USA Passport Photo Rules
Over-exposure or lightness are the most common reasons for a passport photo rejection, according to the U.S. State Department. To take an acceptable picture for a U.S. passport and prevent rejection, certain guidelines apply.
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General Requirements
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Submit two identical, original (no copies) 2 by 2 inch (51 mm x 51 mm) color photos with the passport application. Pictures cannot be older than six months and the background must be white or off-white.
Composition
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Photos must be in focused, centered and taken head-on shot to show the full face. The face needs to make up about half of the photo. Measurement from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin must be between 1 inch and 1-3/8 inches (28 mm to 35 mm). Both eyes need to be open, and the person's expression should be natural. A natural smile is OK, grinning is not. The face and background should have no shadows, and the picture should have no visible dots, the U.S. State Department states on its website.
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What (Not) to Wear
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The applicant cannot wear hats or dark glasses except for medical reasons. Glasses that are worn daily are accepted as long as there is no glare and the eyes of the person are visible.
Religious Exceptions
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Headwear or uniforms are not allowed except for religious reasons and if they are worn daily.
Do-it-yourself
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If the resolution is high enough--a minimum of 1 megapixel--you can use your personal camera to take passport photos. Print the photos on photo-quality paper. The U.S. Department of State website lists useful guidelines that help produce acceptable photos for a U.S. passport.
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References
- Photo Credit U.S. State Department
