Updated · Rules checked against travel.state.gov (last updated March 24, 2026)
How to check a photo you already have
- Check the document above the buttons. The checker measures against that document's rules, so the choice matters. To change it, tap its name and pick US visa, green card or another document from the list.
- Tap Choose a photo and pick the file. JPG and PNG work everywhere, and HEIC files from an iPhone open in Safari.
- Read the results. A photo that already has the document's shape, such as a 2×2 square for a US passport, is measured exactly as it is.
- Before you use the photo, go through the reminder next to the save button: glasses, hats, the photo's age and edits are things software can't fully check.
If the photo doesn't have the document's shape, for example a wider shot straight from your phone, the tool crops it around your face first and tells you so. To see how the uncropped photo measures, tap Measure it as it is.
Only have a paper print? Scan it or photograph it straight on in good light, crop the image to the edges of the print, and check it. Because the image then has the print's shape, the checker measures it as it is. Treat the result as a guide, since any copy of a print loses detail. Send the original print with your application, not the copy.
Check a DS-160, DV or green card photo
The checker starts with US passport rules. To check a photo for another document, pick it in the list above the buttons, or open the checker with it already selected: check a US visa (DS-160) photo, check a DV lottery photo or check a green card or immigrant visa photo.
State Department Photo Tool vs this checker
| What it does | State Department Photo Tool | This checker |
|---|---|---|
| Crops the photo | Yes, to 600×600 pixels | Yes, to the size of the document you pick |
| Checks head size, background, light and focus | No | Yes, with what to fix |
| Makes a file for online renewal | No; its page says not to use it for online renewal | Yes, a JPG in the 54 KB to 10 MB range |
| Makes a 4×6 print sheet | No | Yes, plus a Letter PDF for home printing |
For online renewal, the renewal application has its own photo tool that checks the basic requirements when you upload, and an employee reviews the photo later.
What each check measures
The table uses US passport numbers from the State Department's passport photo rules. When you choose a different document, the targets change to match its rules.
| Check | What it looks at | US passport target |
|---|---|---|
| One person | How many faces appear in the picture | Exactly one |
| Head straight | Whether your head leans toward one shoulder | Level |
| Facing the camera | Whether your face is turned to one side, or up or down | Looking straight at the lens |
| Eyes open | Whether both eyes are open | Both open (a baby's eyes don't have to be fully open) |
| Mouth closed | Whether the mouth is open | Closed |
| Expression | Whether you're smiling, for documents that need a neutral face | A natural smile is fine |
| Head size | Distance from the chin to the top of the head, compared with the photo height | 1 to 1 3/8 in on a 2 in photo, which is 50–69% of the height |
| Eye height | How far the eyes sit above the bottom edge | 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 in, which is 56–69% of the height |
| Top of head | Whether the top of the head is cut off by the frame | The whole head inside the photo |
| Room around head and shoulders | Space between you and the edges of the photo | Not pressed against any edge |
| Resolution | How many pixels the photo has | Enough for the output size without stretching the image |
| Background | Color and evenness behind you | Plain white or off-white, with no shadows or patterns |
| Even light | Whether one side of the face is darker than the other | No strong shadow on the face |
| Brightness | Overall exposure | Neither dark nor washed out |
| Focus | How sharp the details of the face are | Sharp, not blurry |
The checker also warns about glasses, glare and red eyes when it sees them, and about the photo's date and editing apps when the file records them. See how our photo checks work, and their limits for the thresholds behind each result.
When a photo you cropped yourself fails on size, the crop is usually the problem, not the photo. Choose the original, uncropped file instead, let the tool crop it, and run the checks again before you retake anything.
How to fix each failure
Head too large, too small, or eyes at the wrong height
If you checked a photo you had already cropped, choose the original, uncropped file so the tool can crop it to the official proportions. You can then fine-tune with the head-size slider and the arrows, or tap Auto-fit when it appears. If the head is still too large after re-cropping, the original was taken with too little space around the head, so take a new one from farther back.
Top of head cut off, or no room around the shoulders
No crop can add hair or shoulders that the camera never captured. Retake the photo with the camera a bit farther away and leave clear space above your head.
Head tilted or face turned
Retake with both feet flat on the floor and your shoulders square to the camera. Look into the lens itself rather than at the screen. If a helper is holding the phone, ask them to hold it at your eye level instead of their own.
Eyes closed or mouth open
Blinks are easy to miss on a small screen. Take several shots in a row and choose the one where your eyes are clearly open and your lips are together.
Background failed
Look at the picture for a shadow behind your head, a visible corner, trim or a pattern. Step farther from the wall and put more light on the wall itself. If a white wall looks gray or yellow in the photo, the room is too dim or the bulbs are too warm, and daylight from a window usually fixes both.
Uneven light, too dark or too bright
Turn so you face your main light, and move away from a window that's behind you or beside you. If one side of your face is still darker, add a lamp or hold a sheet of white poster board on that side to bounce light back. If the photo looks washed out, move out of direct sun.
Blurry photo or low resolution
Wipe the camera lens and tap your face on the screen to focus. Use the original photo file, not a screenshot or a copy sent through a messaging app, since those are often shrunk and compressed. Avoid digital zoom; frame the shot with distance instead.
More than one person
The checker counts any face it finds, including a person in the background or a face on a poster behind you. Retake the photo with nothing but you in the frame.
More examples, and what happens after a rejection, are in why passport photos get rejected, and how to fix them.
What automatic checks can't tell you
Software can measure proportions, light and sharpness. It can't be sure of everything a reviewer looks at:
- When the photo was taken. The 6-month rule depends on the date. When the file records it, the checker compares it with the rule, but many files don't, so the reminder next to the save button lists it.
- Edits. The checker names editing apps it finds in the file's details, but a subtle filter or smoothing effect may look natural to a detector. Only you know whether the photo was edited.
- Glasses and hats. The checker flags glasses and glare when it sees them, but thin or rimless frames and some head coverings are hard to spot reliably, so look for them yourself.
- The print itself. The checker sees a file, not the paper. Printed size, paper type, creases and smudges are up to you, so measure the printed photo with a ruler.
- The final decision. Passing every check doesn't guarantee acceptance. The agency that reviews your application decides. This tool is independent and isn't a government site.
Questions
How do I check if my passport photo is OK?
Choose it on this page. The checker measures head size, eye height, background, light, focus and more against the rules of the document you pick, and marks each check OK, Review or Fix with what to do. Then go through the reminder yourself: glasses, hats, the photo's age and edits.
Is there an official passport photo checker?
Not for printed photos. The State Department's Photo Tool only crops to 600×600 pixels and doesn't check quality. For online renewal, the application's photo tool checks the basic requirements when you upload, and an employee reviews the photo after your application arrives.
Can I check the photo size online?
Yes. Choose the file here. A photo that already has the document's shape is measured as it is, and the result shows the head size and eye height against the allowed ranges. For a print, use a ruler: a US passport photo is exactly 2 × 2 inches.
Does the checker crop my photo?
Only when it has to. A photo that already has the document's shape, such as a 2×2 square for a US passport, is measured exactly as it is. Any other photo is cropped around the face first, and the tool tells you. Tap Measure it as it is to check the uncropped photo instead.
My wall is white. Why did the background check fail?
Walls rarely look pure white in a photo. A shadow behind your head, dim light that turns the wall gray, or warm bulbs that tint it yellow can all make it fail. More light on the wall and a step away from it usually help.
Can I check a photo I got from a store or a photographer?
Yes. If you have a digital file, choose it on this page. A file that's already cut to the document's size is measured as it is. If you only have the print, scan it or photograph it straight on and crop the image to the print's edges first. The result is a guide, since a copy loses detail.
If every check passes, will my photo be accepted?
Not necessarily. The checks cover what software can measure. The photo's age, edits and the quality of the print still depend on you, and the final decision belongs to the agency reviewing your application.
Does Baby photo work for every document?
It relaxes only what each document's rules allow for babies. For a US passport, that's the eyes-open check. UK rules relax more for young children. US visa, DV lottery and immigrant visa rules ask children to look at the camera with their eyes open, so nothing is relaxed for those.
Is my photo sent to a server for checking?
No. Face detection runs in your browser with open-source MediaPipe models downloaded to your device. The photo itself is never uploaded.