Green Card Photo — United States Requirements

Photo Dimensions

Size: 51 × 51 mm

Size: 2 × 2 inches

Digital File Specifications

Minimum width: 600 px

Maximum width: 1200 px

Maximum file size: 240 KB

File format: JPEG

Tips for Getting the Right Size

• Use idpic.app to automatically crop and resize your photo to the exact required dimensions — no manual calculation needed.
• Keep your face centred in the frame with your head fully visible from crown to chin.
• When printing, ensure you print at 100% scale (not "fit to page") to preserve the correct dimensions.
• Your face should fill the correct proportion of the photo. idpic.app shows a face guide overlay to help you position correctly.

Background Specification

Pure white background required. The background must be completely white (#FFFFFF). Off-white, cream, or grey tones are not acceptable.

How to Get the Right Background

• Stand at least 50 cm from the wall to prevent shadows falling on the background.
• Use even, diffuse lighting — a window or softbox pointed at the background helps.
• A plain white or light-coloured wall, a white sheet, or a dedicated photo backdrop all work well.
• Use idpic.app to automatically replace your background with the correct colour — no manual editing required.

Glasses requirements

Glasses are not allowed for this photo. This includes prescription glasses, sunglasses, and tinted lenses. Remove all eyewear before taking your photo. This is the official requirement for the United States.

Tips for Taking Your Photo

• Remove all glasses — including prescription glasses — before taking the photo.
• Contact lenses are fine and do not need to be removed.
• If you wear glasses regularly, check that there are no indentations on your nose from the frames.

Common Rejection Reasons

• Wrong background. United States Green Card photos require a plain White background with no shadows, patterns, or objects. Retake the photo against a flat, evenly lit backdrop.
• Wearing glasses. Glasses are not permitted in United States Green Card photos. Remove all eyewear before taking the photo.
• Head covering. Hats, caps, and other head coverings are not permitted in United States Green Card photos, even for fashion or warmth. Remove any head covering before the photo.
• Face size out of range. Your face must fill between 50% and 69% of the photo height. Move closer to or further from the camera and recrop.
• Photo too old. United States Green Card photos must be taken within the last 1 months. Take a new photo if yours is older.
• Digital file doesn't meet spec. Online submissions must be a JPEG file matching the exact pixel dimensions and file size the portal requires. Re-export your photo at the correct size before uploading.
• Low resolution or blurry. Your photo must be sharp and at least 300 pixels on its shortest side. Use good lighting and hold the camera steady.
• Shadows. Shadows across your face or on the background — often from overhead lighting or a nearby wall — are a common rejection reason. Use soft, even lighting from the front.
• Wrong expression. Smiling, frowning, closed eyes, or an open mouth can cause rejection. Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed and both eyes open, looking directly at the camera.
• Wrong paper or printing. Home-printed photos on regular paper, or prints with a glossy coating that catches light, are often rejected. Print on quality matte photo paper at full size and 100% scale.

About photo requirements

Green card photos are filed with US Citizenship and Immigration Services rather than the State Department, and they accompany paper forms in the I-485 and I-90 families. The specification matches the US passport photo, but the handling does not: photos are mailed with the petition, so a rejected photo means a Request for Evidence and months of delay rather than a retake at the counter.

The photo must be a recent color image on white or off-white photo paper, with the face fully visible and a neutral expression. USCIS asks that your name and A-number be written lightly in pencil on the back of each print, which is easy to forget and is checked. Uniforms should not be worn, and glasses are not accepted.

Submitting the photo

Two identical prints are usually required, placed in an envelope stapled to the form rather than attached directly to the paperwork. Because the photos travel by mail with the rest of the petition, print quality matters more than for an online filing — inkjet prints on ordinary paper are a frequent cause of trouble.

Common issues

Beyond the usual shadow and head-size problems, the two failures specific to this filing are missing pencil annotation on the back and prints that have curled or scuffed in transit. Photos identical to one already on file from an earlier petition are also rejected: each filing needs a photo taken within the last six months.

Head covering rules

Head coverings, hats, and scarves are not permitted for this photo. An exception is made for head coverings worn for religious or medical reasons, but the face from chin to forehead must remain fully visible with no shadows cast on the face.