US passport photo (2 × 2 in)
Make a US passport photo from your own picture: cut it to 2 × 2 inches with the head the right size, check the background, and print it on a 6 × 4 in sheet.
Good to know
How it works
- Choose the country. The tool finds your face and places the frame on it, with your head in the oval: the top of your head at its top, your chin at its bottom. Move or size the frame if it needs it.
- Got several photos? Click each in the list to fit its frame. Press “Make photos”: you get each photo at its exact print size and a 6 × 4 in sheet with copies to print at a photo shop or at home.
- Nothing in the picture is changed: no new background, no smoothing, no filters. Both the US and the UK refuse photos that were edited, so the tool only cuts and sizes.
- The result is checked: one face, head size, face in the middle, head straight, enough pixels to print sharp, and a light, plain background. What it can’t judge, such as your expression, focus or glasses, is up to you.
US passport photo rules
| Rule | What it asks for |
|---|---|
| Size | 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) |
| Head | 25 to 35 mm (1 to 1 3/8 in) from the chin to the top of the head |
| Background | Plain white or off-white, with no shadows |
| Taken | In the last 6 months |
| Edits | None: no filters, retouching or changed background |
| Glasses | Off, unless a doctor’s signed note says you need them for a medical reason |
Sources: US Department of State: Passport photos (checked 13 October 2026)
Glasses, hats and your expression
- Take your glasses off. The US accepts glasses in a passport photo only for a medical reason, with a signed note from your doctor sent with the application.
- Hats and head coverings come off too, unless you wear them for religious or medical reasons, with a signed statement.
- A neutral face or a natural smile both work, with both eyes open. Headphones and earbuds come out.
- Stand about half a meter from a white or off-white wall with light from the front, so no shadow falls on it or on your face.
Printing US photos
A 2 × 2 in photo fits 2 times on a 4 × 6 in (10 × 15 cm) print, the size photo shops and pharmacy kiosks print. A US application takes one photo, so the second is a spare in case a cut goes wrong.
Print at 100% (“actual size”) on matte or glossy photo paper, cut along the gray lines, and check with a ruler that the photo is 2 inches on each side.
Renewing online in the US?
Online renewal takes a digital photo instead of a print: the original photo, taken by someone else in the last 6 months, without filters or edits, as a file of 54 KB to 10 MB. Upload the photo as it came from the camera; this tool is for printed photos.
Sources: US Department of State: Uploading a digital photo (checked 13 October 2026)
Questions
Will my photo be accepted?
Only the passport office decides that. The tool gets the size and the head position right and checks the background, but it can’t judge your expression, focus or lighting on your face. Compare your photo with the official rules linked on this page.
Can it make my background white?
No, on purpose. The US refuses photos whose background was changed, and the UK wants photos unaltered by computer software. Take the photo in front of a plain white or light wall instead.
Does it work for Canadian passports?
No. Canada accepts only photos taken by a commercial photographer, and they may not be altered, not even cropped.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. Everything runs in your browser, so your photos stay on your device. They aren’t uploaded.
Is PixListing free?
Yes. PixListing is free to use and needs no account. Photos can be up to 50 MB each.