US passport photo requirements in 2026

Updated US passport photo rules: 2×2 inch size, white background, glasses policy, digital limits, and DS-160 overlap. Sourced from travel.state.gov.

US passport spec page Free compliance check

Core dimensions

51×51 mm (2×2 inches) square. Head height 50–69% of image height. Eyes 56–69% from bottom. White or off-white background. Last verified against travel.state.gov 2026-08-18.

Appearance policy

Neutral expression, both eyes open
No glasses (since 2016 policy for most cases)
No uniforms except daily religious attire
Photo taken within six months

Digital vs print

Online renewal portals accept JPEG uploads with size caps near 240 KB in our catalog. Mailed applications need physical prints on photo paper.

DS-160 overlap

US visa photos share the 2×2 format but submit through a different portal. Always pick the correct document in PicsForm — KB enforcement differs.

Visual examples

Glasses glare in passport photo — Glasses are banned for most US and EU documents

Correct neutral passport expression — Neutral expression — mouth closed, eyes open

Reference spec: US Passport

Pulled from the PicsForm requirements catalog — confirm on the official portal before you submit.

Document: US Passport
Country: United States
Dimensions (mm): 51 × 51
Pixels @ DPI: 600 × 600 @ 300
Head height: 50–69%
Eye line from bottom: 56–69%
Background: white
Official source: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/photos.html
Last verified: 2026-08-18

How PicsForm fits your workflow

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PicsForm matches photos to published requirements. This is not legal or immigration advice and does not guarantee application approval. Always confirm current rules on the official portal.