Baby Passport Photo for US Passport

U.S. baby passport photo guidelines

Traveling has never been as easy as it is today. Airlines offer travel to hundreds of different locations, even the most exotic. Passports and travel tickets are the golden keys we have with which to explore the world. 

The passport photo is a part and parcel of the application process. The Bureau of Consular Affairs or U.S. Embassy can refuse to issue a passport due to your incorrectly prepared photo. U.S. newborn passport photos are a little bit easier to take, thankfully. It is enough to:

• have a plain white background;
• have the baby in the center of the photo;
• the child's face should occupy between 70 to 80% of the picture and the eyes and chin should be in the right places.

Of course, these are not all the requirements, because there are some requirements that all passport photos need to meet. We are going to show you all the important information and give you some clever tips.

From this article you will learn:

• All the requirements for a U.S. baby passport photo;
• The most common mistakes;
• The correct size of a U.S. newborn photo;
• How to prepare an acceptable background and how to dress your child for a passport photo;
• How to prepare a U.S. baby passport photo online.

Why is the correct baby passport photo so important?

The U.S. government attaches great importance to passport photos. For quite some time, biometric photos have been used in our IDs, driving licences and other personal documents. It is said that biometric photos are a little bit strange as you have to stand in front of the camera, look straight into the lens, and you cannot show any emotion on your face or tilt your head. There is a huge similarity with photos taken of criminals at police stations, but it allows us to increase the level of public safety. Every citizen has an individual set of biometric features on their face. Advanced technology scans photos and can identify any attempts to cheat the system. 

On the other hand, have you ever been embarrassed when showing your ID with an old, unprepared photo? It happens every day, so it is a good idea to take care of your passport photo. 

Passports for newborns are also required. It is known that a well-prepared baby passport photo increases children's safety. Identification of the child is easier if the police can use high-tech systems. Baby passport photo requirements are similar to those for adults, but there are a few key differences. We have prepared all the information you need to know right here. if you want to quickly get a passport for a baby.

Take a photo and make sure your newborn will get a passport quickly

There are some requirements that a picture of your child must meet, but you can use your smartphone and our online photo editor. It is enough to take a photo of your newborn and upload it to the app. You do not have to worry about anything as our app will adjust the dimensions to the required 2 x 2 inches (this is equal to 51 mm) and change the background to white. The size of the head must be 25-35 mm from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head and you must make sure that there is only a baby in the picture. 

We suggest dressing your newborn in colorful clothes, so as to have good contrast with the light background. It is important that our online photo tool also checks your picture, so you have a guarantee that it will be accepted. You do not have to go to a professional photographer with your child, your application-ready baby passport photo will be sent straight to your email. Yes, it really is that simple.

Requirements for a U.S. baby passport photo

As we have said, there are some requirements concerning the dimensions and specification of the passport photo for your young child. Most of them are universal, but some of the details are different. We have described all that you need to know as to passport photos of your kids, so keep calm and read on.

Child’s passport photo - quality and dimensions

First of all, remember the color photo must have been taken within the last six months. The correct size is 2x2 inches (51mmx51mm). The head must be between 1 - 1 3/8 inches (25 - 35mm )from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. It should have a high resolution because all of the details of the face are important, so the quality must be perfect. You need to know that it is forbidden to make any digital changes, so do not use any filter. If there is a red-eye effect, just take another picture. 

Make sure that you prepare a white background and if you're going to take a photo at home, a car seat with a white bed sheet is a smart solution. PhotoAiD editor can also change the background and adjust the photo to fit the remaining requirements. Make sure there is no shadow on the face or background. At the end, print passport pictures out on matte or glossy photo quality paper. 

Passport photos of kids cannot be:

• blurred, pixelated, grainy;
• damaged with holes, creases or smudges;
• too dark or too bright.

The face

Your child must be in the center of the photo and be looking straight into the camera. Generally, a child should be in front of the camera and look directly into the lens. If it is possible, try to take a photo with a neutral expression and open eyes. The Bureau is very understanding when it comes to requirements regarding newborns and young children. It is acceptable if the infant's eyes (particularly a newborn's) are not, or not entirely, open. No matter what, the face and head must be fully visible. And again, make sure there is only a child in the photo and there are no accessories, toys or teddy bears. 

Clothes and hairstyle

You do not have to look for any special clothes to wear to take a passport photo as the clothing can simply be a nice, casual garment. We suggest that you dress your child in some expressive and colorful clothes as this allows there to be a good contrast in the picture. White causes blending with the background, which could make the subject of the photo look like a floating head and black causes too much contrast. This restricts the operation of the biometric system. When it comes to the hairstyle, any is fine as long as the hair of the child does not cover their face in any way, so if the child has long hair, or a long fringe, be sure to brush it to the side before taking the photo.

Do not cover the child’s head

It is important to have a fully visible face, including eyes and ears, in the baby passport photo, so it is best to take a picture of your newborn on a sunny day at home. You do not need to cover his/her head with a cap and you will have nice, natural light, which is the best form of lighting when it comes to taking pictures.. Remember, if the colors on the photo are not natural, it could be rejected. Avoid any glasses, pacifiers or any other accessories. 

How do your children need to pose for the passport photo?

For the U.S. passport photo, adults must sit or stand in front of the camera and look straight into the lens. This process is a bit different for infants. Parents very often consider: how to take the correct photo of a newborn for a passport or visa? There are a few solutions, but one of the most popular is to take a picture in a carseat with a white sheet. One of the best things to do is to use our online app to adjust and verify your newborn passport photo. While taking the pic, infants are often uninterested in the parent who has the smartphone or camera. A good tip is that while you are taking a photo, you should hold the child's favorite toy. Make sure they do not cover his/her face because these kinds of passport photos are always rejected. 

If your child is a little bit older, choose a sunny morning in order to have great lighting. The kid should wear some nice, colorful clothes and sit down on a stool. You do not have to worry about the background because PhotoAiD editor will adapt your picture to fit the requirements. Your task is to ask the child to close his/her mouth, open their eyes and look straight into the camera.

Remember, that the U.S. passport photo for newborn children must be clear and in color, and reproduce their skin tones accurately. Any glasses, head covering or other accessories are forbidden. The head should be centered and have a size, in the photo, of 25-35 mm and the dimensions of the photo must be 2x2 inches. The required background is one that is plain white. If you want to get a passport photo quickly, make sure your child looks straight into the camera, has open eyes and a closed mouth and their expression should be neutral. Remember, in the picture there should only be the child. And finally, do not digitally alter the photo.

PhotoAiD team is very happy to help people in everyday situations. Adjusting and preparing U.S. passport photos for newborns is one of them. If you use our online app to validate your photo, you will have a 100% guarantee that it will be accepted. More importantly, you will save time, because you do not need to go to a professional photographer with your kid and you can stay calm and relax when it comes to your passport application. 

Most common mistakes on passport photos for a baby

Our experience shows that people often repeat their mistakes on U.S. passport photos for newborns and children. If you are taking a photo at home, you’d better avoid making the mistakes that we detail below.

Unacceptable background

One of the most common reasons that newborn passport photos are rejected is using the incorrect background (or not using one at all). You need to have a plain white, background unless you want to have to send in the application again.

Wrong dimensions, low quality

Inappropriate size, low resolution and the quality of the passport photo are common reasons to reject your child’s passport photo. People think it should not be as perfect as a photo for adults, because “it is only a child” and “his/her appearance will change in three months”. Of course this is true, but the biometric system will identify characteristic facial features, which is the most important reason that the photo should be perfect and follow all requirements. 

Shadows on the face or background

As we have stated before, there is no possibility to accept any passport photo with shadows either on your face or on the background. You should take care of the light to ensure it is evenly lit. If you want to take a photo at home of your child, we suggest posing at the opposite side to the window. You can also prepare a floor lamp but be sure to place it correctly to ensure there are no shadows being cast. 

The child does not look straight at the camera

People often take care to ensure they meet a lot of the requirements, but they forget about this simple rule. If you are taking a passport photo of a child, you’d better stand in front of them and ask the child to look straight at you and then take the picture. If a newborn does not look straight at the camera, the application for the passport will be rejected. 

Unnatural light

It is a bad idea to take a photo after the sun goes down. This isn’t usually a problem because our smartphones have a lot of functions and filters, but the passport photo for U.S. citizens cannot be digitally altered. Pictures that are taken in unnatural light, such as in the late afternoon (depending on when the sun goes down for you) or early evening, will not be well-lit enough, so you should take the photo early, when the light is shining brightly and will give you the best lighting you need to ensure that the photo you take will be accepted.

Last update: 3/24/23