Passport photo guide
U.S. Passport Photo Requirements: Size, Smile & Rules
A practical guide to the current State Department rules for printed and digital U.S. passport photos.
U.S. passport photo requirements at a glance
- Photo size
- 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm)
- Head size
- 1–1⅜ inches (25–35 mm), chin to top of head
- Age
- Taken within the last 6 months
- Color
- A clear color photo
- Pose
- Face the camera directly with eyes open
- Background
- Plain white or off-white
Size and head position
A printed photo must be exactly 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm). From the bottom of your chin to the top of your head, the measurement must be 1 to 1⅜ inches (25 to 35 mm). Center your head, show it fully, and look directly into the camera.
Hair may extend toward the edge of the photo as long as the full head remains visible and the required head measurement is correct. Before printing, use the Image Size Calculator to translate inches or millimeters into pixels at your printer’s PPI.
Expression, ears, hair, and bangs
Can you smile?
Yes—a natural smile is acceptable when your mouth is closed and both eyes are open. A neutral expression also works. Avoid a wide smile, open mouth, or exaggerated expression.
Do your ears need to show?
No. The published passport rules do not require both ears to be visible. What matters is that your full face is clear and you face the camera directly.
Can bangs cover your eyebrows?
The rules do not specifically require visible eyebrows. However, hair must not cover your eyes or obscure any part of your face. Move long bangs if they create shadows or hide an eye.
Glasses, hats, clothing, and accessories
Remove eyeglasses, sunglasses, and tinted glasses. A rare medical exception requires a signed statement from a medical professional. Hats and head coverings are generally not allowed; religious or medical exceptions require a signed statement, and the covering cannot hide your face or cast shadows.
Do not wear a uniform, uniform-like clothing, or camouflage. Everyday clothing is appropriate. Jewelry and facial piercings are allowed when they do not hide your face.
Background and lighting
Use a plain white or off-white background without patterns, visible objects, textures, or shadows. Light your face evenly from the front. Avoid harsh side lighting, overexposure, underexposure, red-eye, and background shadows.
Printed photo vs. online renewal upload
The online tool checks basic technical requirements, but passing that check does not guarantee acceptance. A passport employee still reviews the photo.
Do not digitally alter your appearance
Do not use retouching, beauty filters, background replacement, generative AI, or editing tools to change facial features, skin texture, hair, the outline of your head, or the background. Cropping and resizing are appropriate only when the original photo itself remains unchanged.
Frequently asked questions
A printed U.S. passport photo must be 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm). The head must measure 1 to 1⅜ inches (25 to 35 mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head.
A natural smile is acceptable if your mouth is closed and both eyes remain open. Avoid exaggerated expressions or a wide, open-mouth smile.
No. The published U.S. passport photo requirements do not say that both ears must be visible. Your full face must be clearly visible and you must face the camera directly.
The rules do not specifically require visible eyebrows, but hair must not cover your eyes or obscure your face. Keep your eyes open, visible, and free from shadows.
Generally, no. Remove eyeglasses, sunglasses, and tinted glasses. A rare medical exception requires a signed statement from a medical professional.
Hats and head coverings are generally not allowed. Religious or medical exceptions require a signed statement, and the covering must not hide your face or cast shadows.
Use a plain white or off-white background with no objects, patterns, textures, or shadows. Lighting should be even and the image should not be overexposed or underexposed.
Do not use software, apps, filters, or AI to change your appearance, remove or add facial features, alter the outline of your head, or replace the background. Basic cropping and positioning are acceptable when they do not alter the image itself.
The State Department currently accepts JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC, and HEIF files between 54 KB and 10 MB for online renewal. The photo tool performs basic checks, but a passport employee still reviews the image.
Official sources
This guide summarizes the U.S. Department of State’s current instructions. For authoritative details and updates, visit: