Who needs this photo
Two identical colour photos are required for Advance Parole, TPS Travel Authorization and Refugee Travel Documents filed from abroad, and for parole in place. Reentry Permit applicants are not on that photo list, because their photo is captured at the USCIS biometrics appointment.
The photo rules in plain words
The size is 2x2 inches (51x51 mm). The photos are colour, passport-style, on thin glossy paper, unmounted and unretouched. Digital prints must come from a camera of at least 3.5 megapixels.
- Head: from top of hair to chin, 1 to 1 3/8 in (25.4-34.9 mm).
- Eye line: 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 in (28.6-34.9 mm) from the bottom of the photo.
- Background: white to off-white.
- Copies: 2 identical photos.
- Head covering: religious only, face fully visible.
Glasses are not addressed in the instructions for this form. We therefore follow the usual passport-style rule and recommend taking them off.
How to take the photo at home with a phone
Use a plain white or off-white wall, standing a metre in front of it to avoid shadows. Let daylight come from a window in front of you. Ask a helper to hold the phone at eye level and shoot from a normal distance.
- Look straight at the camera, with a neutral expression or natural smile and both eyes open.
- Keep your head upright, not tilted.
- Do not use filters or beauty modes.
- Take several shots and choose the sharpest.
Common reasons the photo is rejected
- Retouched or filtered image. The photos must be unretouched.
- Mounted or paper-clipped prints. They should be loose and unmounted.
- Mismatched copies. The two photos must be identical.
- Head outside 25.4-34.9 mm. Too small or too large a face.
- Shadows or coloured background. Use white or off-white.
- Low-resolution print. Blurry prints from a very small camera or heavy zoom.
Because the form instructions call for thin glossy paper, avoid matte or textured stock. Do not write on the front of the photos; if your instructions ask you to label them, use the back and keep the pressure light so the face side is not marked or creased.
Printing the photos
This is a printed submission. IDPhotoly crops your photo to 2x2 inches, sets the background and lays out a sheet with two identical copies to print on glossy photo paper at 300 DPI. Cut them out neatly and send them loose with the application.
The photo is processed in your browser and is not uploaded to us. Check your form instructions or USCIS for your exact case before filing.