' eyes may be partly closed; head may be discreetly supported; neutral expression, full face visible.
Photo age
Taken within the last 6 months
Online application
Online passport renewal (adults eligible to renew)
More rules (10)
  • colour photo
  • matte or glossy photo-quality paper; no visible pixels or printer dots
  • no photocopies or scanned photos
  • NO digital changes: no filters, no retouching, no AI — 'We check all photos to ensure you are not using artificial intelligence tools'
  • explicitly UNACCEPTABLE: 'The background is cropped using a photo retouching tool, changing the outline of your head, face, and neck' and a non-white original background 'enhanced or changed using software or AI tools'
  • no red-eye and no red-eye editing
  • no uniforms, uniform-like or camouflage clothing
  • no headphones/wireless devices; jewellery/piercings OK if face not hidden
  • no damage (creases, holes, smudges)
  • online renewal: do not photograph/scan a printed photo; do not send via text message; bottom of frame at edge of shoulders; cropping is done inside the application tool

Print the sheet at 100% (Actual size), never “Fit to page”, on photo paper. Each sheet has a 50 mm ruler so you can check the size.

How to take it at home

  1. Stand about half a metre in front of a plain, light wall, facing a window.
  2. Hold the phone at arm’s length or ask someone to help. The live guide checks distance, light and head position.
  3. Get your digital file and print sheet. Print at 100% or upload the file.

Price

Free to try. From $3.99, paid once, only if you like your photo.

Limited time offer then $6.99 from Jan 1, 2027

Your exact local price is shown before you take your photo.

Photo Acceptance Guarantee — rejected for a technical reason we check? We refund you.

See all prices

Why people choose Ovalight

Made for the moment you need a photo that just works.

  • Money back if it’s rejected Rejected for a technical reason we check? We refund you.
  • Free to try Take and check your photo for free. You pay once, only when you like the result.
  • Your photo stays on your phone Processed on your device. Never uploaded to our servers.
  • Checked against the official rules Every rule comes from the issuing authority’s own website, last verified on October 3, 2026.
  • Free retakes for 24 hours Not happy with it? Retake the same document up to 3 times within 24 hours.
  • Secure payment, no subscription Pay once through Stripe. We never see your card details.

Official sources

Verified on October 3, 2026

Questions

What size is a US Passport Photo?

Printed: 2 × 2 in (50.8 × 50.8 mm). Digital: 54 KB – 10 MB · JPEG, PNG, HEIC, HEIF.

Can I take my US Passport Photo at home?

Yes. The photo is not taken at the office and no registered photographer is required, so a photo you take yourself is accepted when it meets the rules on this page.

What background is required?

White, off-white. Plain, free of shadows, texture, lines or objects. Blue/grey backgrounds shown as UNACCEPTABLE examples.

Can I smile?

Neutral expression or natural (unexaggerated) smile, mouth closed; online page adds 'avoid showing teeth'; both eyes open, irises visible.

Can I wear glasses?

Not allowed (only with signed doctor's statement for medical reasons; frames must not cover eyes, no glare)

Can I wear a head covering?

Not allowed unless worn daily for religious or medical reasons (signed statement for paper applications); full face visible, no shadows; one colour, no pattern, no small holes.

How recent must the photo be?

Taken within the last 6 months.

What about babies and children?

Child alone in photo; no other person (parent's hands/face must not be visible); plain white/off-white sheet or covered car seat; infants' eyes may be partly closed; head may be discreetly supported; neutral expression, full face visible.

Can I print the photo at home?

Yes. Print the sheet at 100% (Actual size) on photo paper, at home or at a pharmacy or kiosk, and check the size with the 50 mm ruler.

More United States documents

Other documents that use 2×2 in

Ovalight is an independent service. Only the authority that issues your document decides whether to accept a photo.