How to Make Your Own Passport Photo (USA)

July 31, 2026 Lord AI Editorial Team

You can take a U.S. passport photo yourself, but the image must follow the Department of State’s current requirements. The difficult parts are even lighting, natural appearance, correct head size, and an unedited white or off-white background.

Use a recent camera or phone, another person or a stable tripod, and enough distance to avoid wide-angle distortion. Do not use filters, artificial-intelligence tools, portrait retouching, or background replacement.

Quick Answer

Take a new color photo within six months against a plain white or off-white background. Face the camera directly with a neutral expression or natural smile and both eyes open. Submit an original, unaltered image. For a printed application, use matte or glossy photo-quality paper at exactly 2 × 2 inches, with the head measuring 1 to 1⅜ inches from chin to top of head.

Current Core Requirements

The U.S. Department of State’s official passport photo guidance is the controlling source. Requirements can change, so review it immediately before applying.

Requirement	Practical target	Avoid
Age of photo	Taken within the last six months	Reusing an old visa or passport photo
Color and quality	Clear, color, properly exposed	Blur, compression, screenshots
Pose	Full face, looking at camera	Tilted head or side profile
Expression	Neutral or natural smile, eyes open	Exaggerated smile or closed eyes
Background	Plain white or off-white	Shadows, texture, digital replacement
Editing	Original and unaltered	Filters, AI, retouching, reshaping
Printed size	2 × 2 inches	Printer scaling or border
Head size	1–1⅜ inches, chin to top of head	Too close or too distant

Set Up the Background and Lighting

Stand several feet in front of a smooth white or off-white wall or backdrop. Distance helps prevent a hard shadow directly behind the head. Remove wall decorations, seams, chair backs, and floor lines from the frame.

Use soft, even light from the front and both sides. Window light can work when it is indirect and balanced, but mixed daylight and warm indoor bulbs can produce uneven color. Avoid a single ceiling light, direct flash close to the lens, and bright light behind the subject.

Check both sides of the face for similar brightness.
Keep the background light without washing out the face.
Remove shadows under the chin and behind the ears.
Turn off beauty mode, portrait effects, and automatic filters.
Clean the camera lens before shooting.

Position the Camera Correctly

Place the camera at eye level and use the main rear camera when practical. Stand far enough away that the face looks natural; moving a phone very close can enlarge the nose and distort the ears. Use a modest optical focal length or step back and crop later without altering the image.

The applicant should sit or stand upright, face the lens squarely, keep the head centered, and look directly at the camera. Leave space around the head and shoulders so the final crop can meet the required dimensions.

Cropping and ordinary size adjustment are different from retouching. Do not erase hair, replace the background, reconstruct clothing, smooth skin, or use generative fill.

Choose Clothing, Hair, and Accessories

Wear normal daily clothing. Uniforms and camouflage associated with a service or occupation are generally not appropriate unless the State Department’s rules provide an exception. A simple top that contrasts with the light background makes the shoulders easier to see.

Glasses should be removed unless a rare medical exception applies and the required signed statement is supplied. Hats and head coverings are generally prohibited unless worn continuously for religious or medical reasons and supported as required. The covering must not obscure the hairline or cast a shadow across the face.

Keep hair away from the eyes.
Remove headphones and wireless earpieces.
Avoid jewelry that creates glare or hides facial features.
Do not wear contact lenses that alter the natural appearance of the eyes.
Follow the official rules for medical devices and religious garments.

Take a Strong Series of Photos

Set the phone or camera to its normal photo mode.
Disable filters, beauty enhancement, portrait blur, and AI processing where the device allows.
Use a timer or another person rather than a close selfie.
Focus on the eyes and hold the camera steady.
Take several frames with tiny lighting and posture adjustments.
Review at full size for sharp eyes, accurate color, and clean edges.
Select the most natural compliant frame, not the most flattering filtered frame.

For infants, use the State Department’s infant guidance. The baby must be alone in the image with eyes open when possible; hands, car seats, pillows, and other people should not appear. Do not digitally remove a supporting hand from a photograph.

Crop Without Changing Your Appearance

For a printed photo, create a square crop that will print at 2 × 2 inches. The head must measure between 1 and 1⅜ inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head, with the eyes positioned within the official range. Use the State Department’s photo tool or template as a measurement aid when available.

Do not rely on a social-media square crop. Printer software may add margins or “fit to page” scaling. Export the image once at sufficient quality and use a service or layout that preserves the exact physical dimensions.

Print the Photo Correctly

Use matte or glossy photo-quality paper and a printer capable of producing clear continuous-tone color. The final print should be exactly 2 × 2 inches, free of dots, lines, creases, holes, or visible pixels. Do not print on ordinary copy paper.

If placing multiple photos on a larger sheet, keep each finished image exactly the required size and cut with straight edges. Do not staple, bend, or damage the face area. Follow the application’s attachment instructions.

Digital Photo for Online Renewal

Online passport processes can have separate file-size, format, dimension, and upload requirements. The State Department currently accepts specified digital image formats and provides a crop tool in the application. Upload the original high-quality file and let the official workflow guide the crop.

A digital submission is not permission to retouch. The photo must still show your natural appearance against a real plain background. Avoid messaging-app copies, screenshots, and files repeatedly compressed by social networks.

Run a Final Compliance Check

The photo is recent and belongs only to the applicant.
Face and shoulders are centered and fully visible.
Eyes are open and looking at the camera.
Skin tone and color look natural.
No shadow, pattern, or object is visible on the background.
No glasses, headphones, unauthorized hat, or distracting accessory appears.
The image is sharp and has not been digitally altered.
Printed dimensions and head measurements are correct.
The official requirements were rechecked on the application date.

Why Home Photos Are Rejected

Common causes include a selfie taken too close, portrait-mode blur around hair, an edited background, uneven lighting, a head that is too large, glasses, an old photo, printer scaling, or a file that has been compressed and sharpened by an app.

When the setup cannot produce a compliant result, use a passport-acceptance facility or experienced photo provider. Retaking the photo is safer than trying to repair it digitally.

Writer’s Opinion

The best home setup is simple: real light-colored background, two soft front light sources, camera at eye level, and another person standing several feet away. Most failures come from attempting to make the image look like a studio portrait through software.

A passport photo is an identification image, not a beauty image. Natural skin texture, ordinary asymmetry, and a neutral expression are expected. When the original capture is wrong, take it again rather than editing around the rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I take my passport photo with an iPhone or Android phone?

Yes, if the camera produces a clear image and you avoid selfies, filters, portrait blur, beauty tools, and digital alteration.

Can I remove the background in Photoshop?

No. The State Department requires an original, unaltered photo; take a new image against a real plain white or off-white background.

Can I smile?

A neutral expression or natural, unexaggerated smile is generally acceptable, with both eyes open.

Can I wear glasses?

Normally no. A narrow medical exception requires supporting documentation under the current rules.

What size is a printed U.S. passport photo?

Exactly 2 × 2 inches, with the head 1 to 1⅜ inches from chin to top of head.

Can I use a photo from last year if I look the same?

No. It should have been taken within the last six months.

Can I print it at home?

Yes, if the size, head measurement, color, sharpness, and photo-paper requirements are met without printer scaling.

Is cropping allowed?

Cropping to meet the official composition is allowed; altering appearance or replacing the background is not.

Executive Summary

Capture a new, evenly lit, unedited image against a real plain background with the camera at eye level. Measure the crop and print size rather than relying on an app’s promise.

Recheck the State Department’s current rules before submission. If a photo needs retouching to become compliant, retake it instead.