U.S. passport photo for online renewal
Upload a photo you took at home. We crop it to 600 × 600 px and check it against the State Department's rules, and you see the result and a watermarked preview for free.
$7.99, all files included. You pay only if your photo passes every check.
Make your photo
The online renewal photo rules
When you renew a U.S. passport online, you upload a digital photo. The State Department's photo upload page asks for:
- a JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF file,
- between 54 KB and 10 MB,
- a photo that isn't edited or filtered (“If your photo is edited or filtered, we will not accept it.”), with the bottom of the frame at the edge of your shoulders.
You can upload a JPEG or PNG here. You get a 600 × 600 px JPEG between 54 KB and 10 MB, cropped and checked against the same photo rules as a printed passport photo. The renewal application also lets you reposition or crop the photo yourself.
How it works
- Take a photo and upload it. Stand in front of a plain white or off-white wall, in bright, even light, and look straight at the camera.
- We crop it and check it. We crop your photo to the official size and head position and run every check below. You see the results and a watermarked preview, free.
- Pay only if it passes. If your photo passes every check, $7.99 unlocks all its files: the digital photo (600 × 600 px JPEG). The files stay available for 7 days.
We crop and check your photo. We never edit it. We don't whiten, retouch or replace the background, because the State Department rejects edited photos. Take your photo in front of a plain white or off-white wall; if the background isn't right, the check tells you, so you can take another.
What we check
- Size and position: the head height and the eye height, measured against the official rules (listed below), and that your whole head is in the photo.
- Pose: your head is level and faces the camera, with your chin neither raised nor lowered.
- Expression: both eyes open and the mouth closed.
- Quality: the photo is sharp, and your face is bright and evenly lit, without a strong shadow on one side.
- Background: plain, and white or off-white without a color cast.
- Resolution: your face is large enough in the photo to make the files without enlarging it too much.
- The digital file: its format, its exact size in pixels, and a file size within the limits.
Some rules can't be checked from the photo, so they're up to you: it must be taken in the last 6 months, without glasses (you confirm this when you upload), without a hat or head covering unless worn for religious or medical reasons, and without a uniform or headphones.
Questions
Can I use this photo to renew my passport online?
Yes: upload the digital photo in the online renewal application. We can't promise it will be accepted (see below), but it's made to the online renewal file rules and the passport photo rules.
Do I need a printed photo for an online renewal?
No, an online renewal takes the digital photo, so this page gives you the digital file only. For a paper application, make a U.S. passport photo instead: it includes the 2 × 2 in print.
What file types does the online renewal accept?
JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF, between 54 KB and 10 MB. Our file is a JPEG within that range.
Will my photo be accepted?
We can't promise that. The State Department, or the agent or consular officer who reviews your application, makes that decision. Our checks cover the size and position rules and the common photo problems listed above, but not every rule. Read the official requirements on travel.state.gov: online renewal photo upload rules and passport photo requirements. If your photo is rejected, you can get a full refund (see below).
Do you change the background?
No. We crop and resize your photo, and that's all. We never edit, whiten or replace the background, because the State Department rejects edited photos: “Do not change your photo using computer software, phone apps or filters.” If your background isn't plain white or off-white, the check fails and tells you why, so you can take another photo.
Is cropping allowed?
Yes. The State Department's own photo tool crops photos to a 600 × 600 pixel square, and the online passport renewal lets you reposition or crop your photo.
What do I get for $7.99?
All the files of your photo: the digital photo (600 × 600 px JPEG). It's one payment for one photo, with no subscription. Your files stay available for 7 days after you pay.
When do I pay?
Only once your photo passes every check. Uploading, the checks and the watermarked preview are free. You pay by card through Stripe; we never see your card details.
Can I wear glasses?
No. Glasses aren't allowed in new U.S. passport and visa photos, except when you can't remove them for medical reasons, with a signed statement from your doctor. We can't detect glasses, so the upload form asks you to confirm you aren't wearing any.
What happens to my photo?
We delete the photo you upload as soon as it has been checked, usually within seconds. The files we make from it are deleted 24 hours after the upload, or 7 days after your payment if you buy them. See the privacy policy.
What if my photo is rejected?
Not happy, or your photo was rejected? Email support@passportphotopal.com within 30 days of purchase for a full refund. See the refund policy.
The official requirements
Digital photo
| Width | 600 px |
|---|---|
| Height | 600 px |
| Head height | 300–412 px |
| Top of head | top of the hair |
| Head width | not stated |
| Head width measured across | not applicable |
| Eye line from bottom | 338–412 px |
| Top margin | not stated |
| Bottom margin | not stated |
| Hair past the top edge | allowed; head height is then measured to the estimated top of the skull |
| File format | JPEG |
| Minimum file size | 54 KB |
| Maximum file size | 10000 KB |
| Cropping | allowed |
| Background replacement | forbidden |
Rules
- Submit 1 color photo taken in the last 6 months.
- Directly face the camera without tilting your head; head and shoulders centered.
- Neutral expression, both eyes open and visible, and mouth closed. You can smile.
- Take off any eyeglasses, sunglasses, or tinted glasses. Do not rest them on your head. If you cannot remove them for medical reasons, include a signed note from your doctor.
- Take off your hat or head covering, unless worn daily for religious purposes or for medical purposes (a signed statement is required).
- No uniform, clothing that looks like a uniform, or camouflage clothing. No headphones or wireless hands-free devices.
- Background must be white or off-white, free of shadows, and plain without texture, objects, or lines.
- Submit the original, unchanged photo. Do not change your photo using computer software, phone apps or filters.
- No red eye. High resolution, not blurry, grainy, or pixelated.
- Print your photo on matte or glossy photo-quality paper.
- Online renewal: the bottom frame of the photo should be the edge of your shoulders near where they connect to your arms.
- Online renewal: avoid showing teeth.
Sources
- https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/renew-replace/online/upload-digital-photo.html
- https://travel.state.gov/en/passports/apply/help/photos.html
- https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos/photo-composition-template.html
Checked on: 2026-11-14. Verified on: 2026-11-14.