Updated
By Passport Photo at Home · Rules checked against the State Department's visa photo requirements, digital image requirements and photo examples · How we check (updated )
En español: foto para visa americana (DS-160)
Em português: foto para visto americano
DS-160 photo rules
The DS-160 (and the DS-1648) asks you to upload a digital image while you fill in the form. The embassy or consulate decides whether it's acceptable.
| Item | Official rule | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Shape and pixels | Square, from 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 pixels | Digital image requirements |
| File | JPEG, 240 kB or less; compression ratio 20:1 or less | Digital image requirements |
| Color | 24 bits per pixel, sRGB | Digital image requirements |
| Head height | 50–69% of the image height, bottom of the chin to the top of the head | Visa photos |
| Eye height | 56–69% of the image height, from the bottom edge | Composition template |
| How recent | Taken within the last 6 months | Visa photos |
| Background | Plain white or off-white | Visa photos |
| Pose and expression | Full face, directly facing the camera; neutral expression, both eyes open | Visa photos |
| Eyeglasses | Not allowed, except in rare medical cases with a signed medical statement | Visa photos |
| Head covering | Only if worn daily for a religious purpose; full face visible, no shadows | Visa photos |
| Devices | No headphones or wireless hands-free devices; hearing devices you normally wear are fine | Visa photos |
| Scanning a print | 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm), scanned at 300 pixels per inch | Digital image requirements |
The requirements page gives the head height as “between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches (22 mm and 35 mm)”. One inch is 25.4 mm, so the inch figures and the 50–69% rule match 25–35 mm on a 2 × 2 photo; the 22 mm looks like a typo, and this tool aims for the middle of the range.
What's different from a US passport photo
| US passport photo | US visa photo (DS-160) | |
|---|---|---|
| What you submit | A 2 × 2 in print, or a 54 KB to 10 MB file to renew online | A square JPEG upload, 600 to 1200 px, 240 kB max |
| Expression | Neutral or a natural smile | Neutral |
| Glasses | No; medical note only | No; signed medical statement in rare cases, with frames off the eyes and no glare |
| Head covering | Religious or medical, with a signed statement | Religious and worn daily; no statement asked for |
| Printed copy | The print is the application photo | Some embassies ask for one print at the interview |
The rest matches the US passport photo requirements: the same square proportions, head size and white or off-white background.
Why DS-160 photos get rejected
- The wrong kind of photo. The visa page rules out snapshots, magazine photos, “low quality vending machine or mobile phone photos” and full-length photos. A phone photo is fine when it's sharp and well lit; a dim, grainy one isn't.
- A copy of an ID photo. Photos copied or scanned from a driver's license or another official document aren't accepted.
- Glasses. Even clear lenses, since November 1, 2016.
- Edits. “Photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance in any way.”
- A file outside the limits. Not square, under 600 px, over 240 kB, or squeezed past 20:1 compression into a blocky image.
- A changed appearance. Even inside 6 months, the consulate asks for a new photo after significant facial surgery or trauma, many added or removed facial piercings or tattoos, or a large weight change. A beard or new hair color generally doesn't count.
The State Department's photo examples sort the problems into shadows and lighting, size and position, quality, digital changes, pose and expression, attire, hats and glasses, background, and children. Rejected photo reasons and fixes shows each one.
What the percentages mean in pixels
The head and eye rules are percentages, so they scale with the image. Here is what they work out to at a few common sizes:
| Image size | Head height (50–69%) | Eyes above the bottom edge (56–69%) |
|---|---|---|
| 600×600 px | 300–414 px | 336–414 px |
| 800×800 px | 400–552 px | 448–552 px |
| 1000×1000 px | 500–690 px | 560–690 px |
| 1200×1200 px | 600–828 px | 672–828 px |
The color rule, sRGB and 24-bit, describes an ordinary color JPEG of the kind phones and most cameras produce. It rules out grayscale files and print-oriented color formats such as CMYK. The JPG this tool exports is a standard color file.
In practice, your eyes sit a little above the middle of the square and your head fills a bit more than half of its height. A tiny face in a big frame fails, and so does a face cropped so tightly that the chin or hair touches the edges.
Make your visa photo with this tool
- Check that the document above the buttons says US visa: DS-160 upload. It's already selected on this page.
- Take the photo with the camera guide, or choose a recent JPG or PNG. Stand in front of a plain white or off-white wall with even light on your face.
- The tool crops a square around your face with the head and eyes inside the percentage ranges. Adjust with the head-size slider and the arrows if you need to.
- Fix anything the checks flag. The reminder next to the save button covers what software can't check: glasses, the photo's age and edits.
- Save the JPG with the main button. It's square, inside the 600 to 1200 pixel range and compressed to stay at or under 240 kB, ready for the DS-160 upload step.
A photo straight from a phone is often several megabytes, many times over the 240 kB limit. Don't try to shrink it by taking a screenshot. Save the JPG from the tool, which is already sized and compressed for the form.
Checklist before you upload
- Taken in the last 6 months, and you still look like it.
- Glasses off; earbuds out; hat off unless worn daily for religion.
- Neutral face, both eyes open, looking into the lens.
- Plain white or off-white wall, no shadows.
- Square JPEG, 600 to 1200 px, 240 kB or less.
- No filters, retouching or background changes.
Glasses, head coverings and devices
Eyeglasses have been banned in US visa photos since November 1, 2016. That includes clear prescription lenses, not only sunglasses. The exception is medical: if you can't remove your glasses for a medical reason, you need a signed medical statement. Take them off for the picture even if you wear them all day.
Hearing aids and similar devices you normally wear can stay in. Religious clothing that you wear every day, including a head covering, is allowed. Your full face must be visible, and the covering shouldn't cast shadows on it. Headphones and wireless hands-free devices are not acceptable, and uniforms shouldn't be worn unless they're religious clothing worn daily. For clothes and colors, see what to wear for a passport photo.
Immigrant visas and the diversity visa
Immigrant visa (DS-260)
If you're applying for an immigrant visa with Form DS-260, you'll need two identical printed photos, each 2×2 inches. Pick Green card / immigrant visa in the document list. Its main button saves a 4×6 print sheet with several identical copies on one print. See how to print passport photos at Walgreens, CVS or Walmart to order it.
Diversity Visa lottery
The DV lottery entry uses the same visa photo standards, but its file rule is narrower: a square JPEG of exactly 600×600 pixels, 240 kB or less. If you're selected, you'll need two 2×2 printed photos later. The DV lottery photo requirements page covers the details, including the rule against reusing an old entry photo.
Babies and toddlers
For visa photos, the State Department asks 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 visa documents, so a closed-eyes shot shows as a problem to fix. See how to take a baby passport photo for setups that help.
Adjusting status inside the US
Green card applications filed with USCIS on Form I-485 follow USCIS instructions instead, and USCIS changed its photo policy in December 2025. See green card and USCIS photos.
Questions
Can I use my passport photo for the DS-160?
The composition is the same as a US passport photo, but the DS-160 needs a digital JPEG file: square, 600×600 to 1200×1200 pixels and 240 kB or less. It must also have been taken in the last 6 months. Picking US visa: DS-160 upload in the document list gives you a file that fits those limits.
Can I smile in a US visa photo?
Keep a neutral expression, with both eyes open and facing the camera. That's what the visa photo rules ask for, so the natural smile allowed in a US passport photo is best left out here.
What should I wear for a US visa photo?
Everyday clothes. Uniforms shouldn't be worn unless they're religious clothing worn daily, and headphones and wireless hands-free devices aren't allowed. A religious head covering you wear daily is fine if your full face shows. See what to wear for a passport photo.
Can I wear glasses in my US visa photo?
No. Glasses haven't been allowed since November 1, 2016. The only exception is a medical one, which requires a signed medical statement.
Can I wear a hijab, turban or other religious head covering?
Yes, if it's religious clothing you wear daily. Your full face must still be visible.
My photo is 600×600 but the upload says it's too big. Why?
The limit is on file size as well as dimensions. A 600×600 photo saved at high quality can go over 240 kB. The JPG from this tool is compressed to stay under that limit.
Can I take my visa photo with a phone?
Yes, if it's sharp, well lit and meets every rule. The visa page turns down low-quality mobile phone photos, not phones as such. Use daylight, a white wall and, if you can, a helper with the back camera.
Do I need a printed photo for my visa interview?
Some embassies and consulates ask nonimmigrant visa applicants to bring one photo that meets the requirements; check the instructions of the one where you apply. Immigrant visa applicants bring two identical 2 × 2 in prints.
Is this the official DS-160 photo tool?
No. This is an independent tool that isn't affiliated with the State Department. It makes and checks the file on your device, and you upload it to the DS-160 yourself.