What to Wear for a Passport Photo: The Ultimate Dress Code Guide

The Official Dress Code Rules for Passports

When preparing for your official passport or visa photo, your outfit is more important than you realize. A single prohibited item—even a small camouflage pattern—can trigger an immediate rejection of your application, causing weeks of delay. Governments use these photos for strict identification at international borders, meaning anything that obscures or distracts from your primary facial features is strictly forbidden. The overarching rule is simple: Wear what you would wear on a normal, average day. However, 'normal' has very specific definitions according to the US Department of State.

The Strict Ban on Uniforms

The most absolute rule regarding passport photo clothing is the total ban on uniforms. You cannot wear any clothing that looks like a uniform, acts like a uniform, or represents a specific job or organization. This includes everything from military fatigues and police uniforms to airline pilot attire and scrubs. Even if you are an active-duty service member applying for a civilian passport, you must wear everyday casual clothing. There is one exception: religious attire worn daily. If your faith requires a specific garment every single day, it is permitted, but you often must submit an accompanying signed statement.

Camouflage: A Surprising Reason for Rejection

You cannot wear anything containing camouflage patterns. No matter the color palette—whether it's traditional woodland green, desert tan, or a trendy pink fashion camo—it is prohibited. This rule stems from security regulations and the need to prevent any association with military or paramilitary organizations in civilian travel documents. If your favorite jacket has a camo trim, do not layer it over your shirt.

What Colors Work Best?

Because the background of a US passport photo must be plain white or off-white, you must create contrast. Never wear a white shirt. If you wear a plain white blouse or a stark white t-shirt, your body will blend entirely into the background, making you look like a floating head. This causes automated recognition systems to fail because they cannot determine where your shoulders begin and the background ends.

Instead, choose dark or jewel tones. Black, navy blue, forest green, deep burgundy, and dark grey offer the perfect level of contrast against the bright white background. Avoid bold, distracting patterns or shirts with massive logos, as these can draw the eyes of the passport adjudicator away from your facial features.

Jewelry, Piercings, and Tattoos

Good news: your personal style is generally allowed. You can wear jewelry, such as necklaces or earrings, provided they do not obscure your face. However, large, sweeping statement necklaces that climb up your neck or cast shadows on your chin should be avoided. Facial piercings and facial tattoos are perfectly acceptable, provided they are a permanent part of your everyday appearance. You do not need to remove small nose rings or lip studs. However, 'temporary' facial modifications (like Halloween face paint or extreme temporary tattoos) are grounds for rejection.

The Simple Solution

The easiest approach is to throw on a plain, dark-colored t-shirt, sweater, or blazer before taking your photo. If you take the photo at home, PhotoStudio's background removal tool is guaranteed to cut a clean, mathematically precise line around your shoulders, separating your dark shirt from the pure white background. This high-contrast edge is exactly what the State Department algorithms look for.