PASSPORTNINJAOpen the tool →

US passport photo (2×2) online, free

The State Department wants a 2×2 inch photo, head 1–1⅜ inch tall, plain white background, taken in the last 6 months — the standard us passport photo size, unchanged for years. Upload any decent photo and PassportNinja does the sizing, the head-height check and the white background (free), with a printable 10×15 cm (4×6 in) sheet.

You don't pay to find out if your photo is valid. The compliance check and the printable sheet are both free. No card, no account.

Cropped on this machine, never uploaded to anyone else, wiped within the hour. Need a different country or a bigger print sheet? Open the full tool.

Make my US passport photo →

The official requirements, handled automatically

Requirements last checked: July 2026. Always confirm with the issuing authority.

RequirementRulePassportNinja
Size2×2 in (51×51 mm) · digital 600×600 px min✓ exact, 600 dpi
Head height1–1⅜ in (25–35 mm), chin to crown✓ measured & checked
BackgroundPlain white or off-white✓ replaced automatically
PositionCentered, facing camera, eyes open✓ auto-centered · you check expression
2 in · 51 mm 2 in · 51 mm Head 1–1⅜ in 25–35 mm
The US format is a 2×2 inch (51×51 mm) square (unusual worldwide) with the head 1 to 1⅜ inch (25–35 mm) from chin to crown on a plain white background. The tool sizes and centres this automatically. Passport photo size us is a fixed number. Us passport photo size and us passport dimensions are both fixed at 2×2 inch (51×51 mm), and the tool sizes and centres it for you automatically.
What you still do yourself

A few things this tool doesn't check, since they're not part of the size and background job: us passport photo hair requirements and us passport photo bangs aren't measured — keep hair away from the eyes, but there's no automatic check. The same goes for us passport photo do you have to show ears and us passport photo earrings allowed; neither is something this crop tool verifies. On print finish, us passport photo glossy or matte is a paper choice you make at the print shop, not something the digital file itself determines.

Applying online for a renewal or the DV lottery? See digital upload vs printed 2×2: what to submit where. Curious why the size and background rules exist at all? Read passport photo requirements explained.

Make it at home in three steps
  1. Take the shot. Stand about 60 cm (2 ft) in front of a plain wall, face the camera square-on, and have someone photograph you from roughly 1.5 m (5 ft) away at chest height. Fill the frame with your head and the top of your shoulders. Daylight from a window in front of you gives even, shadow-free light.
  2. Upload it. Drop the photo into the tool and pick the US 2×2 template — the fastest way to convert photo to us passport size if you already have a decent shot on your phone. It finds your face, crops to the exact 2×2 inch square, measures the head at 1–1⅜ inch, and swaps whatever is behind you for regulation white.
  3. Print or submit. Download the single square JPG (1200×1200 px, well above the 600×600 minimum) for an online renewal, or the 10×15 cm (4×6 in) sheet — which lays out multiple copies with cut lines — for a counter application.
Babies, toddlers and newborns

US infant photos follow the same 2×2 format, with two eased rules: a child under one does not need both eyes fully open, and nobody else may appear in the frame — no arms, hands, chairs or pacifiers. The usual trick is to lay the baby on a plain white sheet and shoot straight down, or seat them in an empty car seat draped in white. Upload that and the tool crops and sizes it like any other photo; expression rules are relaxed for infants, so a natural face is fine. For the full walk-through, see the baby passport photo guide.

Why 2×2 inches? A US quirk

Almost every other country uses 35×45 mm — a taller rectangle. The United States is one of the few that asks for a perfect square, a legacy of the old imperial print sizes American photo labs were built around. That is why a photo cropped for a European passport will not pass for a US one, and vice-versa: the aspect ratio is different, not just the size. This works the same from anywhere — a us passport photo australia search or us passport photo australia post search gets the same answer as applying from any other country: upload here, no local branch needed. As for what the tool actually does: a us passport photo background remover is the core job, replacing whatever's behind you with regulation white. The us passport photo background color it outputs is always that same plain white. Us passport photo background, in short, never varies. It isn't an AI-generated image either — a us passport photo ai search might expect that, but it's a measured crop against a fixed band, not a generated photo. The result is us passport photo acceptable by the State Department's own published spec, though final acceptance is always their call, not this tool's. The same square 2×2 spec also covers most US visa photos and the Diversity Visa (green-card) lottery, though the lottery wants a digital file rather than a print — pick the DV-Lottery template and the tool outputs the square digital format the entry form expects.

A us passport size photo checker is one name for it. A photo tool us passport applicants use is another. A us visa photo tool is a third. A us visa application photo cropping tool is a fourth — all the same thing underneath: a us passport photo checker. A us visa photo crop is that identical tool. So is a us visa photo cropping tool as well, all in one. There's a free us passport photo tool free pass and a us visa photo tool free pass, both meaning the same thing: no card needed to check your photo. People also call it a us visa photo editor, a us passport photo editor or a us passport photo maker; whichever term brought you here, it's the same crop-and-check underneath. Want to make us passport photo online free from a shot you already have? Just upload. Need a quick us passport photo test before you submit? Same tool. Or need a us passport photo resize to the right pixels? The same upload gets cropped to 1200×1200 px automatically.

Filled in the application form as a PDF and don't want the fields edited after you print or email it? ScanReviver's flatten PDF bakes the answers into the page and removes the editable layer.

Locked the layout in? A US application PDF carries a passport or case number — ScanReviver's protect PDF adds a password before you email it to anyone.

Before you upload

Is this accepted for renewals and new applications?

The output follows the published State Department specifications (size, head height, white background). Acceptance is always the authority's decision — follow the checklist above for the things a tool can't judge, like expression and lighting.

What about the DV lottery (green card)?

Pick the "US DV-Lottery / digital" template in the tool: it produces the required square digital format.

How do I print it, and where?

Download the 4×6 sheet and print it at any drugstore photo kiosk — CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and Costco all do a 4×6 print for well under a dollar. The sheet lays out several 2×2 copies with cut lines, so one print gives you spares.

Can I submit the photo online instead of printing?

For an online renewal the single square JPG is what you upload (1200×1200 px, comfortably above the 600×600 minimum) — no print needed. A first-time application at an acceptance facility still takes a printed 2×2. Which one you need is covered in digital vs printed.

Where do the exact rules come from?

The passport photo regulations us photo has to follow come from the State Department, not from us — this page just automates them. If you want the us passport photo requirements spelled out in full before you upload anything, see how our checker applies the rules; that same source is where the definition of acceptable us passport photos comes from, not from this tool.

Is this about the black (diplomatic) passport?

No — a us black passport refers to the cover colour of an official or diplomatic passport book, not the photo. The 2×2 photo and head-height rules on this page are the same no matter which passport type or cover colour you're issued.

Do I have to remove my glasses?

Yes. Since November 2016 glasses are not allowed in US passport photos at all, except with a signed doctor's statement for a medical reason. Take them off before you shoot. That answers us passport photo can you wear glasses and us passport photo eyeglasses the same way: off, unless a doctor's note says otherwise. A neutral expression or a natural smile both pass, so us passport photo can you smile has an easy yes for the smile part specifically.

Can I take my baby's photo the same way?

Yes — same 2×2 format, but the child must be alone in the frame and, if under one, doesn't need both eyes open. See the baby photo guide. That covers us passport photo baby and us passport photo baby requirements — the same relaxed-eyes rule for a child under one, standard 2×2 format otherwise. Us passport photo for baby and us passport photo for baby requirements mean that identical rule. Us passport photo for newborn gets it too. So does us passport photo for infant no matter the exact wording. And us passport photo for kids covers the same relaxed rule once more.

What happens to my photo?

Deleted automatically — upload right after processing, results within 45 minutes (6 hours with a monthly pass, 24 hours with a Pro pass — that longer window is part of what the pass is for). See privacy.

Can I download a free 2×2 US passport photo online?

Yes. Upload your photo, and PassportNinja crops it to the 2×2 inch (51×51 mm) US format with a white background — the digital file is free to download, and there's a printable 4×6 sheet if you need a physical copy too.

What are the US passport photo regulations on expression and appearance?

The State Department requires a neutral expression or natural smile with both eyes open and visible, no glasses (since 2016), no hats or headphones, and even lighting with no shadows across the face. The photo must have been taken within the last six months and still look like you.

What are the US passport photo specifications for a digital submission?

A square JPG at least 600×600 pixels — the tool outputs 1200×1200 at 600 dpi, comfortably above that floor — with the same 25–35 mm head-height rule and plain white background as the printed version. Pick the DV-Lottery template in the tool and the output already meets that portal's exact format.

What are the passport photo requirements for the US compared to other countries?

The US asks for a 2×2 inch (51×51 mm) square — most of the world uses a 35×45 mm rectangle with a different aspect ratio. The head-height and white-background rules are broadly similar, but a photo cropped to US proportions will be refused at a European counter and vice versa.

What size is a US passport photo?

2x2 inches (51x51 mm), with the head measuring 1 to 1 3/8 inches (25–35 mm) from chin to crown, on a plain white background. Digital submissions use 600x600 pixels — the us passport photo size in pixels, if that's what you're checking. American passport size is the same 2x2 inches; it's just a different way of saying it, not a separate spec.

Can I take a US passport photo at home for free?

Yes. Have someone photograph you facing the camera against any background, upload it to PassportNinja, and download a correctly sized 2x2 photo with a white background plus a printable 4x6 sheet — free.

Can I wear glasses in a US passport photo?

No — since 2016 glasses are not allowed in US passport photos, except with a signed medical statement.

Is there a free 2x2 US passport photo download online?

Yes — upload a straight-on photo above, and PassportNinja crops it to the 2x2 inch (51x51 mm) US format, checks the head height and gives it a white background — a free digital download plus a printable sheet, no account needed.

Is there a US passport photo tool for Spanish and French searches too? (foto pasaporte eeuu, photo passeport américain)

Yes — no language setting needed, since the tool works by measuring your photo. Pick US from the country list, upload a straight-on photo, and it's cropped to the 2x2 inch (51x51 mm) square with a white background automatically, free.

Is there a US passport photo app, or just this crop tool?

This runs in the browser rather than as an installed us passport photo app — same result, nothing to download. Whether you're after a us visa photo maker for the DV-Lottery template specifically or a us passport photo requirements checker to validate a shot you already have, it's the same tool either way. If you're looking to crop photo for us passport requirements or want a sample of us visa photo to compare against before you upload, the example diagram above shows exactly where the head-height guides sit.

Is there a fully free us passport photo online, with no catch at download?

Yes — an us passport photo online free result is what uploading here produces: no card, no account, no charge to download the digital file or the print sheet. Ads on the page cover the server, not you.

Is the America visa size photo the same as the passport photo, and is there a cropping or checker tool for it?

Yes — the america visa size photo uses the same 2×2 inch (51×51 mm) square as the US passport. So the same tool works as a us passport photo cropping tool. A crop us passport photo step does it too, or call it a us passport photo cropper — upload, and PassportNinja does it automatically. It's also a us passport photo checker online these days. A us passport photo checker tool is that same thing. A us passport photo check tool measures the head height against the official band, the same as a us visa photo editor online free would, at no cost.

Is there a free US passport photo tool online, or an app?

This us passport photo online tool measures your head height against the 25–35 mm band before you download anything. There's no us passport photo app free to install — the crop and resize both happen in the browser. The us passport photo editor free option here outputs a 1200×1200 px file at 600 dpi. As a us passport photo generator free tool, it also adds the 25–35 mm head-height check automatically. This us passport photo maker free service adds a printable 4×6 sheet with cut lines to every download. Every us passport photo free download here skips the account step entirely. A us passport picture online upload gets the same 2×2 inch crop and white background. The us passport size photo online free result includes both the digital file and the print sheet, at no charge. A us passport photo tool free online session is ready within 45 minutes of upload.

How does the US 2x2 size compare to the 35x45 mm used elsewhere?

The US wants a 2x2 in (51×51 mm) square; the UK, Schengen countries, Australia, Japan and South Korea use a 35x45 mm rectangle. The head height rules differ too, so a photo made for one is not automatically valid for the other.

Is there a creator, cropper or cropping tool built in?

Yes — a us passport photo creator describes this same page: upload a photo and it's cropped to 2×2 inches automatically. A us passport photo cropping tool is that identical page. So is a us passport photo cropper. A us passport photo crop happens the moment you do.

What are the exact criteria and clothing requirements?

The us passport photo criteria are size, head height, background and recency, all covered above. There's no published us passport photo clothing requirements beyond that — plain clothing is the safe default. Us passport photo dress requirements aren't published either. And us passport photo dress code isn't something this tool checks.

Are there separate digital requirements and dimensions?

Yes — the us passport photo digital requirements are the 600×600 px minimum described above. Us passport photo digital spec means that same floor. The tool's own us passport photo dimensions output is 1200×1200 px. In centimetres, us passport photo dimensions in cm works out to 5.1 × 5.1, and us passport photo dimensions pixels is 1200×1200 at 600 dpi.

Can I do this myself at home, and see examples first?

Yes — a us passport photo diy approach is exactly the home guide above, and the tool's own preview after upload is more useful than generic us passport photo examples of someone else's face.

Is there a free editor for an existing photo?

Yes — a us passport photo editor free search lands on this same tool. So does a us passport photo editor online free search. A us passport photo edit just means uploading a different shot.

What format does the free download come in, and is there a guide?

A digital square JPG in the standard us passport photo format — 1200×1200 px at 600 dpi — plus a printable 4×6 sheet. The us passport photo guide above covers all of it. So do the us passport photo guidelines written out step by step. This gives you a us passport photo free online download, sized 1200×1200 px at 600 dpi with no account required. A us passport photo free tool is what this whole page is, outputting the same 1200×1200 px file every time.

Are passport photos 2x2 inches for every US application?

Yes — 2×2 inches (51×51 mm) is the standard size for the US passport photo, unchanged for years, whether it's a first-time passport, a renewal, or a visa photo that borrows the same spec.

Do I need a passport photographer, or can I do this myself?

You can skip one — upload a photo taken at home and the tool crops, sizes and whitens it to the same result a passport photographer would produce, at no cost and without an appointment.

Does this tool cover passport pictures for the DV lottery too, not just the regular passport?

Yes — pick the "US DV-Lottery / digital" template and it produces the required square digital format automatically, at least 600×600 pixels, matching what the Green Card lottery portal expects.

How does this compare to paid passport photo services at a drugstore?

The sizing, cropping and white background are free here; a drugstore service mainly adds the physical print, which you can also do yourself from the downloaded 4×6 sheet at any photo kiosk for well under a dollar.

Is this a complete passport photo service, or just a cropper?

It handles size, head height and background for free; expression, lighting and the no-glasses rule since 2016 are still on you to check before uploading, since the tool can't judge any of those.

Does a newborn passport photo follow the same size rule?

Yes — same 2×2 format, though a baby under one doesn't need both eyes open; see the baby photo guide for the practical side.

Is this the right tool for an i d photo, not a passport?

For a non-passport document, the ID photo maker applies similar size logic — this page is specifically built around the US passport's 2×2 inch spec.

What makes a passport style photo different from a regular snapshot?

The same document basics apply — correct 2×2 inch size, head-height band and a plain white background, all handled automatically once you upload.

Where to get passport photos without a drugstore trip?

Upload a straight-on photo here instead — the tool crops, sizes and whitens it to the exact US spec, free.

Where to take passport photos if there's no photo counter nearby?

Any plain background works — a phone photo taken from about 1.5 m away gives the tool enough to crop and size correctly.

Where to get a passport photo taken quickly, without an appointment?

Right here — upload a photo and download the sized, white-background result immediately, no appointment needed.

Is there a passport photo example showing the correct US crop?

The diagram above shows exactly that: the 2×2 inch square with the head-height guides for the 25–35 mm band.

Can you smile for a passport picture on a US application?

Yes — the State Department accepts a neutral expression or a natural smile, as long as both eyes stay open and visible.

Where can I check passport picture requirements for the US specifically?

The table above covers them: 2×2 inch size, 25–35 mm head height, plain white or off-white background, taken within six months.

What makes a good passport photo beyond the size?

Even lighting, no glasses since 2016, and both eyes open and visible — the tool handles the size and background; the rest is on the original shot.

Where's a passport example I can compare my own photo against?

The diagram above shows a correctly proportioned example: the 2×2 inch square with the head-height guides marked.

Is there a compliant passport image shown anywhere on this page?

Yes — the diagram above shows a correctly cropped passport image with the head-height guides for the required band.

Does the same checker work for i d photos, not just US passports?

For a non-passport document, the ID photo maker applies similar crop-and-whiten logic, separate from this page's specific 2×2 inch US template.

What are the united states passport photo requirements in full?

2×2 inch (51×51 mm) square, head 25–35 mm chin to crown, plain white or off-white background, taken within the last six months, no glasses.

Is an infant passport photo measured differently?

No — same 2×2 format; a child under one just doesn't need both eyes open, unlike an older applicant.

Can I do a passport photo do it yourself, without a professional?

Yes — that's what this tool is built for: take the photo at home, upload it, and it handles the size, crop and background.

Does a passport photo application need anything beyond the size and background?

Expression, lighting and the no-glasses rule are checked by the issuing authority, not by this tool — size, head height and background are handled automatically.

What is a passport size photograph for the US specifically?

2×2 inches (51×51 mm), with the head measuring 1 to 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm) from chin to crown.

Is there a picture of a passport photo done correctly?

The diagram above shows exactly that: a correctly cropped 2×2 inch square with the head-height guides marked.

Where can I print passport photo results after downloading?

Any drugstore photo kiosk — CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and Costco all print the included 4×6 sheet for well under a dollar.

Is there an example of a passport photo that meets the US spec?

The diagram above shows one: a 2×2 inch square with the head-height guides for the 25–35 mm band.

What do compliant united states of america passport images need to show?

A 2×2 inch square crop with the head 25–35 mm from chin to crown on a plain white or off-white background.

Can you smile in a passport picture for the US application?

Yes — a neutral expression or a natural smile both pass, as long as both eyes stay open and visible.

What's the exact passport size picture format for the US?

2×2 inches (51×51 mm), with the head measuring 25–35 mm from chin to crown.

Where can I read the official travel state gov passport photo rules directly?

The State Department's own page is the source behind this template, not a summary we invented — see the link in the rules-explained guide.

Is there a passport sample photo to check my framing against?

The diagram above works as that sample: a correctly proportioned 2×2 inch square with the head-height guides shown.

What are the passport photo requirements usa applicants need to meet?

2×2 inch square, head 25–35 mm chin to crown, plain white or off-white background, taken within six months, no glasses.

Where can I check the passport picture rules for a US application?

The table above covers them fully: size, head height, background and recency, each checked automatically once you upload.

Is there a sample passport photo shown anywhere on this page?

Yes — the diagram above shows a correctly cropped sample: 2×2 inch square with the head-height guides marked.

Where to take passport picture shots without visiting a studio?

Any plain background works — the tool crops, sizes and whitens it the same way a studio would, once you upload.

What are the us passport picture requirements for a digital submission?

At least 600×600 pixels for an online renewal upload — this tool outputs 1200×1200 px at 600 dpi, comfortably above that floor, with the same 25–35 mm head-height band and plain white or off-white background as the printed 2×2 inch version.

Where can I check passport photos requirements before I apply?

The table above lists them in full: size, head height, background and recency, each applied automatically once you upload a photo — expression, glasses and lighting stay yours to check before you submit anything.

What are the passport photo rules for the US in one line?

2×2 inch square, head 25–35 mm chin to crown, plain white or off-white background, no glasses since 2016, taken within the last six months — the same numbers used throughout this page.

Where to get passport photo taken results without an appointment?

Upload a photo here and download the sized, white-background result immediately, plus a printable 4×6 sheet for the drugstore — no appointment or photo counter visit needed.

What does a compliant united states passport image need to show?

A 2×2 inch square crop, head 25–35 mm chin to crown, plain white or off-white background, both eyes open and no glasses — shown in the diagram above.

Illustrated portrait of Sam RidderBy Sam Ridder — I build and run PassportNinja on my own hardware, on my own. Who I am.

← PassportNinja home Schengen visa photo Privacy Contact About Terms BGNinja: remove backgrounds iPhone HEIC to JPG Part of ShinobiTools Australia Passport Photo Canada Passport Photo BGNinja: white background for an ID photo