The Definitive 2x2 Inch Standard
The United States Department of State enforces one of the most inflexible passport photo policies globally. Every single photo submitted must be precisely 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm). For digital portals such as the DS-160, the minimum digital size is 600x600 pixels. The distance from the bottom of your chin to the top of your head must fall strictly between 1 and 1 3/8 inches.
Background Color and Lighting
The background must be pristine white or off-white. There can be absolutely no shadows cast behind your head. Ensure you are standing roughly 1 to 2 feet away from the wall to prevent camera flash from creating harsh outlines. Our tool automatically solves this by extracting your silhouette and injecting a pure #FFFFFF backdrop.
The Great Glasses Ban
As of late 2016, you cannot wear glasses in a US passport photo. This rule was implemented due to glare completely disrupting biometric facial recognition terminals at customs. Even if you wear glasses daily, you must take them off for the photograph. The only exception is for documented medical reasons (like recent ocular surgery), which requires a signed doctor's note.
Clothing Rules and Uniforms
You cannot wear uniforms or camouflage. You should wear everyday casual clothing. We highly recommend wearing a color other than white so that your shoulders do not blend entirely into the white background, creating a floating-head effect which could risk a manual rejection.
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