Updated · Rules checked against the USCIS photo alert of December 12, 2025 and the current I-485, I-765 and I-131 instructions
What changed in December 2025
On December 12, 2025, USCIS published the alert New Photo Policy Helps Prevent Immigration Fraud Through Enhanced Identity Verification. It says: "Self-submitted photos will no longer be accepted. Only photos taken by USCIS or other authorized entities will be used."
The alert says USCIS requires a new photo for Forms I-90, I-485, N-400 and N-600. It also says photos used for documents must have been taken within 3 years of filing. Forms I-765 and I-131 aren't on that list.
What the form instructions still say
When we checked on September 25, 2026, the instructions for these forms still asked you to send photos:
| Form | Edition we checked | Photos in the instructions |
|---|---|---|
| I-485, adjustment of status (green card from inside the US) | 09/18/26 | Two identical color passport-style photos (page 8) |
| I-765, employment authorization | 08/21/25 | Two identical color passport-style photos (page 21). USCIS isn't accepting the 09/15/26 edition, under a court order. |
| I-131, travel documents | 01/20/25 | Two identical color passport-style photos (pages 27–28); a digital photo must come from a camera of at least 3.5 megapixels |
So do you need to send photos?
Follow the current instructions of your form or your USCIS notice. If the edition you file asks for two photos, include them. USCIS may also take your photo, fingerprints and signature at a biometrics appointment to verify your identity, and under the new policy only photos taken by USCIS or other authorized entities are used. Editions change, so check the form's page on uscis.gov, such as the Form I-485 page, before you file.
Photo rules when a form asks for them
The I-485, I-765 and I-131 instructions describe the same photos:
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Number | Two identical photos |
| Color | Color photos |
| Size | 2 × 2 inches |
| Head height | 1 to 1 3/8 inches, from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin |
| Eye height | 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 inches from the eyes to the bottom of the photo |
| Background | White to off-white |
| Paper | Thin paper with a glossy finish |
| Condition | Unmounted and unretouched |
| Head covering | Head bare, unless you wear headwear required by your religious denomination |
| Back of photo | Lightly print your name and A-Number, if you have one, in pencil or felt pen |
How it differs from a passport photo
The size and head measurements match a US passport photo, but a few details are different:
- Glossy finish. Passport photos can be matte or glossy. The USCIS instructions ask for thin paper with a glossy finish.
- Writing on the back. USCIS asks for your name and A-Number, printed lightly in pencil or felt pen.
- Two identical copies. Both photos must come from the same shot.
- Religious headwear only. The instructions mention head coverings required by your religious denomination.
Make and print the photos
- Check that the document above the buttons says Green card / immigrant visa. It's already selected on this page.
- Take the photo in front of a plain white or off-white wall with even light, and remove any hat.
- Let the tool crop to 2×2 inches with the head and eyes inside the ranges above, then fix anything the checks flag.
- Keep the photo unretouched: no filters and no smoothing. The tool doesn't offer background changes for US documents. The reminder next to the save button lists the rest.
- Save the 4×6 print sheet with the main button. Every photo on it comes from the same image, so the copies are identical.
- Order it as a regular 4×6 print with a glossy finish, at 100% with no cropping. See how to print passport photos at Walgreens, CVS or Walmart.
- Cut out two photos and print your name and A-Number lightly on the back of each.
Write on the back with light pressure and let felt-pen ink dry before stacking the photos. Pressing hard can dent the front, and wet ink can transfer onto the face of the photo underneath.
Common mistakes with USCIS photos
- Matte prints. They're fine for a passport, but the USCIS instructions ask for a glossy finish.
- Two different shots. The photos must be identical. Two prints from the same sheet solve this.
- Taping or gluing the photos. The instructions ask for unmounted photos, so don't stick them to a page.
- Retouched photos. The photos must be unretouched, which rules out filters, smoothing and background replacement. The tool doesn't offer Change background for US documents, so use a plain white wall.
- Heavy writing on the back. Print your name and A-Number lightly so nothing shows through or dents the front.
What about glasses?
US passport and US visa photo rules both ban eyeglasses, so taking them off for the shot is the safe choice for USCIS photos too.
Photos of children
State Department visa photo rules ask that a baby or toddler look at the camera with eyes open, with no other person in the photo. Baby photo doesn't relax any checks for this document. See how to take a baby passport photo for setups that help.
Other green card photo situations
- Immigrant visa from abroad (DS-260). Applicants going through a US consulate need two identical 2×2 inch printed photos. See the US visa photo for the DS-160 page, which covers immigrant visas too.
- Diversity Visa selectees. Selectees need two 2×2 printed photos. See the DV lottery photo requirements.
- Other USCIS forms. Each form has its own instructions. Read the photographs section of the edition you're filing.
Questions
Do I still need to send photos with Form I-485?
Check the edition you file. USCIS's December 12, 2025 alert says it no longer accepts self-submitted photos and requires a new photo for I-485, but the I-485 instructions (edition 09/18/26) still list two passport-style photos. Follow the current instructions or your USCIS notice.
Do I need photos with Form I-765 or I-131?
Their current instructions still ask for two identical passport-style photos (I-765 edition 08/21/25, I-131 edition 01/20/25), and they aren't among the forms the December 2025 alert names. Follow the instructions of the edition you file.
How many photos do I need?
Two identical color passport-style photos, when your form's instructions ask for them.
Do USCIS photos have to be glossy?
The instructions ask for photos printed on thin paper with a glossy finish. Choose glossy when you order the print.
What should I write on the back of the photos?
Your name and your A-Number, if you have one, printed lightly in pencil or felt pen.
Can I use my passport photos?
The size and head measurements are the same, but USCIS asks for a glossy finish, so print a fresh sheet on glossy paper. It costs well under $1.