United States Passport Photo Maker
A U.S. passport photo is 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm) square — a size unique among the major passport-issuing countries. For digital DS-160 visa uploads the same photo must be 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 pixels in JPEG. Our free tool produces both from a single photo, all in your browser.
Drag & drop a file here, or click to choose
Official U.S. passport photo requirements
U.S. passports are issued by the Department of State, and applications are filed on Form DS-11 at passport acceptance facilities or by mail, while visa applicants use the online DS-160. Unlike almost every other country, the U.S. uses a 2 × 2 inch square photo rather than the 35 × 45 mm rectangle.
The background must be plain white or off-white with no shadows, and your head should measure 1 to 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm) from chin to the top of the head. Glasses are no longer permitted. One point of flexibility: the State Department allows a natural smile, which most countries requiring a strictly neutral face do not.
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Photo size | 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm), square |
| Digital size (px @ 300 DPI) | 600 × 600 px minimum, up to 1200 × 1200 px (JPEG, sRGB, DS-160) |
| Background | Plain white or off-white, no shadows |
| Head height | 1 to 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm) from chin to top of head |
| Recency | Taken within the last 6 months |
| Glasses | Not permitted (removed from current State Department rules) |
| Expression | Natural expression or a natural smile is allowed |
Getting the digital size right for online applications
For DS-160 and Diversity Visa uploads, the file must be a square JPEG of at least 600 × 600 pixels (up to 1200 × 1200), encoded in the sRGB color space — Adobe RGB or Display P3 files are auto-rejected by the validator, and the file is usually kept under 240 KB. Because a passport image is sensitive personal data, our tool crops and compresses it locally; your photo is never sent to any server.
How to use United States Passport Photo
- 1Drop a well-lit, front-facing photo into the box above (JPG, PNG or WebP).
- 2The official United States size (2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) → 600 × 600px at 300 DPI) is pre-loaded — your photo is scaled and center-cropped, never stretched.
- 3Check the result against the official requirements table below, then download.
Frequently asked questions
Can I smile in a U.S. passport photo?
Yes. The State Department allows a natural expression or a natural smile, which is unusual — most countries require a strictly neutral face.
Why is the U.S. photo square instead of 35 × 45 mm?
The U.S. standardized on a 2 × 2 inch square, unlike most countries that follow the ICAO 35 × 45 mm rectangle. The same square works for both passports and DS-160 visas.
Are glasses allowed in a U.S. passport photo?
No. Glasses are no longer permitted under current State Department guidance, except in rare documented medical cases.