Understanding Official Requirements for U.S. Passport Photos

Your comprehensive guide to passport photo requirements and exceptions. Learn about dimensions, posture, expressions, and more for approval.

Comprehensive Passport Photo Guidelines and Requirements

Identifying the Applicant

A passport photo serves to identify the applicant of a document. Therefore, when applying for a travel document, you must submit a color passport photo that provides a good likeness of yourself.

To be approved, the passport photo must meet all the requirements, unless there are applicable exceptions.

These requirements are based on the official government regulations of United States. Our website checks whether your photo meets the requirements for you.

For example, the photo must be of the correct size, be sharp and have good contrast and colors, have an even one-colored background, and show your face clearly without any shadows, accessories or headgear that might obscure it.

The requirements for a high-quality passport photo include:

There are exceptions for:

When taking passport photos, special attention must be given to:

How to Take a Good Photo

Camera at Eye Level. Arm's Length Distance.

Stand Upright. Head Straight.

Face Evenly Lit. Neutral expression.

No Selfie.

Head Not Tilted.

No Shadows on Face.

🇺🇸
Take Photo
Uploading Photo

Don't Have Time Now?

Leave your email so that we can send you a discount coupon to continue later.

Oops! Usage Limit Reached

To maintain fair use of our service, we’ve set a limit of checks per user.

For photographers and other businesses with higher volume needs, please contact us about extended access options at hi@rostro.io.

Thank you for your understanding!