US passport photo size
A US passport photo is square: 2 by 2 inches, or 51 by 51 mm, which is 602 pixels each way at 300 DPI.
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An online renewal also needs the file between 54 KB and 10 MB. Drop a photo here and it comes out at that size, with nothing uploaded anywhere.
What the authority specifies
- Photo size
- 51 mm by 51 mm
- Pixels at 300 DPI
- 602 x 602
- Background
- plain white or off-white
- File size
- 54 KB to 10 MB
- Source
- travel.state.gov
- Source for the digital file requirements
- travel.state.gov
- Read at the source on
Each size on this page was read at the issuing authority's own website, not copied from another converter or from a search result.
The page it came from and the date it was read are printed above, so you can check the same source in one click.
Why this size?
The square shape is what catches people out.
Almost every other country uses a tall rectangle, so a photo cut for a British or Indian application is the wrong shape here, and the State Department says unacceptable photos are the single most common reason an application gets put on hold.
Where the pixel figure comes from
Passport offices publish millimetres, not pixels, because the photograph is printed. Turning millimetres into pixels needs a resolution, and most authorities do not name one.
This one does not, so the pixel figure above is 300 DPI, the resolution print shops work to. The millimetre measurement is the requirement; the pixel figure is our arithmetic on top of it.
The file you download records that resolution in its header, so a print dialog set to actual size uses it instead of guessing at 72 or 96 DPI and printing the photo several times too large.
That matters if you are uploading rather than printing.
An online form usually states its own pixel size or file size limit, and where an authority publishes one this page uses that instead of converting anything.
Check before you submit
Requirements change, and the only version that counts is the one on the authority's own page on the day you apply.
Every size here links to the page it came from and shows the date it was read. If that date looks old, spend a minute at the source before you print anything.
What happens to your photo?
Your selected photo is processed in your browser, without an image upload to a server. The page may download code and codecs needed for editing.
Save your result before closing the tab; unsaved edits are kept in memory rather than in an online account.
Common questions
What size is a US passport photo?
The State Department publishes 2 by 2 inches, which it also gives as 51 by 51 mm. That is a square, unlike most countries.
Your head must measure between 1 and 1 and three eighths inches, or 25 to 35 mm, from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head.
What size is a US passport photo in pixels?
The State Department does not publish a pixel size, so 602 by 602 is this tool's conversion of 51 by 51 mm at 300 DPI.
For an online renewal it publishes a file size instead, between 54 KB and 10 MB, and accepts JPG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF.
My photo is under 54 KB. Will it be rejected?
The online renewal page states 54 KB as a minimum, so yes, a smaller file can be refused before anybody looks at it.
A square photo at this size compresses well and can land under that floor. When it does, this tool raises the quality until the file clears 54 KB, and the meter says which quality it used.
Can I edit or retouch the photo?
No. The State Department asks for the original, unedited photo, with no filters, no retouching and nothing generated or enhanced by artificial intelligence, and states that it checks for this.
Resizing and cropping to the required box are fine, and are what this tool does.
Can I wear glasses in a US passport photo?
No. The State Department says to take off eyeglasses, sunglasses and tinted glasses, and not to rest them on your head.
If you cannot remove them for a medical reason, include a signed note from your doctor with the application.
Can I smile in the photo?
Yes. The State Department allows a smile as long as your eyes are open and your mouth is closed. It asks you to avoid exaggerated expressions.
A neutral face with both eyes open is the safest choice.
How recent does the photo need to be?
It must have been taken in the last 6 months. An older photo can be refused even if it meets every other rule, so do not reuse the one from your last passport.
What background does it need?
Plain white or off-white, with no shadows, texture, lines or objects behind you.
The advice on the State Department's own page is to stand several feet away from a white wall, or to cover a coloured wall with a white sheet or blanket.
Can I use this size for a US visa application?
For the DS-160 upload, no. A visa upload is measured in pixels, 600 to 1200 square, with a 240 kB ceiling, which is a different file from this one.
The US visa photo page opens the tool at that size. An immigrant visa on the DS-260 does use this 2 by 2 inch print.
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