En español: foto para pasaporte americano
A free 2x2 photo, printed on a 4×6
The tool costs nothing and adds no watermark. It saves a 4×6 sheet with two 2 × 2 in photos, which you order as a regular 4×6 print ($0.18 at Walmart on October 7, 2026) or print at home, and the 600 × 600 px JPG. Other documents have other sizes: see passport photo sizes by document.
- Photo size
- 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm)
- Head size
- 1 to 1 3/8 in (25–35 mm)
- Background
- White or off-white
- On one 4×6 print
- 2 photos, cut apart
- Digital file
- 600 × 600 px JPG
- Price here
- Free, no sign-up
How it works
Take it anywhereGlasses and hat off, a plain white wall, a window in front.
We check and fixCrop, straighten and check against the rules.
Print or uploadA 4×6 sheet for under $1, or the digital file.
Step by step
- Pick the document. The page starts with a US passport photo that you mail or bring in person. For online renewal, a US visa or another country, tap the document name above the buttons and choose it from the list.
- Take or choose a photo. The camera view shows an oval for your face and hints such as "Move closer". Hands-free takes the picture once you're lined up. You can also choose a JPG or PNG you already have; iPhone HEIC files open in Safari.
- Let it crop. Face detection crops the photo to exactly 2 × 2 inches, with your head and eyes inside the official ranges. The head-size slider and the arrows fine-tune it.
- Fix what it flags. Each check shows Good, We can fix, Retake or Check. Tap it for one sentence on what to do. The thresholds behind each result are in every automatic check, with its threshold.
- Save. For a US passport, the main button saves a 4×6 print sheet to order at a store. The digital JPG and a Letter PDF for your own printer are there too.
Passport photo app? No app needed
This page does the job of a passport photo app. Open it in your phone's browser (Safari on an iPhone, Chrome on Android) and tap Take photo. The camera opens with an oval for your face, and the photo is cropped and checked on the phone.
- Nothing to install. When you start, the browser downloads the face detection files, about 5.7 MB, and keeps them for your next visit. There's no app store page and no account.
- The photo stays on your phone. Detection, cropping and the checks run in the browser, and the photo is never uploaded. The privacy policy lists what the page sends: anonymous counts, never the photo.
- You still get the files. A 4×6 sheet to print, a Letter PDF for your own printer and the JPG for online renewal.
- Keep it one tap away. Add the page to your home screen from the browser's Share or menu button. It opens in the browser.
Phone settings that spoil the photo, such as portrait mode and beauty filters, and the Android steps are in how to take a passport photo with an iPhone.
How to take a passport photo at home
Face a window, a step in front of a plain white wall.
Details
Yes, you can take a US passport photo at home: the State Department lists "a friend or family member" among the places to get one. At home, the wall and the light matter more than the phone in your hand.
- Background: a plain white or off-white wall with nothing behind your head, or white poster board taped at head height. Stand a step or two in front of it so your shadow falls out of the frame.
- Light: face a window in daylight, out of direct sun. Skip the flash and a single ceiling light: the State Department warns that overhead lights cast shadows on your face.
- Camera: ask a helper to hold the phone about 4 feet away at your eye level and to frame you from above your hair to mid-chest. Alone, prop the phone at eye level and tap Hands-free. An arm's-length selfie makes your nose look bigger.
- You: take off glasses, hats and earbuds, move hair away from your eyes, and turn off beauty mode and filters. Look into the lens with a neutral face or a natural smile, mouth closed.
US passport photo rules at a glance
2 × 2 in, head 1 to 1 3/8 in, a white or off-white background, no glasses or edits, taken in the last 6 months.
Details
These are the main rules for the printed photo you send with Form DS-11 or DS-82, from the State Department's passport photo page (last updated March 24, 2026).
| What's measured | The rule |
|---|---|
| Photo size | 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm), in color |
| Head height | 1 to 1 3/8 inches (25–35 mm), from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head |
| Eye height | 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 inches (28–35 mm) from the bottom of the photo |
| Background | Plain white or off-white, with no shadows, texture, objects or lines |
| Expression | Neutral, or a natural smile; both eyes open and mouth closed |
| Eyeglasses | Not allowed, not even resting on your head, unless you have a signed note from your doctor for a medical reason |
| How recent | Taken in the last 6 months |
| Editing | No filters, retouching or other changes with software or apps |
| Red eye | Not allowed; retake the photo instead of editing it |
| Clothing | No uniform, clothing that looks like a uniform, or camouflage; no headphones or wireless hands-free devices |
| Jewelry and piercings | Allowed if they don't hide your face |
| Head coverings | Religious: signed statement that it's religious attire worn daily in public. Medical: signed doctor's statement. Your full face must be visible. |
| Wheelchair users | Part of the head support may show; include a note explaining why the background isn't completely white |
| Matte or glossy photo paper; sharp, with no visible printer dots; no photocopies or scans; no holes, creases or smudges |
Print it for under $1
Order it as a regular 4×6 print: $0.18 at Walmart on October 7, 2026.
Details
Order the 4×6 print sheet as a regular 4×6 print, not through the passport photo service, with crop and fit turned off so each photo stays exactly 2 × 2 inches. On October 7, 2026, a 4×6 print cost $0.18 at Walmart, $0.39 at Walgreens and $0.42 at CVS, while the passport photo service cost $16.99 at Walgreens and $17.99 at CVS. With photo paper at home, print the Letter PDF at Actual size instead.
Passport photo prices at Walgreens, CVS, USPS and more stores, with sources
Renewing online? You need a digital file
Pick online renewal in the list for a JPG of 54 KB to 10 MB.
Details
US online renewal takes a JPG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF file of 54 KB to 10 MB, framed down to your shoulders; no pixel size is stated. Pick US passport online renewal in the document list, and the tool saves a JPG in that range.
A photo of a baby
Lay the baby on a white sheet, with no hands in the frame.
Details
Lay the baby on a plain white sheet, or cover a car seat with one, keep every hand out of the frame and take out the pacifier. For a US passport, a baby's eyes don't have to be entirely open, and Baby photo relaxes that one check.
What the tool checks, and what it can't
It measures head, eyes, background, light and focus, but can't approve a photo.
Details
It checks that you're alone in the photo, head straight and facing the camera, eyes open and mouth closed, head size and eye height, room around your head, resolution, a plain light background, even light, brightness and focus. It flags glasses and glare when it sees them. It can't reliably spot filters or edits, and it can't approve a photo: the agency that reviews your application decides.
Why passport photos get rejected
Mostly shadows, head size, glasses, busy backgrounds, blur and edits.
Details
The State Department says: "Unacceptable photos are the number one reason why we put passport applications on hold." The usual causes are shadows, a head that's too big or too small, glasses, a background that isn't plain, blur and edits, and it says it checks every photo for digital changes. If a photo is rejected, you get a letter or email and have 90 days from the date on the letter to reply (what happens after a rejection).
Passport photo rejected: reasons, fixes and what happens next
Photo rules for other documents
Each guide has the official specs, why that photo gets rejected and the tool set up for it.
Your photo stays on your device
The photo is never uploaded, and there's no account.
Details
Face detection runs in your browser with open-source MediaPipe models downloaded to your phone or computer. The photo itself is never uploaded, and there's no account to create. The test results show how the checks did on our test photos, misses included, and about this site says who runs it and how to reach us.
Questions
Is a passport photo taken at home accepted?
Yes, if it meets the rules. The State Department lists "a friend or family member" among the places to get a passport photo.
How do I make a 2x2 photo online for free?
Take or choose a photo on this page. The tool crops it to 2 × 2 inches with the head and eyes in the official ranges, checks it and saves a print sheet, a PDF and a JPG, free, with no sign-up and no watermark.
How do I take a passport photo on an iPhone for free?
Open this page in Safari, stand a step in front of a plain white wall facing a window, and have someone hold the iPhone about 4 feet away at eye level, or prop it up and tap Hands-free. You don't need an app. Step by step, with the iPhone settings to turn off: how to take a passport photo with an iPhone.
Is there a free passport photo app?
Yes, this page works as one. Open it in Safari or Chrome on your phone and tap Take photo: the photo is cropped and checked on the phone, free, with nothing to install and no sign-up. More in no app needed.
Can I print my own passport photo at Walgreens or CVS?
Yes. Order the 4×6 print sheet as a regular 4×6 print, not through the passport photo service, with crop and fit turned off so each photo measures exactly 2 inches.
How much does a passport photo cost at a store?
From $7.64 at Walmart to $19.99 at Staples, with Walgreens at $16.99, CVS at $17.99 and the Post Office at $15.00 (published prices read on October 7, 2026). A regular 4×6 print of the free sheet from this page costs $0.18 at Walmart. See passport photo prices at every store, with sources.
Can I smile in my passport photo?
A natural smile is fine if both eyes are open and your mouth is closed. The State Department asks you to avoid exaggerated expressions. Visa and DV photos need a neutral face instead.
Can I wear glasses in a passport photo?
No. Eyeglasses aren't allowed in US passport photos unless you send a signed note from your doctor for a medical reason.
What size is a US passport photo in pixels?
The print is 2 × 2 inches, which is 600 × 600 pixels at 300 dpi. For online renewal, the State Department lists no pixel size, only a file size of 54 KB to 10 MB. Other documents are listed in passport photo sizes.
Can I make a US visa or DV lottery photo here?
Yes. Tap the document name above the buttons and pick it, or open the US visa photo or DV lottery photo page, where the tool is already set up and the rules are explained. Visa and DV photos need a neutral expression, and the DV lottery takes a 600 × 600 JPEG upload. Already have one? Check a DS-160 photo or check a DV photo, and see how to enter the DV lottery.
Will my photo be accepted if every check passes?
Not necessarily. The tool measures what software can measure; the government office that reviews your application makes the final decision.
By Passport Photo at Home · Updated · Rules checked against travel.state.gov (last updated March 24, 2026) · How we check (updated )