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Uploading a Digital Photo

Learn how to upload a photo required for renewing your U.S. passport online.

What to know before you start

Unacceptable photos are the number one reason why we put passport applications on hold. Review the guidelines and photo examples to learn what makes a photo acceptable.

  • Submit 1 color photo taken in the last 6 months.
  • Directly face the camera without tilting your head.
  • Position yourself several feet away from the camera with your head centered and head fully visible.
  • Face the camera directly with a neutral expression, both eyes open and visible, and mouth closed.
  • Remove anything covering your face unless for documented religious or medical reasons.
  • Use a plain white or off-white background free of shadows, textures, or objects.
  • Submit the original, unedited photo without filters or digital changes.

Take and save your photo

Before you start your application, have someone take your photo. Make sure you are following these requirements: 

  • The photo is a JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC, or HEIF file. Photos taken on a mobile device may automatically save in one of these formats.

  • The file size should be between 54 KB and 10 MB.

  • The photo must be in color and taken in the last 6 months. 

  • Position yourself several feet away from a white background or wall. The bottom frame of the photo should be the edge of your shoulders near where they connect to your arms. 

  • Do not use any kind of filter or retouching tools to change your appearance.

  • Do not take a photo of a printed photo or scan a physical photo to make a digital file. 

Upload and submit your photo

When completing your passport renewal application, select a photo from your device. You can also drag and drop the photo to upload it.

  • You can reposition or crop your photo in the application.
  • The photo tool will check if your photo meets the basic requirements. If your photo is not acceptable, the system will let you know what you need to change. You can try again with a different photo.
  • An employee will review your photo after we receive your application. If there’s an issue, we will send you a letter or email asking you to send us a new photo. 

Photo requirements

Upload a photo that includes:

  • A plain background with no shadows, texture, lines, or objects
  • White or off-white background

Position yourself several feet away from a white or off-white background or wall. Use a white blanket or sheet to cover a non-white wall.

  • An elderly woman standing in front of a plain, white background.
    ACCEPTABLE

    You are using a plain, white background with no shadows, texture, or lines.

  • A young man standing in front of a white brick wall.
    UNACCEPTABLE

    Your photo background is not plain and has texture and lines.

  • An elderly man standing in front of a map of the world hanging on a wall.
    UNACCEPTABLE

    You are not using a plain, white or off-white background.

  • A young man sits behind bright lights casting shadows on the side of his head. The wall behind him has a thick, gray stripe.
    UNACCEPTABLE

    You have shadows on the side of your head. The wall behind you has a thick, gray stripe. 

    Photo Tip

    Photo tip: Use a white or off-white background with no texture or lines.

Make sure your photo is sharp and in focus. It should not be grainy, pixelated, or have visible printer dots. Avoid scanning or taking a picture of a printed photo since this may lower the photo quality.

Improve the resolution of your photo by changing the settings on your camera. When saving your photo, select the highest quality setting.

To avoid making your image quality worse, do not send the image via text message.

  • A clear high-quality photo of a man.
    ACCEPTABLE

    You uploaded a clear, high-quality image.

  • A dim and discolored photo of a woman.
    UNACCEPTABLE

    Your image is low quality scanned copy and not an original, digital image.

  • A blurry photo of a man.
    UNACCEPTABLE

    Your image is blurry and you cannot clearly see your face.

    Photo Tip

    Upload a high-quality image.

If the person taking your photo is standing too close or too far away, your head may not be the correct size. 

Center your head and shoulders in the photo, directly facing the camera. If you’re not sure, leave a little extra room around your face. You can crop your photo when you upload it.

  • A photo of a woman with her head in the center of the image.
    ACCEPTABLE

    You are facing the camera, and your head is centered in the image. The bottom of the photo is the edge of your shoulders near where they connect to your arms.

  • A photo of a man looking down.
    UNACCEPTABLE

    You are looking down at the camera.

  • A distant photo of an elderly man..
    UNACCEPTABLE

    You are far away from the camera.

    Photo Tip

    Make sure you stand several feet away from the camera.

Make sure there are no shadows on your face or in the background. Make sure the photo is not too bright or washed out. The lighting around your face should be even.

Take the photo in a well-lit area with natural lighting.

  • A photo of a man with even lighting and no shadows.
    ACCEPTABLE

    The image has even lighting and there are no shadows on your face or the background.

  • A photo of a woman wearing glasses with uneven lighting and harsh shadows on her face.
    UNACCEPTABLE

    The lighting is not balanced. There is too much light on one side of your face, and the other side has shadows. You are also wearing eyeglasses and must remove them for a passport photo.

  • A photo of a man with uneven lighting and strong shadows across half his face.
    UNACCEPTABLE

    The image does not have balanced lighting. 

    Photo Tip

    Upload a new image that does not have shadows on your face or background.

Use a neutral facial expression or natural smile. Avoid showing teeth.

Look directly at the camera with your eyes open. Make sure that your eyes are not obstructed or covered by your hair.

  • Photo of a man with a neutral facial expression.
    ACCEPTABLE

    You are facing the camera with a neutral facial expression.

  • Photo of a woman smiling with her mouth open.
    UNACCEPTABLE

    Your facial expression is not neutral.

  • Photo of the side of a woman’s face and shoulders.
    UNACCEPTABLE

    You are not facing the camera. 

    Photo Tip

    Make sure your full face is visible when you have someone take your photo.

  • Photo of a woman at a slight angle with her eyes partly closed.
    UNACCEPTABLE

    You are not directly facing the camera. Your eyes are not fully open in the image.

If your photo is unnaturally edited or filtered, we will not accept it. Do not use a photo you created or edited using artificial intelligence or other digital tools.

If the photo has a red-eye effect on your eyes, do not edit it. Take a new photo with natural lighting.

  • Original digital photo of a man.
    ACCEPTABLE

    You uploaded an original, digital image and did not make any changes to the image such as using filters.

  • Photo of a woman with a filter.
    UNACCEPTABLE

    You edited and used filters on an image that make it look different than the original image.

  • Edited photo of a man.
    UNACCEPTABLE

    You changed the photo in a graphic design software program. The outline of your head, face, and neck in the image have been edited.

If you are wearing glasses or a hat, remove them and take the photo without them.

  • Photo of a woman wearing a religious head covering with her face fully visible.
    ACCEPTABLE

    Your full face is visible and no shadows or clothing block your face.

    Photo Tip

    You may wear head coverings for religious purposes. The head covering must be one color, and the material should not have patterns or small holes.

  • Photo of a man wearing eyeglasses.
    UNACCEPTABLE

    You are wearing eyeglasses.

    Photo Tip

    Remove your glasses for your photo. You should also remove any employee ID badge or lanyard for your photo.

  • Photo of a woman wearing a scarf.
    UNACCEPTABLE

    You are wearing clothing such as a scarf that blocks a portion of your face.

  • Photo of a man wearing a hat.
    UNACCEPTABLE

    You are wearing a hat.

    Photo Tip

    Take off your hat before someone takes your passport photo.

Video Tips

Video

Why my passport photo was rejected: Blurry

Video

Why my passport photo was rejected: Exposure

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Last Updated: May 04, 2026

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