U.S. visa photo
Upload a photo you took at home. We crop it to 2 × 2 in and 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
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 printed photo (2 × 2 in at 300 DPI) and a 4 × 6 in print sheet. 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
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: U.S. visa 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: “Photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance in any way.” 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), the printed photo (2 × 2 in at 300 DPI) and a 4 × 6 in print sheet. 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.
Which file do I need?
For the DS-160 online application, upload the digital photo. Immigrant visa applicants bring two identical printed 2 × 2 in photos, and some embassies ask other applicants for one: print the 2 × 2 in photo.
How do I print it?
Print the 4 × 6 in sheet at a photo lab or kiosk, on matte or glossy photo-quality paper, at actual size (100%, not “fit to page”), then cut along the lines.
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
Printed photo
| Width | 50.8 mm |
|---|---|
| Height | 50.8 mm |
| Head height | 25.4–34.925 mm |
| Top of head | top of the hair |
| Head width | not stated |
| Head width measured across | not applicable |
| Eye line from bottom | 28.575–34.925 mm |
| Top margin | not stated |
| Bottom margin | not stated |
| Background | White or off-white, free of shadows, and plain without texture, objects, or lines. |
| Cropping | allowed |
| Background replacement | forbidden |
Digital photo
| Width | 600 px |
|---|---|
| Height | 600 px |
| Head height | 300–414 px |
| Top of head | top of the hair |
| Head width | not stated |
| Head width measured across | not applicable |
| Eye line from bottom | 336–414 px |
| Top margin | not stated |
| Bottom margin | not stated |
| File format | JPEG |
| Minimum file size | 53 KB |
| Maximum file size | 240 KB |
| Cropping | allowed |
| Background replacement | forbidden |
Rules
- In color, taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance.
- Full-face view directly facing the camera, neutral facial expression, both eyes open.
- Plain white or off-white background.
- Eyeglasses are no longer allowed in new visa photos, except in rare circumstances when they cannot be removed for medical reasons (a signed medical statement is required).
- No hat or head covering that obscures the hair or hairline, unless worn daily for a religious purpose; it must not cast shadows on the face.
- No uniforms, except religious clothing worn daily. No headphones or wireless hands-free devices.
- Photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance in any way.
- The image must be in color (24 bits per pixel) in sRGB color space (digital).
- The compression ratio should be less than or equal to 20:1 (digital).
- Snapshots, magazine photos, low quality vending machine or mobile phone photos, and full-length photographs are not acceptable.
- Immigrant visa (DS-260) applicants bring two identical 2 x 2 in photos printed on photo quality paper; some embassies ask nonimmigrant applicants for one.
Sources
- https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos.html
- https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/photos/digital-image-requirements.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.