US 2x2 Inch Passport and Visa Photo Guide

The United States uses one photo format for passports, visas, green card steps and several other documents: a square photo of 2x2 inches (51x51 mm). The size is the same everywhere, but the way you submit it differs. This guide explains the rules and the differences.

The 2x2 inch rules

Size: 2x2 inches (51x51 mm), square.
Head size: the head measures 1 to 1 3/8 inches (25-35 mm) from the chin to the top of the hair.
Eye line: the eyes are 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 inches (28-35 mm) from the bottom edge of the photo.
Background: plain white or off-white, with no shadows.
Glasses: not allowed.
Recent: taken within the last 6 months.
Expression: neutral, or a natural smile, with both eyes open and the face looking straight at the camera.

Passport, DS-160 visa, DV lottery and green card

Passport. A printed 2x2 inch photo goes with a passport application. Online passport renewal accepts a digital file between 54 KB and 10 MB.

DS-160 visa. The visa application takes a digital photo. The size is between 600x600 and 1200x1200 pixels and the file must be under 240 KB.

DV lottery. The diversity visa entry also takes a digital photo. Read the current instructions for your entry year to confirm the exact limits before you upload.

Green card. Steps in the green card process may ask for printed 2x2 inch photos. Check the instructions of the form you are filing, as they state how many copies are needed.

Because each use has its own submission rules, read the page for your specific document on IDPhotoly and on the official site.

Taking the photo at home

Stand facing a window with a plain white or off-white wall behind you, and move a step away from the wall so your shadow does not fall on it. Ask someone to hold the phone at eye level and take the photo straight on. Keep your hair off your face, remove your glasses and look into the lens with a neutral expression. Take several shots and choose the sharpest.

IDPhotoly crops the photo to the square, sets the head and eye line within the stated ranges, and replaces the background with white. The processing happens in your browser.

Printing a 4x6 sheet with two photos

A 4x6 inch (10x15 cm) sheet holds two 2x2 inch photos, which makes it a cheap way to print. Print at 100 percent or actual size, never fit to page, on photo paper at a pharmacy, a photo kiosk or at home. Measure one photo with a ruler: it should be exactly 2 inches on each side. Cut along the guide lines without trimming into the head.

Common mistakes

Wearing glasses, or leaving glare from them in the shot.
A grey, cream or shadowed background.
A head that is too small because the photo was taken from far away.
A head that is too large because the picture was cropped too tightly.
A tilted head or a wide smile with an open mouth.
Printing on plain paper or letting the printer scale the image.
Using a photo older than six months.

Price, refund and privacy

Prices start at $6.99 as a one-time payment, handled by Lemon Squeezy as merchant of record. If an official authority rejects the photo, you can request a full refund by email within 30 days at [email protected]. IDPhotoly is not affiliated with any government.

Last updated October 5, 2026.