U.S. PASSPORT PHOTO GUIDE
U.S. passport photo rejected? Start with the actual message
First distinguish an upload error from a later request for a new photo. Follow the official message, review your original, and retake visible problems rather than digitally repairing them. No independent checker can guarantee acceptance.
Updated · Published by French Connection Limited, Hong Kong.
Check my photo — freeFree public beta: browser-local screening estimates and a watermarked print-crop preview only. Payments and downloadable print files are not available.
1. Identify which stage has a problem
An unreadable-file message needs different troubleshooting from a request explaining a shadow or framing problem. Write down the exact wording for your own reference. Do not assume that changing the file size will resolve an appearance issue.
The State Department's online-renewal instructions distinguish initial checks from later staff review. A successful upload is not final acceptance. If staff request another photo, follow that notice's submission method and deadline; this guide does not replace it.
2. Check the original file, not a screenshot
For online renewal, the official instructions list original, unedited JPG/JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF files from 54 KB to 10 MB. Use the official application's positioning and cropping tools.
Find the camera original before experimenting. A screenshot, messaging-app copy or renamed extension is not a reliable substitute. Simply renaming a file does not convert its format. If our browser cannot decode it, that alone does not show whether the official portal supports it. Keep the original safe while troubleshooting.
3. Retake visible lighting or background problems
Inspect the whole image, not just the face thumbnail. Compare the two cheeks and the wall behind your head. Our shadows and lighting guide offers a practical physical setup: softer light, more space from the wall and a check before shooting again.
The official instructions require a plain white or off-white background without shadows and prohibit digital changes to appearance or background. Do not use AI background replacement or shadow removal. Adjust the setup and take another original instead.
4. Review glasses, eyes and pose yourself
The official instructions call for a directly facing pose, visible open eyes and no glasses except documented exceptions. Read the official guidance if an exception may apply.
A software result cannot settle every detail. Compare your original with the official examples, including the head, eyes and mouth. A green result is not a reason to disregard a clearly visible problem or a specific request from the reviewing agency.
5. Keep online uploads separate from paper prints
The printed-photo requirements specify a 2×2 inch photo, with chin-to-head height of 1–1⅜ inches. Our print-layout guide explains why the finished print must be measured.
A print preview is not your original online-renewal file. Choose the workflow required by your application or official notice rather than treating every passport photo as interchangeable.
Use the free checker as a second look
Our checker guide explains measured properties versus estimates. Estimates can miss problems or flag acceptable images. We cannot authenticate identity, capture date or editing history, and we provide no human expert review. The government makes the final acceptance decision.
Your selected photo is processed locally in your browser. Do not email us photos, passports, identity documents or official letters. Optional feedback should describe only the device, browser and confusing tool message.
Official sources linked above were checked October 11, 2026. Always follow the current instructions for your application.