US Passport Photo Size: 2 × 2 Inches

The official US passport photo size is 2 × 2 inches or 51 × 51 mm. That square format is different from the 35 × 45 mm photos used in most of Europe. If you submit the wrong size, your application can be delayed or rejected.

• 1

  Use the correct square format

  The photo must be exactly 2 × 2 inches. Do not use 35 × 45 mm, 45 × 35 mm, or any other rectangular format. US passport photos are square.

• 2

  Keep the head size within the official range

  In the final print, your head must measure about 1 inch to 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. That is why simple cropping in a gallery app often fails.

• 3

  Print at true scale

  If you print at home or at a pharmacy, verify the photo is not scaled by the print dialog. A photo that looks visually correct but prints too large or too small can still be rejected.

At-a-glance US size requirements

Common size mistakes

• Submitting a 35 × 45 mm photo instead of the required square 2 × 2 inch format

• Cropping too tightly so the head is larger than the allowed range

• Using an off-white background instead of plain white

• Wearing glasses, which are not accepted for US passport photos

• Printing at the wrong scale from a normal document instead of a photo print