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Verified requirements

US Passport Photo Requirements 2026

The core rule is a 2 x 2 inch photo with a plain white or off-white background, correct head size, current appearance, and no glasses except documented medical cases. Use the Truth Lens below to see which rules are official, path-specific, uncertain, or checker-verifiable.

Last checked across listed sources: 2026-04-15

8 accepted rules
3 official silence
3 source entries
5 path notes

US Passport Photo

7 related tasks

Key requirements

Photo Size
2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm)travel.state.gov
Background Color
Plain white or off-white background without shadows, texture, or linestravel.state.gov
Photo Recency
Taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearancetravel.state.gov
Glasses
Glasses are NOT allowed unless you have a signed medical statement that you cannot remove themtravel.state.gov
Facial Expression
Neutral expression or natural smile with both eyes open, mouth closed or naturaltravel.state.gov
Head Size
Head between 1 inch and 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm) from bottom of chin to top of headtravel.state.gov

Submission path differences

  • Online renewals accept JPG, PNG, HEIC, and HEIF files (54 KB–10 MB). Paper applications require a printed 2×2 inch photo.
  • Online renewals allow a "natural smile." Paper applications traditionally require a neutral expression, though the State Department now accepts a natural smile for both.
  • Paper applications: staple or glue one printed photo. Online renewals: upload digital file through the State Department portal.

Requirement details

Photo Size
2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm)travel.state.gov
Background Color
Plain white or off-white background without shadows, texture, or linestravel.state.gov
Photo Recency
Taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearancetravel.state.gov
Glasses
Glasses are NOT allowed unless you have a signed medical statement that you cannot remove themtravel.state.gov
Facial Expression
Neutral expression or natural smile with both eyes open, mouth closed or naturaltravel.state.gov
Head Size
Head between 1 inch and 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm) from bottom of chin to top of headtravel.state.gov
Head Coverings
Not allowed unless worn daily for religious purposes — requires signed statementReligious headwear is permitted with a signed statement affirming it is part of recognized, traditional religious attire worn continuously in public.
Digital Photo File
JPG, PNG, HEIC, or HEIF format. 600×600 to 1200×1200 pixels. 54 KB to 10 MB.travel.state.gov
Digital Alteration
Photos must not be digitally altered to change your appearance in any waytravel.state.gov
Full Face Visible
Photo must show full face from hairline to chin, both edges of face clearly visibletravel.state.gov

Choose your application path

Online Application

Submit a digital photo through the State Department website.

  • File Format: JPG, PNG, HEIC, or HEIF
  • Resolution: 600×600 to 1200×1200 pixels
  • File Size: 54 KB to 10 MB

Paper Application (DS-11/DS-82)

Submit a printed photo with your mail-in or in-person application.

  • Print Size: 2 × 2 inches on photo-quality paper
  • Paper Finish: Matte or glossy finish accepted
  • Quantity: One (1) photo required

Passport Agency (Expedited)

In-person at a regional passport agency for urgent travel.

  • Photo Requirements: Same as paper application
  • On-site Photo: Some agencies offer on-site photo services ($15) Not all agencies offer this — confirm availability when scheduling

Choose the path that matches the actual submission channel before checking or exporting a photo. PixPass keeps the selected path attached to the checker, but it cannot replace official review.

Visual examples

Do and do-not guidance

Centered face silhouette inside a square white photo with head-size guide marks.

DoCorrect frame

Use a centered 2 x 2 inch frame

The head is centered and sized inside a square passport photo frame.

Fix: Crop to a square 2 x 2 inch output and keep the face straight to camera.

Rule evidence: us-pp-head-size

PixPass action: Auto-crop and head-size measurement

Clean light background with no wall texture, objects, or visible shadows.

DoPlain background

Keep the background plain and bright

A white or off-white background with even lighting is acceptable for U.S. passport photos.

Fix: Stand away from the wall and use even front lighting.

Rule evidence: us-pp-bg

PixPass action: Background replacement and shadow detection

path check

Two submission paths side by side: printed photo and uploaded digital file.

WatchPath-specific

Online renewal and paper photos have different checks

Paper applications care about print size and attachment. Online renewal adds file type, file size, and pixel dimensions.

Fix: Choose the application path before judging file and print requirements.

Rule evidence: us-pp-digital

PixPass action: File-size and format validation for digital uploads

Use these examples as visual guidance. Official rule text and the selected submission path remain the source of truth for final acceptance.

What is still unclear

These fields should stay out of release-critical claims until an official source, channel rule, or reviewer decision resolves them.

Photo border/margin

The State Department does not specify required margins or borders around the photo. Most accepted photos have minimal white border, but no official rule exists.

official silence

Exact background shade

"White or off-white" is specified but no hex value, RGB range, or acceptable deviation is published. Some automated checkers reject slightly gray backgrounds that would pass human review.

official silence

Hair covering ears/forehead

No explicit rule about ears being visible. Post office staff sometimes require ears showing, but the published requirement only says "full face visible." This causes confusion and inconsistent guidance.

conflicting sources

Acceptable photo editing

"No digital alteration" is the rule, but the boundary between "adjustment" (brightness, crop) and "alteration" (filter, retouch) is not officially defined. Background replacement for white compliance is a gray area.

official silence

Why we believe this

highVerified 2026-04-15

Glasses Policy

The U.S. Department of State banned glasses in passport photos effective November 1, 2016. This applies to all types of glasses including prescription glasses, sunglasses, and tinted lenses. The only exception is for applicants who cannot remove glasses for medical reasons, which requires a signed medical statement.

Evidence sources

  • travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/photos.html
  • Federal Register Vol. 81, No. 169
highVerified 2026-04-15

Photo Size (2×2 inches)

The 2×2 inch requirement has been consistent in US passport photo regulations for over two decades. Both printed and digital submissions must conform to this dimension.

Evidence sources

  • travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/photos.html
highVerified 2026-04-15

Head Height Ratio

The head (measured from chin bottom to crown top) must measure between 1 inch and 1⅜ inches. This is the most common technical reason for rejection.

Evidence sources

  • travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/photos.html

Sources

Evidence posture

Official rule basis
Hard requirements, file constraints, and no-alteration boundaries trace to travel.state.gov and related official references.
Community signal role
Community examples are used to prioritize pain points and conflict decisions, not to override official rules.
Freshness
Fixture source ledger last checked in 2026 for the current Ops page-system reference implementation.
Release boundary
Pages using ambiguity, channel, provider, or rejection modules must show decision artifacts and channel scope before release.

Last checked across listed sources: 2026-04-15