snapfora
Photo toolSizes by countryPhoto guide2026 rule changesPrivacy
On-device · no upload中文
Home/Sizes

United States Passport photo maker

A United States passport photo is 51×51mm (about 600×600px at 300dpi) on a white / off-white background, with the digital file kept under 240KB. Make one right below — locally in your browser, no upload.

2x2 inches, square. Head must fill 50-69% of the frame (25-35mm chin to top of head). Plain white or off-white background, neutral expression, both eyes open, taken within the last 6 months. For the online DV Lottery, the file must be under 240KB.

2x2 inches, square. Head must fill 50-69% of the frame (25-35mm chin to top of head). Plain white or off-white background, neutral expression, both eyes open, taken within the last 6 months. For the online DV Lottery, the file must be under 240KB.

Source: travel.state.gov（U.S. Department of State, Photo Requirements）

The U.S. State Department's 2025 rules ban AI / digital editing of passport photos, and a digital background swap can count as alteration. If your original is already on a clean light background, turn this off and use crop & align only. See the 2026 rules

United States Passport photo specification

Size
51 × 51 mm
Pixels (300dpi)
600 × 600 px
Background
White / off-white
Head height
25–35 mm
Max file size
240 KB

Key requirements

  • 51×51mm, output 600×600px at 300dpi
  • White / off-white background, clean and shadow-free
  • Face the camera, neutral expression, both eyes open
  • Keep the digital file under 240KB

Official source: travel.state.gov（U.S. Department of State, Photo Requirements）

How the U.S. passport photo process works

A U.S. passport photo is 2×2 inches (51×51 mm) with your head between 1 and 1‑⅜ inches (25–35 mm) from chin to crown, on a plain white or off-white background. You may submit it digitally through Form DS-11 online tools or hand a printed copy to an acceptance facility such as a post office or library. Since late 2025 the State Department treats the photo as a biometric record: it must be a true, unedited likeness taken within the last six months. The safest path is a well-lit, front-facing photo against a real white wall, cropped and sized — not retouched — to the 2×2 spec. Snapfora crops and sizes locally and flags head height and tilt so you can shoot again before you submit, rather than after a rejection letter.

Printing a U.S. passport photo locally

If you want a physical print, lay your 2×2 photo onto a 4×6 sheet (Snapfora tiles six per sheet with cut lines) and order 4×6 prints at CVS, Walgreens, Costco, or Walmart for roughly a dollar — far less than the $15–17 in-store passport-photo service. Take the file on a USB stick or print at the kiosk, then trim along the cut lines. For a fully digital DS-11 submission you don't need a print at all; just upload the JPEG.

Why U.S. passport photos get rejected

  • Head too small or too large — the chin-to-crown height falls outside the 25–35 mm window.
  • Shadows on the face or behind the head from a single side light or standing too close to the wall.
  • A background that isn't truly white — cream walls, gradients, or visible texture all read as 'not plain white.'
  • Glasses (banned since 2016 except with a signed medical waiver), hats, or anything covering the hairline.
  • Smiling with teeth, squinting, or an angled head instead of a neutral, square-on expression.
  • Digital edits — beauty filters, AI background swaps, or skin smoothing now count as alteration and are refused.

Other United States document specs

VisaGreen Card / DV LotteryPassport Card

FAQ

What size is a United States Passport photo?

51×51mm, about 600×600px at 300dpi, on a white / off-white background. 2x2 inches, square. Head must fill 50-69% of the frame (25-35mm chin to top of head). Plain white or off-white background, neutral expression, both eyes open, taken within the last 6 months. For the online DV Lottery, the file must be under 240KB.

Can I make it at home?

Yes. Upload a front-facing photo above and the tool removes the background, aligns your face, renders the final image and lays out a print sheet — all locally in your browser, with no upload.

Is the photo guaranteed to be accepted?

We build to the published official specs and give you a self-check, but acceptance is decided by the issuing authority — it's not a guarantee. Cross-check against the official source before you submit.

snapfora

Make compliant ID photos in your browser. Your face never leaves your device.

Tools

  • Photo maker
  • Sizes by country
  • Photo guide

Info

  • 2026 rule changes
  • Privacy
  • About

This tool generates photos to each country's published official specifications and offers a compliance self-check. Acceptance is decided solely by the issuing authority — we make no guarantee of acceptance.

© 2026 snapfora. All rights reserved.