USCIS Photo Requirements (2 x 2 inches)

Size2 x 2 inches
BackgroundPlain white to off-white
Head height50–69% of the photo
GlassesNot allowed

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Add a photo for your USCIS (2x2)

Take a photo or choose oneOn a phone you can use your camera. JPEG, PNG or HEIC.

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

USCIS uses one photo standard for every form that asks for pictures: a 2 x 2 inch colour photo, white to off-white background, head 1 to 1 3/8 inches from chin to top of hair. Since 12 December 2025 USCIS will not use a photo you send in - the picture that ends up on your green card, work permit or naturalisation certificate is taken by USCIS at an Application Support Center - but the form instructions have not been rewritten, so where the instructions still list photographs you should still include them. This page gives you the exact measurements and tells you which filings genuinely still need printed photos.

How to make a USCIS Immigration Photo (2 x 2 inch passport-style) photo

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

USCIS Immigration Photo (2 x 2 inch passport-style) photo requirements

Photo size: Exactly 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm), square
How many: Two identical prints wherever the form instructions list photographs (I-485, I-765, and N-400 if you live abroad)
Head height: 1 to 1 3/8 inches (25-35 mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the hair - 50% to 69% of image height
Eye height: 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 inches (28-35 mm) from the bottom edge of the photo
Background: White to off-white, plain, evenly lit, no shadows
Pose: Full face, frontal view, both eyes open, neutral expression
Print quality: Colour, thin photo paper with a glossy finish, unmounted and unretouched
Head covering: Bare head unless headwear is worn daily for religious reasons
Labelling: Lightly print your name and A-Number (if any) on the back in pencil or felt pen
Online filing: Scan or photograph your printed 2 x 2s and upload as PDF, JPG or JPEG; files must be under 12 MB
Photo reuse window: USCIS may reuse a photo it took at a biometrics appointment if it is no more than 36 months old - except for N-400, N-600, I-90 and I-485, which always require a new one

Mistakes that get this photo rejected

Policy and paperwork disagree right now. Policy Alert PA-2025-29 (12 December 2025) says USCIS "will not use or reuse self-submitted photographs", but as of 3 August 2026 the I-485 (ed. 01/20/25), I-765 (ed. 08/21/25) and N-400 (ed. 01/20/25) instructions still ask for two photos and no new editions have been published. Follow the form instructions - filing without a listed item risks rejection.
USCIS still runs an alert on the Form I-765 page reminding filers that photos "must be unmounted and unretouched" - meaning no filters, no skin smoothing, no digital background swap. Retouched images can force you to appear at an Application Support Center to verify identity.
If you fail to attend a required biometric services appointment, USCIS may treat the whole application as abandoned and deny it. The photo is no longer just paperwork - it is tied to an appointment you must show up for.
USCIS never states a maximum age for the photo, only "taken recently". Six months is the safe interpretation because that is the standard the State Department applies to the same 2 x 2 format.
The USCIS form instructions say nothing about eyeglasses, which misleads people into wearing them. Remove them - the ASC technician will ask you to, and every other U.S. government photo standard bans them.

The six reasons photos come back, across every document

Printing it for about 40¢

The 4×6 sheet this tool gives you holds several copies of your photo at exactly 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm). Order it as an ordinary 4×6 photo print — about 19¢ at Walmart, 39¢ at Walgreens or 42¢ at CVS — then cut them out. That is the same print the store charges $7.64 to $16.99 for at the counter.

The one thing that goes wrong: letting the store’s website or kiosk crop, zoom or “fit” your image. That changes the photo’s physical size and is the most common reason a printed photo is rejected. Always choose the option that prints the whole sheet at actual size.

Common questions

Does USCIS still require photos with applications in 2026?

It depends on the form. As of 3 August 2026 the published instructions for I-485 and I-765 still require two identical 2 x 2 photos, and N-400 requires them only if you reside outside the United States. The photo actually printed on your document now comes from a USCIS biometrics appointment, but the mailed photos remain part of a complete filing until the instructions are reissued.

What size is a USCIS photo?

2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm), square, in colour. Your head must measure 1 to 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of your hair, and your eyes must sit 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 inches up from the bottom edge of the photo.

Is a USCIS photo the same as a U.S. passport photo?

The dimensions and head size are identical, so a compliant 2 x 2 works for both. The wording differs slightly - USCIS additionally requires thin glossy paper, unmounted and unretouched prints, and your name pencilled on the back.

Can I print USCIS photos at CVS or Walgreens?

Yes. Generate the free 4 x 6 sheet here, upload it to the CVS or Walgreens photo site and collect a single glossy 4 x 6 print, usually under a dollar, which gives you six 2 x 2 photos. Choose glossy - the USCIS instructions specifically call for a glossy finish.

How much does a USCIS photo cost?

Making it here is free and the file carries no watermark. Printing is the only expense: roughly $0.35 to $0.50 for one 4 x 6 drugstore print that yields six photos. A walk-in passport-photo counter charges about $17 for two.

What is a biometrics appointment and will I get one?

It is a short visit to a USCIS Application Support Center where staff take your fingerprints, signature and photograph. Since December 2025 most domestic filings that produce a card or certificate trigger one, and USCIS will mail you a Form I-797C notice with the date, time and location.

USCIS already photographed me last year - do I have to go again?

For most benefit types USCIS may reuse a photo it took at a biometrics appointment within the last 36 months. There is no reuse at all for Form N-400, N-600, I-90 or I-485 - those four always require a fresh photograph, so expect a new appointment.

Can I upload a photo instead of printing it when I file online?

When you file online, USCIS asks you to scan or photograph your printed 2 x 2s and upload the file. Accepted formats are PDF, JPG and JPEG, each under 12 MB, and the image must be clear and readable.

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.