How the tool sizes your photo
You line up three guides with your face: the top of your hair, your eyes and your chin. The tool measures them as a share of the 2-inch square and compares them with the State Department's rules. "Fit head to the rules" then zooms and moves the photo so the head fills 60% of the height and the eyes sit 62.5% up, the middle of both allowed ranges.
Head size = (chin line − top of hair) ÷ photo height, allowed 50–69%
Eye height = distance from bottom edge ÷ photo height, allowed 56–69%
Size on paper = share × 2 in. Digital file: 2 in × 300 DPI = 600 × 600 px
Worked example
In a phone photo 3,000 px wide, your hair starts at row 1,000, your eyes are at row 1,450 and your chin is at row 2,200. The head is 1,200 px tall, so the crop square needs to be 1,200 ÷ 0.60 = 2,000 px. To put the eyes 62.5% up, the square starts 0.375 × 2,000 = 750 px above the eyes, at row 700. Scaled to 600 px, the head is 360 px, or 1.2 inches on a 2-inch print, inside the 1 to 1 3/8 inch rule.
The official measurements
| Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Photo size | 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) |
| Head, chin to top of hair | 1 to 1 3/8 in (25–35 mm), 50–69% of height |
| Eye height from the bottom | 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 in (28–35 mm), 56–69% of height |
| Visa and DV lottery digital file | Square JPEG, 600 to 1,200 px, 240 kB or less, compression no more than 20:1 |
| Online passport renewal file | JPG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF, 54 KB to 10 MB, original photo, cropped in the application |
| Age of photo | Taken in the last 6 months |
Sources: Passport Photos, Photo Composition Template, Digital Image Requirements and Uploading a Digital Photo, all on travel.state.gov, checked October 2026.
Which file to use
Paper application (DS-11 or DS-82 by mail): print the 4×6 sheet and cut out one photo. Visa (DS-160) or DV lottery: use the 600×600 digital file. The tool keeps it at or under 240 kB by lowering JPEG quality step by step, and warns you if it ends up under 54 KB, which would mean more than the 20:1 compression the digital rules allow. Online passport renewal: the State Department asks for the original, unedited photo and has you crop it in the application, so upload your camera file there and use this tool only to check your framing.
Photo checklist
- Color photo taken in the last 6 months.
- Plain white or off-white background with no shadows, texture or objects.
- Face the camera directly, head not tilted, head and shoulders centered.
- Neutral expression or a natural smile with your mouth closed, both eyes open.
- No glasses of any kind, unless a signed doctor's note explains why you can't remove them.
- No hat or head covering, except for religious or medical reasons with a signed statement; your full face must show.
- No uniform, camouflage, headphones or wireless earpieces. Jewelry is fine if it doesn't hide your face.
- Even lighting, not too bright or too dark, no red eye, sharp focus, no filters or edits.
Infant and newborn passport photos
Babies need their own passport and photo, and the same size rules apply. The State Department suggests laying your baby on their back on a plain white or off-white sheet, or covering a car seat with the sheet and taking the photo there. Shoot from directly above and check there are no shadows on the face. No other person, hand or pacifier can be in the photo, and the child should face the camera with a neutral expression. It is fine if a baby's eyes are not entirely open; older children must have their eyes open (passport guidance, visa guidance).
What this tool does not do
It crops, rotates and resizes. It does not remove or whiten backgrounds, fix lighting or retouch faces, because the State Department rejects photos that have been digitally altered. It cannot see whether you followed the checklist, so it cannot promise your photo will be accepted. Measure your printed photo with a ruler: it should be exactly 2 inches wide.
Questions people ask
What size is a US passport photo?
2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm). The head, measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the hair, must be 1 to 1 3/8 inches, which is 50% to 69% of the photo height. The eyes should be 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 inches up from the bottom edge (56% to 69%).
Can I renew my passport online with a photo from this tool?
For online renewal, the State Department asks for the original, unedited photo and lets you crop it inside the application. It accepts JPG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF files between 54 KB and 10 MB. Upload the photo straight from your camera rather than a pre-cropped file, and use this tool to check the framing first.
Can I take my own passport photo with a phone?
Yes. Stand several feet from a plain white or off-white wall, have someone else take the photo at eye level, use even light from the front, and keep your head and shoulders in the frame. A white sheet over a door works if your wall is not white.
How do I print a passport photo at Walgreens, CVS or Costco?
Download the 4×6 print sheet and order it as a standard 4×6 print. Two 2×2 photos come out side by side with cut marks. Ask for no cropping or borderless enlargement, then check with a ruler that each photo measures exactly 2 inches before you cut.
Can I smile in a passport photo?
The State Department allows a natural smile with your mouth closed, but the expression must not be exaggerated and both eyes must be open. Its online renewal guidance says to avoid showing teeth. A neutral expression is the safest choice.
Does this tool guarantee my photo will be accepted?
No. It crops and sizes the photo to the official dimensions, but it cannot judge your lighting, background, focus or expression, and it does not remove backgrounds. A State Department employee makes the final decision on every photo.