U.S. Department of State passport photo guidelines.
The United States Department of State, through the Bureau of Consular Affairs, sets and enforces every U.S. passport photo requirement under 22 CFR § 51.26. The same specification applies to passport books, passport cards, online passport renewals, U.S. visa applications (DS-160), Diversity Visa entries, and USCIS Green Card / Form I-485 photographs. One rule set covers them all.
Photos that miss even a single rule are rejected at intake, and a rejection typically delays processing by several weeks. Since 2024, the State Department has used automated biometric pre-screening that enforces these requirements strictly and consistently before a photo reaches a human reviewer.
The headline rules cover a 2 × 2 inch square photo, a plain white or off-white background, a neutral expression, and a head sized between 1 and 1⅜ inches from chin to crown. A longer list of constraints follows below, covering eyewear, headwear, hair, jewelry, cosmetics, and clothing.
Every U.S. passport photo rule.
Grouped by topic, these are the rules the State Department enforces, and the ones our validator runs against your photo before you pay.
Expression & pose
- Facing the cameraFull face, front view, directly facing the camera. No profile shots, over-the-shoulder poses, or visible head tilts. The State Department publishes no numeric yaw, pitch, or roll tolerance, but expects strict frontal alignment.
- ExpressionNeutral expression or a subtle closed-mouth smile. The State Department requires the mouth to remain closed with no teeth visible. Wide smiles, open mouths, and laughing poses are rejected.
- EyesBoth eyes must be open and looking directly at the camera. Infants are the only exception (see the infant section below).
- ShouldersShoulders square to the camera and at roughly even height. Body should not be rotated or turned to one side.
Eyewear & lenses
- EyeglassesProhibited as of November 1, 2016, and still the most-cited cause of passport-photo rejection. A medical exception applies only with a signed statement from a licensed medical professional; even then, frames may not cover the eyes and there must be no glare or shadow on the eyes.
- Sunglasses & tinted lensesAlways prohibited, with no exceptions.
- Clear corrective contact lensesPermitted.
- Cosmetic or colored contact lensesProhibited if they alter the apparent natural color of your eyes.
Hair & facial hair
- Hair across the faceHair must not cover the eyes, eyebrows, or any part of the facial oval, including stray strands across the cheek, jawline, or chin.
- Bangs / fringesPermitted as long as they sit above the eyebrows and do not cover the eyes.
- Tying hair backNot required, long hair may be worn down as long as it stays beside or behind the face without crossing the side oval.
- Wigs & hairpiecesPermitted if worn as part of your normal daily appearance and not obscuring any facial feature.
- Facial hairBeards, moustaches, and stubble are fine if they are part of your normal appearance. Heavily styled facial hair that hides the lip line, jawline, or chin shape, or that casts strong shadows on the face, is grounds for rejection.
Headwear
- Default ruleHats, caps, beanies, headbands, and other secular head coverings are not permitted.
- Religious exceptionAllowed with a signed statement that the item is worn daily for religious reasons. The face must remain fully visible from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead, with no shadow on the face.
- Medical exceptionAllowed with a signed doctor’s statement. Same visibility and shadow rules apply.
- Color & pattern (when an exception applies)The head covering must be one solid color, with no patterns, prints, or perforations.
Jewelry, piercings & accessories
- Earrings, necklaces & facial piercingsPermitted as long as they do not hide any part of the face or cast shadows on it.
- Headphones, earbuds & wireless earpiecesProhibited entirely. Remove them before taking the photo.
- Large hair accessoriesBows, scrunchies, large clips, and bands that stand off the head or distract from the face are not allowed.
- Facial & neck tattoosAcceptable as part of your normal appearance and need not be covered.
Cosmetics
- Everyday makeupPermitted as long as it represents your normal appearance.
- Heavy contouring & makeupProhibited if it visibly changes the apparent shape or structure of your face.
- False eyelashesPermitted if part of your daily appearance and not obscuring the eyes.
Clothing
- Everyday attireNormal daily clothing is required. It should contrast with the white or off-white background.
- Uniforms & camouflageStrictly prohibited, including active-duty military applying off-duty. Patches, badges, rank insignia, and uniform silhouettes all disqualify the photo.
- Religious clothingPermitted if it is worn as part of your daily appearance.
Dimensions, resolution & background.
Head position & camera distance.
- The head must be centered horizontally in the frame, with a small symmetrical margin on each side.
- Head height, measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head (including hair), must be between 1 inch and 1⅜ inches (25 – 35 mm). That is roughly 50 – 69% of the photo height.
- Eyes must sit between 1⅛ inches and 1⅜ inches (28.6 – 34.9 mm) from the bottom of the photo, roughly 56 – 69% of the photo height.
- Shoulders must be square to the camera and both visible. No three-quarter angles or rotated torso.
- The full face, from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head, must be inside the frame with proper top margin, heads cropped at the top, sides, or chin fail intake.
How recent the photo must be.
Your passport photo must have been taken within the last six months. A new photo is required sooner than that whenever your appearance has changed in a way that makes the old photo no longer recognizable.
You need a new photo if you’ve had…
- Facial surgery or a major change to facial structure
- A significant gain or loss of weight that visibly changes your face
- Large facial tattoos or piercings added or removed
- A gender transition that has changed your appearance
You do not need a new photo just because of…
- A new hair color
- Growing or removing a beard or moustache
- Ordinary, minor aging
- A new hairstyle that still leaves the face fully visible
Photos for infants and young children.
The State Department relaxes a few rules for infants who cannot sit or stand independently. There is no published month-based age cutoff, the carve-out applies by behavioral capability. Every other rule (size, background, head height, no other people in frame) still applies in full.
Infants who cannot sit or stand on their own
- EyesNeed not be fully open. Sleeping infants are explicitly accepted by the State Department’s passport-photo page.
- ExpressionThe neutral-expression rule is waived for infants. Mouth slightly open is fine.
- PoseThe infant must still face the camera directly, with the full face in view. Strict frontal alignment is expected even though expression is relaxed.
- Capture setupLay the infant on a plain white or off-white sheet, or cover a car seat with one and photograph from directly above.
- No one else in frameParents, siblings, or supporting hands must not be visible, not even fingertips holding the child steady.
- No propsPacifiers, bottles, toys, and any other object near the face must be removed from the frame before taking the photo.
As easy as snap, upload, done.
You take a quick picture. We do the spec work and tell you immediately if anything needs a retake.
Free to check. You only pay when you keep it.
Print & paper standards.
If you submit a printed photo with a paper application, the print itself has to meet acceptance-facility standards in addition to the rules above.
- Photo-quality paper, matte or glossy finish, either is acceptable.
- Inkjet and dye-sublimation printing are both accepted.
- No visible pixels, banding, dithering, or other printer artifacts.
- The print must be undamaged: no creases, holes, smudges, staples, or pinholes.
- Do not write on the front or back of the photo unless the acceptance facility specifically instructs you to.
- Only one photo is required for DS-11 / DS-82 applications; some overseas posts request two.