If a passport office, a DS-160 visa upload, or a photo kiosk has bounced your photo, it's almost always one of three things: the wrong size, the wrong head height, or the wrong background. Here's the actual US spec, why photos get kicked back, and how to crop one yourself in a couple of minutes.
The exact size & head-height spec
Quick answer A US passport photo must be 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm), with the head measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the hair falling between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inch. At 600 DPI print resolution, that 2 x 2 inch square is exactly 1200 x 1200 pixels.
The head-height rule trips up more people than the outer photo size. It's easy to get the 2 x 2 inch crop right and still fail because the face is too close-up or too far back in the frame. A face that fills almost the entire square, or one that's small with a lot of empty background above the hair, will both get flagged — the target is a specific proportion, not just "centered."
The background matters just as much: it needs to be plain white or off-white, without shadows, texture, patterns, other people, or objects behind the subject. A slightly off-white wall usually passes; a textured wall, a doorway, or a shadow cast by the subject's own head usually doesn't.
Example measurements for a compliant photo (illustrative only)
| Element | Requirement | In pixels @600 DPI |
|---|
| Overall photo | 2 x 2 in | 1200 x 1200 px |
| Head height (chin to hair) | 1 in – 1 3/8 in | ~600 – 825 px |
| Eye height from bottom | ~1 1/8 in – 1 3/8 in | ~675 – 825 px |
| Digital upload (DS-160) | 600x600 – 1200x1200 px | usually under 240 KB |
Why passport photos get rejected
Quick answer Most rejections trace back to one of a handful of causes: wrong physical size or head height, a non-white background, glasses, visible shadows, low resolution, or a photo that's too old.
Consider a hypothetical example: someone takes a photo on their phone leaning against a beige hallway wall, standing close enough that only the top of their forehead is visible, wearing reading glasses. That single photo could fail on three separate counts at once — background color, head-height framing, and eyewear — even though it "looks fine" to the person who took it.
- Wrong size or head height — the crop isn't exactly 2 x 2 in, or the head doesn't fall in the 1 in–1 3/8 in range.
- Non-white background — patterned walls, furniture, doorways, or cast shadows behind the subject.
- Glasses or headwear — glasses of any kind have not been accepted since 2016, except for documented medical reasons; hats and headphones are rejected unless worn for religious or medical reasons.
- Shadows or uneven lighting — harsh light from one side, or a shadow cast on the background.
- Low resolution or blur — a small source photo stretched up to 1200 x 1200 px looks soft on close inspection.
- Photo too old — passport photos should reflect a recent likeness, generally within the last six months.
Key fact: since November 2016, the US Department of State does not accept glasses in passport photos under any circumstance other than a documented medical need — this is one of the most common reasons an otherwise well-framed photo still gets rejected.
Why 1200 x 1200 pixels, specifically
Quick answer DPI (dots per inch) tells a printer how large to physically print a pixel grid. A 1200 x 1200 px image printed at 600 DPI comes out to exactly 2 x 2 inches — the same file printed at 300 DPI would print at 4 x 4 inches, the wrong size entirely.
This is the part that confuses people who are used to thinking only in pixels. A photo can be "1200 x 1200 pixels" and still print at the wrong physical size if the DPI tag embedded in the file is wrong or missing. That's why a passport photo tool needs to embed the correct DPI metadata in the exported JPEG or PNG — not just crop the pixel grid — so a photo printer or kiosk sizes it correctly the first time.
DPI (dots per inch): a measure of print resolution — how many printed dots fit into one physical inch. It only matters for the print output; it has no effect on how the image looks on a screen.
Printing your own photo at home
Quick answer At the exact 2 x 2 inch size, a 4 x 6 inch photo print fits 6 copies (2 columns x 3 rows) edge to edge — a layout most drugstore photo kiosks and home printers can produce from a single print-sheet file.
For a hypothetical example: someone needing two passport photos for a renewal and one for a visa application would still print a full 4 x 6 in sheet of 6 copies, since photo labs typically charge per print regardless of how many of the 6 photo slots are actually used. Printing extra copies costs nothing beyond the one print and covers a lost or damaged photo down the line.
A print-ready sheet needs the 2 x 2 inch grid laid out precisely, ideally with thin cut lines, on either 4 x 6 in photo paper or standard 8.5 x 11 in Letter paper if a photo printer isn't available — a home inkjet printer on photo paper can produce an acceptable result as long as the DPI is correct.
Crop your own passport photo, free
Upload a photo, align the head-height guide, pick a white or off-white background, and export an exact 1200 x 1200 px file — entirely in your browser, nothing uploaded.
Try the free Passport Photo Maker →
Frequently asked questions
What size does a US passport photo actually need to be?
A US passport photo must be 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm), with the head between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inch from the bottom of the chin to the top of the hair. At 600 DPI print resolution, that 2 x 2 inch frame equals exactly 1200 x 1200 pixels.
Why do most passport photos get rejected?
The most common reasons are the wrong physical size or head height, a background that isn't plain white or off-white, glasses (no longer allowed since 2016 except for documented medical reasons), visible shadows, or a photo that's too old, blurry, or low-resolution.
Can I wear glasses in a passport photo?
No. Since November 2016, the US Department of State no longer allows glasses of any kind in passport photos, except for documented medical reasons. Headwear other than religious or medical headwear is also not allowed.
Can I take a compliant passport photo at home with just my phone?
Yes. Stand about 4-5 feet from a plain, evenly lit wall, use natural daylight facing a window, hold the phone at eye level with the rear camera, keep a neutral expression with both eyes open, and avoid glasses or shadows. Then crop the photo to the official 2 x 2 inch / 1200 x 1200 px size with a tool like this one.
Is a visa photo the same size as a passport photo?
For most US visa applications, including the DS-160 form, the physical photo spec matches a passport photo: 2 x 2 inches with the same 1 to 1 3/8 inch head-height range. Online applications additionally require a digital JPEG between 600x600 and 1200x1200 pixels, typically under 240 KB.
Is it safe to upload a passport photo to an online tool?
It depends on the tool. Some passport photo tools upload your image to a server for processing. Tools that run entirely in the browser using the HTML5 Canvas API, like the one linked in this guide, never send the photo anywhere — cropping and export all happen on your device.
Methodology note: the size, head-height, and background figures in this guide reflect the US Department of State's published passport and visa photo requirements as of this writing. Requirements can change — always confirm the current specification at the official government portal before submitting an application. This article is informational and is not official government guidance.