US Passport Photo — 2×2 inch, Made in Your Browser

A US passport photo must be exactly 2×2 inches (51×51 mm), in color, with a plain white or off-white background, taken within the last six months. Upload your photo and this tool crops it to the exact 2×2 inch frame and checks that your head fills the right share of it. Cropping and resizing happen in your browser — your original photo is never uploaded.

Download your photo before you leave — we don’t keep a copy.
We crop and resize only. We don’t replace backgrounds or airbrush skin — take the photo against a white wall to begin with.

Drop a photo here, or click to uploadJPG, PNG, or WebP. Under 8 MB.

Size

51×51 mm, 600×600. We crop and resize only — no background replace or retouch. Shoot against a white wall.The whole head needs to show, with a little space around it. A head cut at the top, sides, or chin is not generated, and the credit is returned.

The headshot keeps the same face and sends the photo to an image service. An ID photo is cropped in your browser and the original is not uploaded. Neither result is stored—download it yourself.

Official US passport photo requirements

Rule	Requirement
Printed size	Exactly 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm)
Head height	1 inch to 1 3/8 inches (25–35 mm), chin to top of head
Head share of frame	50%–69% of the photo height
Background	Plain white or off-white, no shadows
Color	Color photo, not black and white
Recency	Taken within the last 6 months
Pose	Full face, front-facing, both eyes open, neutral expression or natural smile
Not allowed	Glasses, hats, headphones, uniforms
Editing	No software retouching, no phone-app filters, no AI edits

Rules as published by the U.S. Department of State — confirm on travel.state.gov before you submit.

Why US passport photos get rejected

The photo isn’t exactly 2×2 inches after printing — most phone crops are off by a few millimetres.
The head is too small or too large in the frame.
The background is grey, blue or uneven, or the subject casts a shadow.
The photo is older than six months.
The subject wears glasses, a hat, headphones or a uniform.
The image is blurry, pixelated, or a scan of a print.
The photo was edited — background replaced, skin smoothed, a filter applied, or enhanced by AI. The State Department does not accept edited or filtered photos.

How to take a photo that passes

Stand about an arm’s length from a plain white wall, facing a window. No flash.
Ask someone to shoot from eye level, framing from mid-chest up — we’ll crop to 2×2.
Keep a neutral expression, both eyes open, mouth closed or a natural smile.
Don’t use your phone’s portrait mode, beauty mode or any filter. Shoot plain.

Printing it, or uploading a digital copy

For a printed passport application, print the 2×2 inch file on photo paper. For digital uploads, follow the form you are filing — do not guess pixel numbers here. If you need a square digital file for an online form, use our 600×600 tool.

FAQ

Is a 2×2 inch photo the same as 51×51 mm?: Yes, exactly the same.
Can I take a US passport photo with my phone?: Yes, as long as you don’t filter or edit it.
Can I use an AI-generated or AI-enhanced photo?: No. The State Department does not accept photos that were edited with software, apps, filters or AI.
How old can the photo be?: Six months or newer.
Can I wear glasses in a US passport photo?: No, glasses are not allowed.

Cropping and resizing happen in your browser — your original photo is never uploaded.