Free check · Not uploaded
Passport Photo Online
Make a passport photo online from a picture you take at home. We crop it to the exact size, check it against the government rules for free, and show you a watermarked preview before you pay anything.
- to check a photo
- $0to check a photo
- for HD files
- $6.99for HD files
- photos uploaded
- 0photos uploaded
Not a government website. We check against each country's published rules and link every rule to its source.
Make your photo
New passports and renewals, printed or uploaded for online renewal.
Your photo is checked on this device and never uploaded. By choosing one you agree that this page measures the face in it, on your device only. Nothing is kept after you close the tab.
Four steps
How it works
- 01
Pick your document
US passport, UK, Canada, India or an OCI card. Each one follows its own published rules.
- 02
Take or choose a photo
Stand in front of a plain light wall, face a window, and have someone take it from about 4 feet away.
- 03
Read the free check
We crop it to size and check head size, tilt, eyes, expression, light, background and sharpness. Each item says what to fix.
- 04
Download the files
Happy with it? One credit gets the HD digital photo and a 4x6 print sheet, without the watermark.
Documents
Choose your document
What the free check looks at
Every item in the report matches a rule a government publishes. When a check fails, it tells you what to change before you take the next photo.
- One face, centered, with room above the head and the shoulders in view.
- Head height inside the allowed range, measured from the chin to the top of the head.
- Head level and facing the camera.
- Eyes open, mouth closed, and no teeth showing.
- Even light, no shadow on one side of the face, no glare around the eyes.
- A plain, light background with no shadows or patterns.
- Nothing else in the frame: no other people, hands or toys.
- The photo is sharp and has enough detail for the printed size.
US passport photo requirements
A US passport photo is 2 x 2 inches with the head between 1 and 1 3/8 inches from chin to top of head, in color, on a white or off-white background, taken in the last 6 months. No glasses. The State Department doesn't accept photos changed with software, phone apps or filters, so we only crop and resize yours.
US passport photo rules
New passports and renewals, printed or uploaded for online renewal.
- Size
- 2 x 2 in (50.8 x 50.8 mm)
- Upload limits
- 54 KB to 10 MB, JPG, PNG, HEIC, HEIF
- Our digital file
- 1200 x 1200 px JPEG
- Head height
- 1 to 1 3/8 in (25 to 35 mm), chin to top of head
- Background
- White or off-white, plain, no shadows
- Expression
- Neutral, or a natural smile with your mouth closed. Children need a neutral expression.
- Glasses
- No glasses, unless you include a signed note from your doctor.
- Babies
- A baby's eyes don't have to be fully open. No one else, including a parent, may be in the photo.
- Edits
- The State Department doesn't accept photos changed with software, phone apps or filters, and that includes the background. We only crop and resize it.
- Taken in the last 6 months.
- Printed in color on matte or glossy photo paper. No photocopies or scans.
- No hat or head covering, unless worn daily for religious reasons (with a signed statement) or for medical reasons (with a doctor's statement). Your full face must show.
- No uniform, camouflage or headphones.
Official sources
- U.S. Department of State: Passport photos
- U.S. Department of State: Upload a digital photo (online renewal)
- Foreign Affairs Manual 8 FAM 402.1
- Form DS-11 instructions
Checked against these pages on . How we check the rules
How to take a passport photo at home
You don't need a studio. You need a plain wall, daylight and a second person.
- Stand about 2 feet in front of a plain white or off-white wall, so your shadow falls behind you and out of the photo.
- Face a window. Light from the front keeps both sides of your face even. Turn off the flash.
- Ask someone to hold the phone at your eye level, about 4 feet away, using the back camera.
- Take the photo with your head, shoulders and some space above your hair in the frame. Don't zoom in; we crop it for you.
- Look straight at the camera with a neutral face, eyes open and mouth closed.
- Babies and toddlers need their own setup: see the baby passport photo guide.
Printing your photo on 4x6 paper
The print sheet is a standard 4x6 inch photo with several copies at true size and thin cut lines. Order it as a regular 4x6 print at a drugstore or photo kiosk, or print it on photo paper at home at 100% scale with no borders. Then cut along the lines.
See the 2x2 photo page for how many copies fit and how to cut them.
Your photo stays on your device
The face check runs in your browser. Your photo is never uploaded to our server, so there is nothing for us to store or delete. Read the privacy policy and how we check the rules.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Is the passport photo check free?
Yes. Checking a photo and seeing the watermarked preview is free, as many times as you like. You pay only to download the HD files without the watermark.
Can I take a passport photo with my phone?
Yes, for a US passport, an Indian passport and an OCI card. Use the back camera and have someone else take it. A UK online photo is taken on your phone during the application. A Canadian passport photo must be taken by a commercial photographer, so for Canada we only check the photo the studio gives you.
Will my photo be accepted?
We can't promise that: only the passport office decides. We check your photo against the published rules and tell you what fails.
Do you change my background or retouch my face?
No. The US, UK, Canada and India all reject photos altered by software, including background swaps. We only crop and resize, and if the background fails we tell you how to retake the photo.
How do I print a passport photo on 4x6 paper?
Download the 4x6 print sheet and order it as a standard 4x6 print at a drugstore or photo kiosk. Then cut along the gray lines.
Do you store my photos?
No. Your photo is checked in your browser and never uploaded. If you sign in to pay, the photo waits in your browser tab until you come back, and goes away when you close the tab.
Is this a government website?
No. IDPhotoPal is an independent service and isn't connected to any government. Applications go through each country's own passport service.