Passport & visa photos / Passport photo rules
Passport photo rules: glasses, smiling, hair, and head coverings
✓ Checked Oct 2026 against the official pages. See sources
The rules people ask about most, straight from the State Department. Then check your own photo below: the check and preview are free, and the final photo is $4.99.
Make my photo (free check, $4.99 to download)
Glasses
Take off eyeglasses, sunglasses, and tinted glasses, and don't rest them on your head. If you can't remove them for medical reasons, include a signed note from your doctor.
Smiling and expression
You can smile. Keep your eyes open and your mouth closed, and avoid exaggerated expressions. (For online renewal photos, the State Department says to avoid showing teeth.)
Hair
Your hair may go past the edges of the photo, as long as your whole head shows and is the right size. Hair must not cover your eyes.
Hats and religious head coverings
- Take off hats and head coverings.
- If you wear one for religious reasons, submit a signed statement that it is religious attire worn daily in public. For medical reasons, a signed doctor's statement.
- If you wear one, your full face must be visible with no shadows, and it should be one color without patterns or small holes.
Everything else
- Size 2 x 2 in, head 1 to 1 3/8 in from chin to top of head.
- Plain white or off-white background, no shadows. Color photo taken in the last 6 months.
- No face coverings, uniforms, camouflage, headphones, or earbuds. Jewelry and facial piercings are fine if they don't hide your face.
- No filters, retouching, or edited backgrounds.
Make your photo
🔒 Your photo never leaves your device. Face detection, cropping, and the checks all run in your browser. Nothing is uploaded to us or anyone else.
2. Your photo
Tips for a photo that passes
- Stand 2 to 4 feet in front of a plain white or off-white wall (or hang a white sheet). Step forward from the wall so no shadow falls behind you.
- Have someone else take it from about 4 feet away, camera at eye level. Selfies at arm's length distort your face.
- Face a window or a soft lamp so both sides of your face are evenly lit. No flash.
- Take off glasses and hats. Neutral expression, eyes open, mouth closed. Leave room above your head and show your shoulders.
- Use the original camera photo, not a screenshot or a photo sent by text.
Not an official acceptance guarantee. These are basic checks; the agency makes the final decision. Things we can't check: glasses glare, hair over the eyes, how recent the photo is, and whether it looks like you.
$4.99 for the clean photo
- The digital file at the official size
- A 4x6 print sheet (when the document needs prints). Print it at any photo kiosk as a 4x6 at 100%, then cut along the lines
- Retakes: one purchase covers up to 3 photos
The preview above is free and watermarked. Secure checkout by Stripe. Your photo stays on this device during checkout.
Printing: choose 4x6 in, "actual size" or 100%, no borders. Check one photo with a ruler before you cut.
Questions
Can I wear glasses in a passport photo?
No. Remove all glasses unless you can't for medical reasons, in which case include a signed doctor's note.
Can I wear a hijab or turban in my passport photo?
Yes, if you wear it for religious purposes. Submit a signed statement that it is religious attire worn daily in public, and make sure your full face is visible.
Sources
From the official pages below, last checked Oct 2026. Rules change, so check them before you apply.