US Visa & Passport Photo Specs
The rules are few but every one of them is enforced automatically: get the head ratio slightly wrong and the DS-160 upload is rejected outright.
Generate a photo that matches the spec above — processed locally, never uploaded, no sign-up, with a 6-inch print sheet if you need paper copies.
Make a photo to this specSpecification · US Visa & Passport Photo Specs
| Print size | 2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm) — must be perfectly square |
|---|---|
| Digital pixels | Minimum 600 x 600, maximum 1200 x 1200 |
| Head height | 50%-69% of total image height (1 to 1 3/8 in / 25-35 mm chin to crown) |
| Eye height | 56%-69% of image height measured from the bottom edge |
| Background | Plain white or off-white, no shadows or patterns |
| Format & size | JPEG, file must not exceed 240 KB |
| Recency | Taken within the last 6 months and not the same image used on a previous visa |
| Glasses | Not allowed since 1 November 2016 (medical exception only) |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed, both eyes open, facing the camera; everyday clothing, no uniform |
How to shoot a photo that matches
- Shoot in front of a plain white wall —— Stand at least half a metre away from it. Too close and the wall picks up a shadow — one of the most common rejection reasons.
- Take off glasses and headwear —— US visas have not accepted glasses since November 2016, except for documented medical reasons.
- Pick "US visa (51x51 mm)" in the ID photo tool —— It outputs a square at 600 x 600 px, sitting exactly at the lower end of the official pixel range.
- Frame the head at 50%-69% of the image height —— Drag and zoom so there is a little space above the hair and the chin sits roughly two-thirds down the frame.
- Compress to under 240 KB before uploading —— Set the size limit to 240 in the tool and check the resulting file size against it.
The most common way a US visa photo fails is not poor quality — it is the head ratio. Photo shops crop to local ID conventions, which leaves the head filling roughly 40% of the frame. The image looks perfectly sharp, and the DS-160 still rejects it.
The second frequent problem is insufficient pixels. A phone photo is usually far above 1200 px and needs cropping down to a square; a scan of an older print, on the other hand, often falls short of 600 px and gets refused the same way.
One more rule people miss: if you are renewing, the photo cannot be the same image that appeared on your previous visa. Even inside the 6-month window, reusing it can trigger a re-upload request.
FAQ
Can I take a selfie for a US visa photo?
It is not recommended. A front camera distorts facial proportions and makes it very hard to control both head ratio and background shadows. Ask someone else to shoot from about 1.5 m with the rear camera.
Do US visa photos have to be in colour?
Yes. Black and white photos are not accepted.
Is a US visa photo the same as a US passport photo?
The dimensions and background rule are the same (2 x 2 in on plain white), but the submission route differs — the visa uses the DS-160 digital upload, while passports have their own process.
How do I measure the head ratio myself?
Measure from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin, then divide by the total image height. The result must fall between 0.50 and 0.69. The guide overlay in our tool is drawn to that ratio.
My photo was rejected — do I need to reshoot?
If the issue was ratio or file size, re-crop and re-export the same original. If the background had a shadow or you were wearing glasses, you need a new photo.