US Passport Photo
600 × 600 pixels, with the head-height rule applied.
The specification
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Printed size | 51 × 51 mm (2 × 2 in) |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 600 × 600 |
| Head height | 50–69% of image height, so 300–414 pixels in a 600-pixel square |
| Background | Plain white or off-white, with no shadow behind the head |
| Used for | A United States passport application |
Converting millimetres to the pixels you upload
The printed requirement is 51 × 51 mm (2 × 2 in), and the pixel figure comes from the standard 300 dpi that print services use: 600 pixels across matches 50.8 mm. Uploading a file sized to these pixels with the physical size recorded in its header is what lets a lab print it correctly without further instruction.
Framing it so it is not rejected
Size alone is not enough. 50–69% of image height, so 300–414 pixels in a 600-pixel square. Crop so the head occupies that proportion of the frame with a small margin above the hair and the eyes in the upper third of the image. Glasses are not permitted in US passport photos, and the photo must have been taken within the last six months.
Why the 2 × 2 inch frame admits no metric variant
The US Department of State accepts only 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm); there is no metric alternative and no tolerance band on the overall dimensions, though the head may occupy anywhere from 50 to 69 percent of the height. Submitted photos are checked both by a person and by an automated tool, and the automated step measures the head directly — which is why a correctly lit photo with a slightly small head comes back rather than being accepted.
Compliance is verified by the issuing authority, not by this page. Requirements change, and some offices add local conditions. Check the current published rules for a united states passport application before you submit.
Why this runs in your browser
The file is read from your disk by the browser, decoded with the browser's own codecs, and re-encoded in this tab. No upload request is made, nothing is queued on a server, and closing the tab leaves no copy anywhere. You can verify this in the network panel while it works.
How to use it
- Start with a straight-on portrait against a plain background.
- Select US Passport Photo to apply the 600 × 600 pixel frame.
- Adjust the crop so the head height rule is satisfied.
- Download, and print at 51 × 51 mm (2 × 2 in) if you need a physical copy.
Worth knowing
- US Passport Photo photos print at 51 × 51 mm (2 × 2 in), which is 600 × 600 pixels at 300 dpi.
- Head height requirement: 50–69% of image height, so 300–414 pixels in a 600-pixel square.
- Background: Plain white or off-white, with no shadow behind the head.
- Source requirement: within the last six months, unretouched, neutral expression.
Limitations
- This page sizes and crops; it cannot certify compliance.
- Low-resolution sources cannot be enlarged to 600 pixels without visible softness.
- Phone portrait-mode and beauty filters can be grounds for rejection.
- Print accuracy depends on the lab honouring the physical size.