Passport photo requirements (background & rules)
The checklist below is scoped to U.S. passport paper applications. Requirements vary, so verify the current instructions from your own issuing authority before preparing or submitting a photo.
U.S. passport checklist
- Submit one recent, high-resolution color photo.
- Use a plain white or off-white background without shadows.
- Face the camera directly and remove eyeglasses.
- Keep the head and shoulders centered.
- Submit the original, unchanged photo without filters or AI edits.
U.S. paper-photo size
- Printed photo: 2×2 inches (51×51 mm).
- Head height: 1 to 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm).
- Print on matte or glossy photo-quality paper.
Online renewal uses a separate digital-photo workflow. Follow the application route and instructions you are actually using.
U.S. paper-passport checklist items to recheck
- Background not plain or too dark.
- Shadows across the face or behind the head.
- Wrong size or face too small/large in frame.
- Blur, low resolution, or heavy compression.
How to meet the size requirement
- Open the official instructions for your application route.
- Compare size, head position, background, and image-quality rules.
- Use resize only for dimensions; do not alter the person’s appearance.
- Recheck the exported file and the current issuing-authority instructions.
Sources
Each source applies only to the claim described beside its link.
- U.S. Department of State: Passport photos — Supports the U.S. paper-application checklist, including a 2×2 inch photo, centered head sizing, image quality, and the warning against digital changes.Source checked:
Related guides
Workflow
Resize passport photo →Use this when you already know the document rules and need the crop/export steps, so the photo is ready to submit.
Visa / ID
Resize visa / ID photo →Use this when the same person also needs a visa or ID image, so you can switch from passport sizing to another document format.
Converter
PX to CM converter →Use this when the requirement is written in centimeters, so you can check the pixel size before exporting.
Print
Resize in cm/inches →Use this when the form or lab asks for physical measurements, so the output matches the requested paper size.
FAQ
What does this passport checklist cover?
This checklist covers U.S. paper passport applications. Online renewal uses a separate digital-photo application route, and another issuing authority may set different rules.
Quick tip: Reopen the current instructions for the application route and issuing authority you are actually using.
Common mistake: Applying one country or application route’s photo rules to another.
What size is a U.S. paper passport photo?
For a U.S. paper passport application, the printed photo is 2×2 inches (51×51 mm), with the head sized and centered as the Department of State specifies.
Quick tip: Use only the dimensions named by the current authority and application route.
Common mistake: Treating 2×2 inches or 35×45 mm as a universal passport size.
Can I edit or pad a U.S. paper passport photo?
Submit the original, unchanged photo for a U.S. paper passport application. Do not add padding or digitally manufacture a background, margin, or altered outline.
Quick tip: Retake the photo when its background, lighting, or composition does not match the current instructions.
Common mistake: Using software, filters, apps, or AI to make a nonconforming original look acceptable.