Dimensions of a passport photo: inches, mm and pixels

A US passport photo is 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm). The head, measured from the chin to the top of the head, must be between 1 and 1 3/8 inches (25–35 mm). Use one recent color photo on a plain white or off-white background, and attach it to your application or upload it for online renewal. You can make this photo online from a good-quality selfie in SelfieDoc.

US passport photo dimensions at a glance

All official numbers come from the State Department, and most of them are on its passport photo page. The pixel figures come from the State Department photo composition template, which is published for visa and digital photos. Read that row with this in mind.

Figures reflect State Department guidance as of October 25, 2026. Confirm them on travel.state.gov before you print or upload.

Which US documents use the 2×2 format

The 2×2 inch square is the standard for the US passport. Other US documents use either the same print size or a digital version of it. They still have their own rules.

Passport photo size in inches, mm and pixels

The official unit is the inch. The State Department gives the printed photo as 2 × 2 inches and lists 51 × 51 mm next to it. Exactly 2 inches equals 50.8 mm, so 51 mm is a rounded figure.

There is no official pixel size for the printed passport photo. For a digital file, the State Department composition template gives a range. At 300 dpi, a 2-inch side works out to 600 pixels (2 × 300), which matches the minimum on the template.

You can also convert the head rules into pixels. On a 600 × 600 px image, the 50–69% head range is roughly 300 to 414 px. The eye line sits about 336 to 414 px up from the bottom edge. These are our calculations, not official numbers.

Passport photo dimensions vs passport dimensions

The photo and the passport are different sizes. People mix them up because searches like "dimensions of a passport" and "passport size dimensions in inches" can mean either one.

The book and card sizes come from ICAO documents, not from a State Department page. ICAO rounds the card format to 85.6 × 54 mm. The book's 88 mm side can be slightly larger because of the binding.

The US square is also unusual by international standards. Other countries set their own photo sizes, so a US 2×2 print may not fit another country's rules. Check the official guidance of the country you are applying to.

Common sizing mistakes

Most problems with passport photo dimensions come from mixing up rules from different programs. Check these before you print or upload.

• Treating 600 × 600 px as the only correct size. On the composition template it is the minimum. The maximum is 1200 × 1200 px. The fixed 600 × 600 size is linked to the Diversity Visa.
• Using the 240 KB limit. That limit belongs to the Diversity Visa. For online passport renewal, the file must be between 54 KB and 10 MB.
• Head too small or too large. On a 2 × 2 print, measure from the chin to the top of the head. It must be between 1 and 1 3/8 inches.
• A low-quality file. For online renewal, the photo must not be grainy or pixelated and must not show printer dots. Scanning a cheap print often causes this.
• An old photo. The photo must be taken within the last 6 months.
• Filters or retouching. Beauty filters and edits to the outline of the face, head or neck are not allowed.
• Glasses on. Remove them unless you have a signed doctor's note.

How to take and print a photo that fits

You have three practical options: take it at home, go to a photo counter or studio, or prepare it online from a selfie.

At home

1. Stand in front of a plain white or off-white wall with even light, so no shadows fall behind you.
2. Ask someone to take the shot, or use a phone stand and timer.
3. Face the camera straight on with your glasses off.
4. Crop to a square so the head fills 50–69% of the height.
5. Print at the true 2 × 2 inch size and check it with a ruler.

For phone framing and lighting, see how to take a passport photograph with your phone.

At a photo counter or studio

Many pharmacies and photo shops print passport photos. Ask them to measure the head height on the finished print before you pay. Prices vary by store, so check the store's website.

Online from a selfie

SelfieDoc takes your selfie, crops it to 2 × 2 inches and evens out the background. Your facial features stay unchanged. You get a digital file and a print layout. When you print the layout, set the printer to 100% scale or "actual size", so the 2 × 2 inch square isn't resized. Then check one square with a ruler.

Sources

• Passport Photos — U.S. Department of State, travel.state.gov
• U.S. Passport Photos — travel.state.gov
• Uploading a Digital Photo (online renewal) — travel.state.gov
• Photo Composition Template — travel.state.gov
• Visa Photo Requirements — travel.state.gov
• ICAO TAG/MRTD-20 Working Paper 20 (TD3 format)
• ICAO TAG/TRIP5 Information Paper 3 (TD1 passport card)