Make a 2×2 inch US passport photo
Crop a photo to the square 2 by 2 inch format required for US passports and visas. Preset to 600 by 600 pixels, the size the State Department asks for.
Start from a common size
Shortcuts, not gospel — requirements differ between countries and portals. Always copy the exact numbers from your own form into the boxes below.
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Set your form's requirements above and the photo comes out matching all of them at once.
Why the US photo is square
The United States settled on a 2 by 2 inch square where most of the world uses a 35 by 45 millimetre rectangle. There is no way to convert between them by cropping alone without losing part of the head or leaving too much space, which is why a photo prepared for a UK passport will be rejected for a US one and the other way round. Prepare each from the original.
Head size is measured, not estimated
The State Department requires the head to measure between 1 and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head, which is between 50 and 69 percent of the image height. This is checked, and a head that is too large or too small is one of the most common reasons for rejection. In a 600 pixel image that means roughly 300 to 413 pixels from chin to crown.
The requirements people miss
The photo must be taken within the last six months, which matters if you are reusing one from a previous application. Glasses are no longer permitted at all in US passport photos, a change from the older rules that many guides still repeat. The background must be plain white or off-white, and uniforms or clothing resembling one are not allowed.
Frequently asked questions
What resolution do I need for 2×2 inches?
The State Department accepts between 600 by 600 and 1200 by 1200 pixels. The 600 pixel preset here is the minimum accepted and is comfortably enough for both printing and upload.
Can I wear my glasses?
No. Glasses have not been permitted in US passport photos since 2016, except with a signed medical statement. This trips people up because plenty of older advice online still says they are fine.
Can I print two of these on one sheet?
Yes, and that is what pharmacy photo counters do. Downloading the 2 by 2 image and printing it twice on 4 by 6 photo paper is the usual approach, since applications submitted on paper want two identical prints.