Official 2×2 Inch Passport Specifications
Whether renewing online or mailing in Form DS-82 or Form DS-11, your passport photo must strictly comply with official federal standards.
For physical mail-in applications, you must submit one color photograph printed on photo-quality paper measuring exactly 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm). For digital renewals, an exact 600 × 600 pixel square JPEG under 240 KB is required.
Biometric Sizing Checklist
| Metric | Physical Print (Inches) | Digital Upload (Pixels) | Percentage of Image |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Dimension | 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm) | 600 × 600 px | 100% |
| Head Height | 1 inch to 1⅜ inches | 300 to 414 px | 50% – 69% |
| Eye Level | 1⅛ to 1⅜ inches from bottom | 336 to 414 px from bottom | 56% – 69% |
| Top Margin | ⅛ to ¼ inch space above head | 24 to 60 px | 4% – 10% |
Equipment Needed for DIY Photos
You do not need an expensive DSLR camera to take a compliant passport photo. A modern smartphone camera (iPhone, Samsung, Pixel) with at least an 8-megapixel rear camera is more than sufficient.
- Camera: Use the rear camera of your smartphone (avoid front-facing selfie cameras due to focal length distortion).
- Tripod or Assistant: Have someone else take the picture or place your phone on a stable tripod at eye level.
- Background: A plain white painted wall, solid white door, or white poster board mounted flush to the wall.
- Lighting: Daylight from a window directly in front of you, or two lamps placed at 45-degree angles to avoid shadows.
Common Mistakes That Cause Rejection
- Selfie Photos: Selfies taken at arm's length distort facial geometry and widen nose proportions, failing biometric facial feature matching.
- Shadows Behind the Ears: When sitting too close to the wall, harsh shadows appear behind your head. Maintain a distance of 2 to 3 feet from the background.
- Overexposed / Washed Out Face: Using phone flash directly in front of your face creates bright hot spots and washes out facial contours.
- Smiling with Teeth: The State Department requires a neutral expression with eyes open and mouth closed. A subtle, natural closed-mouth expression is permitted, but teeth must not be visible.
How to Print Your 2×2 Photos for Under $0.50
Commercial pharmacies and postal centers often charge $15.00 to $20.00 for two passport photos. With our downloadable 4×6 inch print template, you can print 4 to 6 passport photos at any local pharmacy (Walgreens, CVS, Walmart) as a standard 4×6 photo print for under $0.50:
- Validate and crop your photo using our AI tool to generate the compliant 4×6 print sheet.
- Order a standard 4×6 inch glossy or matte print at your preferred photo kiosk.
- Cut along the guide lines with sharp scissors or a paper cutter to yield exact 2×2 inch photos.