Official US visa photo requirements
These are the U.S. Department of State’s rules for visa photos, checked on 28 October 2026. The same rules apply to the online nonimmigrant visa form (DS-160), the immigrant visa form (DS-260) and the Diversity Visa (Green Card) Lottery.
| Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Printed size | 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm), two identical photos for paper and immigrant visa applications |
| Digital size | Square, from 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 pixels |
| File | JPEG, 240 KB or less, colour (24-bit sRGB), compression ratio 20:1 or less |
| Head size | 1 to 1⅜ inches from chin to top of head, 50–69% of the image height |
| Background | Plain white or off-white |
| Age of photo | Taken within the last 6 months |
| Glasses | Not allowed (rare medical exceptions need a signed statement) |
| Expression | Neutral, both eyes open, facing the camera |
| Head coverings | Only if worn daily for religious purposes, with the full face visible |
Sources: photo requirements and digital image requirements on travel.state.gov. A State Department officer makes the final decision on every photo.
How this tool sizes your photo
The photo frame above is exactly square. Two lines show where the top of your head and your chin should be:
- the solid line marks the top of the head,
- the shaded band marks the chin positions that keep your head between 50% and 69% of the height.
When you click Download online photo, the tool renders your crop at exactly 600 × 600 pixels and saves a JPEG. If the file would be over 240 KB, it lowers the JPEG quality just enough to fit, without changing the pixel size. For paper forms, the print photo is 600 × 600 pixels tagged at 300 DPI, so it prints at exactly 2 × 2 inches, and the 4 × 6 sheet fits two copies side by side with cut lines.
Taking the photo at home
- Stand in front of a plain white or off-white wall, about half a metre away from it so you do not cast a shadow.
- Light from the front: face a window in daylight, or use two lamps either side of the camera. Avoid overhead light, which shadows the eyes.
- Ask someone else to take it, from about 1.2–1.5 metres, with the camera at eye level. Selfies held at arm’s length distort the face and are often too close.
- Glasses off, hair away from the eyes, neutral expression, mouth closed.
- Use the phone’s normal camera, not portrait mode or beauty filters. Edited photos can be rejected.
If the wall is not plain, the tool can replace the background with white using an on-device AI model (about 44–88 MB, downloaded once). A real white wall is still the safest choice, because altered photos may be refused.
Worked example: a DS-160 upload
A student applying for an F-1 visa has a 4032 × 3024 phone photo taken against a white door.
- Drop the photo in and zoom until the top of the hair touches the line and the chin sits in the band.
- Download online photo: the result is
us-visa-photo-600x600.jpg, 600 × 600 pixels and typically 60–150 KB, well under 240 KB. - Upload it on the DS-160 photo page. If the form’s own photo check complains, it usually names the problem (head too small, shadows); fix the crop or lighting and download again.
Common reasons visa photos are rejected
- Head too small (the whole upper body in frame) or too large (forehead or chin cut off).
- Shadows on the face or behind the head, or a grey or patterned background.
- Glasses, even clear ones, without a medical statement.
- A photo older than 6 months, or one reused from a previous visa.
- A smiling, tilted or turned head.
- An over-compressed, blurry or pixelated image (compression above 20:1).
Other countries and next steps
Applying for a Schengen or UK visa as well? Their photos are 35 × 45 mm, not square: use Schengen Visa Photo or UK Passport Photo. For other documents, Passport Photo Maker has more presets. If you made your visa photo elsewhere and it is too large, Compress Image to 200 KB brings it under the limit. Everything runs in your browser, so your photo is never uploaded to us.