USCIS Photo Tool with Expert Check
Get your biometric photograph within 3 minutes, with your smartphone, comfortably from home.
How do our mobile and web apps work?
Snap the perfect biometric passport photo in under 3 minutes!
Find out just how simple it can be!
Take or upload a photo
Use a photo you already have or take a new one. We'll double-check it and make sure it passes all compliance tests.
Get your photo tuned-up by AI
Our AI system will crop, resize, and adjust the background of your image.
Get expert verification
One of our experts will carefully review your passport photo, providing you with feedback in under a minute!
Key benefits of using our passport photo tool
Get comfy at home, grab your phone, and snap a few pictures. End up with a result you’re 100% satisfied with!
Independence
No need to drive or wait in line. Take a photo wherever you are with only your smartphone.
Trusted service
Over a million users worldwide, 18 million photos processed, and thousands of 5-star reviews on TrustPilot.
Professional support
Questions or doubts about your photos? Our photography experts and support agents will be happy to help you out.
Acceptance guarantee
Once you place your order, our AI and human expert will verify your photo to ensure it's 100% compliant.
Passport photo-taking tips
Follow these guidelines to create the perfect passport picture.
Consider the distance
Keep your front-facing camera 16–20 inch (40–50 cm) away from the face. For rear cameras, keep a 4–6 foot (1–2 meter) distance.
Keep your head and body straight
Look directly into the camera and avoid tilting your body. Remember, portrait mode is unacceptable for passport photos.
Prepare good lighting
Take your passport photos in a daylight setting, like near a window on a sunny day. Shadows on your face or in the background are not permitted.
USCIS Photos - Size & Requirements
Size
2x2 in
Resolution
301 dpi
Is it suitable for online submission?
Yes
Is it printable?
Yes
Background Color
White
Image definition parameters
Head height: 1.29 in
Bottom of the Photo to the Eye Line: 1.18 in
Vule is a seasoned editor with a rich background in writing and editing, specializing in content related to passport photography. His skill lies in transforming complex information into clear, engaging narratives, making intricate topics accessible and relatable to a broad audience. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for storytelling, Vule ensures that every piece of content is not only factually accurate but also captivating and informative.
Karolina is a seasoned legal expert with a Master of Law and legal advisor credentials, specializing in passport photo compliance. She ensures adherence to international standards set by entities like the US Department of State and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Equipped with her advocate license and extensive legal background, she brings a unique blend of legal acumen and technical knowledge. Her expertise is pivotal in navigating the intricate and rigorous standards set by key global authorities. Her approach, marked by meticulous attention to detail and a deep understanding of international law, ensures stringent adherence to the evolving passport and visa photo regulations worldwide.
If you are planning to apply for U.S. citizenship, this guide is for you. Knowing the citizenship application photo requirements will help you take the right photographs for any official documents so it is worth getting familiar with them before taking a photo and including it with your application.
Applicants who live in the US don’t need to send 2(two) paper photographs because photos are taken at their biometrics appointment. Applicants who reside outside the United States must provide 2 (two) identical photographs that are in color and were taken recently.
USCIS passport photo guidelines
Let’s start off by saying that the USCIS photo is a US passport photo. The size and requirements are the same so you can use your passport photo or take a new one for your U.S. citizenship application as well as for your passport.
It is good to have a picture like this in the database as it is a passport-style biometric photo, which means that pictures are specially made to be an easy way to recognize and identify the document holder. Read on to find out how to take the right photo for the application for U.S. citizenship.
USCIS photo size and dimensions
The photo required by the USCIS is a square aspect ratio where width equals height where the size is 2 x 2 inches (51mmx51mm). The head must be between 1 inch to 1 3/8 inch (22 mm to 35 mm) or 50% to 69% of the total height of the image from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. You don't have to worry about the size when using the USCIS photo editor. PhotoAiD photo creator will resize the picture, and make sure that the photo has the correct dimensions.
Other specifications regarding the USCIS photos:
- has to be in color and in focus,
- taken against a plain light background,
- shows the current appearance of the applicant,
- no older than 6 months from the date of application,
- without shadows or patterns.
Remember, the photo has to meet the technical requirements for US passport photos.
Head position
The photo must be taken with a front facing view, directly facing the camera. In the picture the head should be clearly visible, including the hair, neck, and upper shoulders, and it is best to leave some space around the head. If you are not sure about the correct cropping, use the PhotoAiD cropper which ensures that the photo is properly resized according to official US document photo requirements.
Background
The background for USCIS photos should be light and uniform with a white color. However, if you can’t arrange for the background to be perfect, you can use our PhotoAiD site or app which removes the background and replaces it with the one required for the document.
Facial expression
A neutral expression is the only appropriate way of posing, which means you can only slightly smile. Don't smile widely or show your teeth. Your mouth must be closed and your eyes must be open. Your face must be fully visible, so it is best to brush your hair back so that both sides of your face are easily seen. Keep your face straight, don't tilt it at all, as photos even having a slight profile are rejected immediately.
Makeup
When it comes to your face, your makeup should reflect your everyday look. Do not put a lot on your face before taking the USCIS photo because it will look unnatural and glossy. It should not mask your individual facial features such as moles, wrinkles, birthmarks, scars, etc. as well as tattoos. So any interference such as retouching or trying to change your features will cause the photo to be rejected. Use PhotoAiD photo editor instead. It will edit your picture without breaking the official rules and you will have a 100% guarantee of the photo being accepted.
Glasses
You can't wear glasses in a passport photo. Sunglasses and tinted glasses are definitely not allowed. In exceptional circumstances you may wear glasses for medical purposes. This applies, for example, where the glasses cannot be removed for medical reasons, because the applicant has recently had eye surgery and the glasses are essential in order to protect the eyes. However, you must provide an appropriate statement from your doctor.
Clothing
There is no special dress code for USCIS photos. Only uniforms are forbidden and you cannot be wearing a uniform or military clothing in the photo. It is best to wear your everyday neat clothes, in which you will look elegant and professional. It is better to not choose eccentric styles and white shirts that may blend in with the background.
Headwear
Hats, caps, berets, etc. are not allowed in photos for documents such as USCIS passport photos. The only exceptions are for medical or religious reasons, only then is headwear allowed in your passport photo as long as it does not cover your face. However, this will need to be confirmed with a statement from a leader in your religious community or a doctor. However, burqas or other headscarves which cover your face are not allowed. In this case the headscarf must be removed so that the oval of the face, chin and forehead are visible.
Lighting
The light must illuminate both sides of the face. There must be no unwanted shadows in the photo, either on the face, neck or in the background. Make sure that the photo is not underexposed or overexposed and there must be a stark contrast between the background and the object.
Quality
USCIS passport photos must be in color, in contrast and focused. They can't be blurry, grainy or pixelated. When submitting printed photos, you must ensure that they are not scratched, damaged and that there are no visible pixels after printing. Remember to print the pictures on matte or glossy high-quality photo paper. We recommend printing them at a photo lab as home printers often have a different quality, which may result in your photo being rejected.
USCIS online photo tool
PhotoAiD is a perfect solution while taking the right photos for the USCIS application. The application works fast and gives you a 100% guarantee with any of the US institutions that require a photo. All you have to do is upload a picture that you have just taken and leave the rest to us.
PhotoAiD, the online photo editor, or app, edits and resizes your image as well as removes an unsuitable background and changes it into the required one, so for USCIS it will change it into one with a white, uniform color.
PhotoAiD also verifies if the picture meets all the U.S. citizenship photo requirements. If you want to be sure that the photo that you have attached to your application form is correct, use the USCIS online photo creator.
You can download our PhotoAiD editor from the AppStore or GooglePlay store depending on the phone you use, iPhone or a smartphone with Android. It really is that simple!
Common mistakes while taking photos for the USCIS
Taking photos for documents is not a piece of cake but we are here to help you with the process. While you may have already met the requirements regarding USCIS photos and you know how to use our PhotoAiD Tool, it is time to see the most commonly made mistakes to know what you should avoid:
- An overexposed or underexposed photo.
- Submitting an old photograph - the photo can’t be older than 6 months.
- Not showing your true appearance - you have changed a lot since the photo was taken or you are wearing too much makeup.
- Bad quality − blurry, grainy or pixelated images.
- Wrong head position - your head in the frame is not between 1 and 1 3/8 inch and/or is tilted to the side.
- Uploading selfies – selfies are not allowed as they distort the natural proportions of the face and don’t really fit official documents.
- Looking sideways.
- Smiling - smiling in photos is nice but not appropriate for your passport or USCIS application photos, the face must be neutral and you must not show your teeth.
- Headwear covering the face − the face must be perfectly visible and your hair or headwear must not cover any part of it.
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Frequently asked questions
The required size for a USCIS photo is the same as it is for a US passport, so the size is 2 x 2 inches (51mmx51mm). The area with your head must be between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inch (22 mm to 35 mm) or 50% to 69% of the total height of the image from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head.
Regarding photos for USCIS application, yes, you can use a US passport photo and follow the same requirements in order to take the right photograph.
The USCIS photos are biometric US passport photos so as long as you meet the US passport photo requirements you know what the color of the background has to be, head position, facial expression, as well as the quality, etc. Then, you can start taking photos and we advise you to use our photo editor which will edit, resize and verify that your picture is100% correct, and the process is much quicker than by using other means.
If you are from outside of the US you will need to attach a passport size photograph but if you live as a U.S. citizen in America, you don't have to as the photo will be taken at your biometric appointment.
It is a requirement that you do not wear anything that is white, in order to not blend in with the background. Extravagant outfits will also not suit official documents. The best clothing to wear is something casual and that you like, and are comfortable in, but nothing eccentric.
Smiling gently is generally allowed but you must not laugh broadly and show your teeth. Your face must be as natural as possible and your mouth must be closed.
Yes, you can but not makeup that is heavy or glossy. The makeup should reflect your everyday look and not mask your individual facial features such as moles, wrinkles, birthmarks, scars, tattoos, etc.
The required documents are: a photocopy of both sides of your Permanent Resident Card (formerly known as a Green Card), a check or money order for the application fee and the biometric services fee. You must write your Alien Registration Number (A-Number) on the back of the check or money order and include two identical color copies of the USCIS photo with your name and A-Number written lightly in pencil on the back of the photo (only if you reside outside of the US).
Currently you don't need to attach anything and the photos will be taken at your biometrics appointment.
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