Digital Passport Photo for Online Renewal (600 x 600 to 1200 x 1200 px)

  • Size2 x 2 inches equivalent, square
  • BackgroundPlain white or off-white
  • Head height50–69% of the photo
  • GlassesNot allowed
  1. Add your photo
  2. We check it
  3. Download & print

Add a photo for your Digital Passport Photo

For the best result

  • Plain wallCleaner edges around hair
  • Face the lightA window or lamp, no side shadow
  • Neutral faceEyes open, look at the lens
  • No glassesHats and headphones off too
  • Arm's lengthHead and shoulders in frame

Your photo stays on your device. It is processed here in your browser — we don't upload it, and we can't see it.

About this photo

If you are renewing your US passport online at opr.travel.state.gov you upload a digital photo instead of mailing a print. The State Department publishes two hard file rules for that upload: the file must be a JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF, and it must be between 54 KB and 10 MB. Everything else - white background, head size, no glasses, taken in the last 6 months - is the same standard as a printed 2 x 2 passport photo, and both an automated check and a human reviewer look at it.

How to make a U.S. Passport Online Renewal - Digital Photo Upload photo

  1. Upload a photo of yourself taken against any background, or take one with your phone.
  2. Our tool finds your face, replaces the background with plain white or off-white and crops to 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) equivalent, square.
  3. Check the compliance results, then download your photo free — plus a 4x6 sheet you can print at a drugstore.

U.S. Passport Online Renewal - Digital Photo Upload photo requirements

File format
JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF (official State Department list)
File size
Between 54 KB and 10 MB
Shape
Square (1:1). You can reposition and crop inside the renewal application
Pixel size
State does not publish a pixel range for the renewal upload. Its published digital photo standard is a square image between 600 x 600 and 1200 x 1200 pixels - use 1200 x 1200 to be safe
Head height
50-69% of the image height, chin to top of hair
Eye height
56-69% of the image height, measured up from the bottom edge
Framing
Head and shoulders centred; the bottom of the frame should be at the edge of your shoulders where they meet your arms
Background
Plain white or off-white, no shadows, texture, lines or objects
Age of photo
Colour photo taken within the last 6 months
Expression
Neutral expression or a natural smile, eyes open, no visible teeth
Glasses
Remove them. Only a documented medical or religious exception applies
Source of the file
An original digital photo. Do not photograph or scan a printed photo

Mistakes that get this photo rejected

  • The 600 x 600 to 1200 x 1200 pixel range that most sites quote for online renewal is not on State's renewal page. The renewal page publishes only the format list and the 54 KB to 10 MB size band; the pixel range comes from State's own digital photo standard for 2 x 2 photos. Rendering at 1200 x 1200 satisfies both readings, which is why that is the default here.
  • The 54 KB minimum catches people out constantly. A heavily compressed or downscaled JPEG - especially one that has been through a messaging app - can land under 54 KB and be refused before a human ever sees it. State explicitly warns not to send the image to yourself by text message.
  • No AI, no filters, no retouching. State's page says "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", and adds "We check all photos to ensure you are not using artificial intelligence tools." This has been enforced without a grace period since the start of 2026, and it includes AI background removal on an otherwise real photo.
  • Do not photograph or scan a printed photo to make the digital file. State names this specifically, and the low-quality scan is one of its published rejection examples.
  • opr.travel.state.gov is the only official online renewal site. Sites ending in .com, .us or .org - even ones with "Gov" in the name - are not authorised, charge extra, and State says it cannot get involved in disputes with them.
  • Passing the upload tool's automatic check is not approval. A State Department employee reviews your photo again after the application is received and can still write to you asking for a new one, which costs you weeks.

The six reasons photos come back, across every document

Common questions

What are the exact file requirements for the online renewal photo?

The State Department publishes two: the photo must be a JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF file, and the file size must be between 54 KB and 10 MB. It must also be in colour and taken in the last 6 months. The upload tool inside the application lets you reposition and crop before submitting.

What pixel dimensions should I use?

State does not publish a pixel range on its online renewal photo page - only the format and file size limits. Its published digital photo standard for US passport and visa photos is a square image between 600 x 600 and 1200 x 1200 pixels, so 1200 x 1200 is the safest target. It is inside the published range and comfortably clears the 54 KB file-size floor.

My photo was rejected for being too small. What went wrong?

Almost certainly the 54 KB minimum file size. Re-export the original at full resolution and high JPEG quality rather than re-saving a shrunken copy, and do not send the file to yourself over text or a chat app first - that recompresses it and can drop it below the floor.

Can I upload the HEIC file straight from my iPhone?

Yes. HEIC and HEIF are both on the State Department's accepted format list, alongside JPG, JPEG and PNG. There is no need to convert it, and converting can sometimes reduce quality, so upload the original if it is already within the size limits.

Can I scan an old printed passport photo and upload that?

No. State's guidance says not to take a photo of a printed photo or scan a physical photo to make a digital file, and it publishes a rejected example of exactly that. Scans lose detail and pick up paper texture. Take a fresh digital photo instead.

Who is actually eligible to renew online?

You must be 25 or older, renewing a 10-year passport that expires within a year or expired less than 5 years ago, not changing your name or sex marker, physically located in a US state or territory, and not travelling for at least 6 weeks. Online renewals cannot be expedited. Card-to-card renewal works online, but card-to-book does not - that one has to go by mail.

How much does this cost?

Making the file here is free and there is no watermark. The government fees you pay at opr.travel.state.gov are $130 for a passport book, $30 for a passport card, or $160 for both, with optional 1-3 day delivery at $23.36.

I am renewing online - do I still need printed photos?

No. An online renewal takes the uploaded file only, so nothing needs to be printed. If you want physical 2 x 2 prints anyway for a visa application or an ID, print the 4x6 sheet at a CVS or Walgreens photo kiosk for well under a dollar and cut them out.

Other photos you can make free

Checked August 2026 Specifications and prices on this page come from the sources below. Rules and prices change — if you spot something out of date, please tell us.