Updated
Photo sizes at a glance
| Document | Printed size | Digital file | Head size |
|---|---|---|---|
| US passport | 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) | Online renewal: JPG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF, 54 KB to 10 MB; no pixel size stated | 1 to 1 3/8 in (25–35 mm) |
| US visa (DS-160) | — | Square JPEG, 600×600 to 1200×1200 px, 240 kB or less | 50–69% of the image height |
| US immigrant visa (DS-260) | Two identical 2 × 2 in prints | — | Same as US visa photos |
| DV lottery entry | Selectees: two 2 × 2 in prints | Square JPEG, 600×600 px, 240 kB or less | 50–69% of the image height |
| Green card and USCIS forms | When the form asks for photos: two identical 2 × 2 in prints, glossy | — | 1 to 1 3/8 in |
| China visa | 33 × 48 mm | JPEG, 354×472 to 420×560 px, 40–120 KB | 28–33 mm |
| Schengen visa | 35 × 45 mm | — | 32–36 mm (70–80%) |
| UK passport | 45 mm high × 35 mm wide | At least 600×750 px, 50 KB to 10 MB | 29–34 mm |
| India passport (applying from the US) | Not listed here | 630×810 px, color | Face 80–85% of the photo |
2x2 photo in cm, mm and pixels
| Unit | 2 × 2 inch photo |
|---|---|
| Inches | 2 × 2 in |
| Centimeters | 5.08 × 5.08 cm |
| Millimeters | 50.8 × 50.8 mm, usually rounded to 51 × 51 mm |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 600 × 600 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 1200 × 1200 px |
Official sources and when we checked them
| Document | Official source | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| US passport | travel. | Page updated March 24, 2026; we checked September 25, 2026 |
| US online renewal | travel. | Page updated May 4, 2026; we checked September 25, 2026 |
| US visa (DS-160) | travel. | Page shows no update date; we checked September 25, 2026 |
| DV lottery | travel. | Page shows no update date; we checked September 25, 2026 |
| Green card / immigrant visa | travel. | Page shows no update date; we checked September 25, 2026 |
| China visa | us. | We checked September 25, 2026 |
| Schengen visa | france-visas. | We checked September 25, 2026 |
| UK passport | gov. | We checked September 25, 2026 |
| India passport | indianembassyusa. | We checked September 25, 2026 |
| USCIS forms | uscis.gov photo alert and Form I-485 | Alert: December 12, 2025; I-485 instructions: edition 09/18/26; we checked September 25, 2026 |
Documents this tool can't help with
- Canadian passport. Canada requires photos taken by a commercial photographer, with the studio's stamp. A photo made at home doesn't meet that rule, so this tool isn't suitable for Canadian passport photos.
- Mexican and Philippine passports at consulates in the US. These consulates take your photo at the appointment, so you don't need to bring one.
How to measure head size
On a printed photo
Lay a ruler with millimeter or eighth-inch marks vertically across the photo. Measure from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head, then compare the result with the range in the chart. For a US passport photo, 1 inch is the minimum and 1 3/8 inches is the maximum. To convert, 1 inch is 25.4 mm. Check the whole photo too: a 2×2 print that measures 1 7/8 inches wide was scaled during printing, which throws off every other measurement.
On a digital photo
Percent rules are easiest to check in pixels. Open the photo in any editor that shows the cursor position, note the pixel row at the chin and at the top of the head, and subtract. Divide that by the image height. On a 600×600 US visa photo, a 360-pixel head is 60%, inside the 50–69% range. Or skip the arithmetic: choose the file in the passport photo checker. A photo that already has the document's shape is measured exactly as it is.
Head size and photo size are separate rules. A photo can be the right size with a head that's too small, so check both before you print or upload.
Metric and inch conversions
Most rules outside the US are in millimeters, while US rulers and print menus use inches. The pixel column is for print layouts at 300 dpi. Online forms use the digital sizes in the chart above.
| Photo size | In inches | At 300 dpi |
|---|---|---|
| 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) | 2 × 2 | 600 × 600 px |
| 33 × 48 mm (China) | About 1.30 × 1.89 | About 390 × 567 px |
| 35 × 45 mm (Schengen, UK) | About 1.38 × 1.77 | About 413 × 531 px |
Why one photo can't serve every document
It's tempting to trim a single photo to fit several applications, but the rules pull in different directions. A US 2×2 photo is square, with the head filling about half to two-thirds of the height. A Schengen photo is taller than it is wide, with the face filling 70–80%. An Indian passport photo fills 80–85%. The backgrounds vary as well: white or off-white for US documents, white or close to white for China, plain and single-colored in German Schengen guidance, and cream or light gray for printed UK photos. How recent the photo must be also varies, from the last month for the UK to 6 months for US passports and visas.
You don't need a new photo session for each one, though. One well-lit, sharp photo with plenty of space around you can be cropped by the tool for several documents. Just pick each document in the list in turn.
Questions
What size is a 2x2 photo?
2 × 2 inches, which is 5.08 × 5.08 cm, or about 51 × 51 mm. At 300 dpi, that's 600 × 600 pixels.
How do I make my photo 2x2?
Take or choose it with the US passport photo maker. It crops the photo to 2 × 2 inches with the head between 1 and 1 3/8 inches, checks it, and saves a print sheet and a JPG. Cropping by hand rarely puts the head and eyes in range.
Is a 2×2 photo the same as 35×45 mm?
No. A 2×2 inch photo is 51 × 51 mm and square. A 35×45 mm photo is smaller and taller than it is wide.
How many pixels is a 2×2 inch photo?
At 300 dots per inch, a 2×2 inch photo is 600×600 pixels. The State Department's own photo tool crops to 600×600, and the DV lottery requires exactly that size. The DS-160 accepts anything from 600×600 to 1200×1200.
Can I make a Canadian passport photo at home?
No. Canada requires a commercial photographer and a studio stamp, so a home photo won't meet the rule.
Do I need to bring a photo to the Mexican or Philippine consulate?
No. Those consulates in the US take the photo at your appointment.
Which size should I choose for an online application?
Follow the digital file column in the chart. Online forms work in pixels and file size rather than inches, and the tool's digital JPG is made to the size each document requires.