US Passport Photo Maker
Make a United States photo in the official 2 × 2 inch (51 × 51 mm) size, with head-size guides, a sharp digital file and a print sheet — free, in your browser.
Runs in your browser — nothing is uploadedPhoto rules
- Photo size
- 51 × 51 mm
- Head (chin to crown)
- 25–35 mm
- Digital file
- 1200 × 1200 px
- Background
- plain white or off-white
Head 1 to 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm) from chin to top of head. No glasses. Digital photos: 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 pixels; the visa form (DS-160) accepts JPEGs up to 240 KB. Always check the latest rules of the authority you apply to.
Only if the upload form sets one. Quality never drops below a sharp level to meet it.
Best results: a sharp, well-lit photo facing the camera, against a plain plain white or off-white wall, taken from about 1.5 m with the phone's main camera.
What size is a United States passport photo?
2 × 2 inch (51 × 51 mm), with the head 25–35 mm from chin to crown on a plain white or off-white background. Head 1 to 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm) from chin to top of head. No glasses. Digital photos: 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 pixels; the visa form (DS-160) accepts JPEGs up to 240 KB. Drop your photo here, line the head up with the guides, and download a 1200 × 1200 pixel photo or a print sheet.
Passport and visa photos have strict rules: an exact size, a head of a certain height and a plain background. The Passport Photo Maker loads the official size for your country and document — US 2 × 2 inch, UK and Schengen 35 × 45 mm, Canada 50 × 70 mm, China 33 × 48 mm and more — and shows guides for the top of the head and the chin, so you can line the face up correctly.
You get a high-resolution digital photo for online applications and a print sheet (4 × 6 inch photo paper, A4 or US Letter) with the photos at their exact size and cut lines. If an upload form limits the file size, enter the limit: the tool finds the best quality that fits without making the photo blurry. Everything happens in your browser, so your photo is never uploaded.
When to use it
- Passport applications and renewals.
- Visa applications, including online forms with a pixel size and file-size limit.
- ID cards, residence permits and driving licences that use passport-size photos.
- Printing several photos on one sheet at a photo shop or at home.
Tips for better results
- Use the original photo from your phone camera, not a screenshot or a copy sent through a chat app — those are smaller and lose sharpness.
- Stand about half a metre in front of a plain light wall and have someone take the photo from 1.5 m away at eye level, in even daylight.
- Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed and both eyes open; most countries do not allow glasses.
- Print the sheet at 100% ("actual size"), not "fit to page", so each photo comes out at the exact size.
How to use the Passport Photo Maker
- Choose the country and document (or a custom size).
- Drop a sharp, front-facing photo taken against a plain light background.
- Drag and zoom until the top of the head and the chin fit the guides, then click Create photo.
- Download the digital photo for online forms, or the print sheet to print at 100% and cut out.
Frequently asked questions
Will the photo be accepted?
The size and head height follow the official rules, but acceptance also depends on the photo itself: sharp, evenly lit, neutral expression, eyes open and a plain background. Check the latest rules of the authority you apply to.
Can I print it at home?
Yes. Download the print sheet (4 × 6 inch photo paper, A4 or US Letter) and print it at 100% / "actual size"; each photo comes out at exactly the right size, with lines to cut along.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. Everything happens in your browser on your device.
Will the photo be sharp enough?
Yes, as long as the original is: the photo is made at a high resolution (for example 1200 × 1200 pixels for a US 2 × 2 inch photo), scaled down in steps for sharpness and saved at high JPEG quality. If your photo has too few pixels for the size, the tool warns you before it would look soft.
Does it change the background?
No. Take the photo against a plain white or light wall, as most countries require; the tool keeps the photo exactly as it is apart from cropping and scaling.
Is there a file size limit?
The limit is shown in the drop area (typically 30–50 MB per image). It exists only to keep your browser responsive — the file is processed on your device and never uploaded. Very large photos are faster to process on a computer than on an older phone.
What is the most common passport photo size?
35 × 45 mm, the international (ICAO) format used across Europe, the UK, Australia, India, Pakistan, Japan and many other countries. The United States uses 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm) and Canada 50 × 70 mm.
How big should the head be?
It depends on the country: for 35 × 45 mm photos usually 32–36 mm from chin to the top of the head (29–34 mm in the UK), and 25–35 mm for the US 2 × 2 inch photo. The guides on the photo show the right range for the size you chose.