US Passport & Visa Photos — Check Before You Submit

It is a software-based tool that processes the original portrait in accordance with the government requirements for a particular identification document. It automatically adjusts the size, head positioning, crop, and background. In mere seconds, you get a fully compliant ID, a visa, or a standard passport photo that is ready for in-person or online application. It is available 24/7, so you save money and time on a visit to a professional photo studio.

You can get a digital passport photo either online or at physical locations such as pharmacies, professional studios, or postal offices — CVS and Walgreens in the U.S., Timpson and Snappy Snaps in the U.K., or Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada.

If you choose to use online services like PhotoGov, you will be saving time and money on a studio or shop visit. Just take a selfie, upload it, choose the country and the photo type, and the service will automatically adjust the size, lighting, and background, giving you a ready-to-use digital or printable file for download or submission.

Generally, it’s perfectly legal to take your own passport photo — provided that it meets the official standards for size, background, lighting, and facial position. The final decision always belongs to the issuing authority, such as the U.S. Department of State, HM Passport Office, or other national agencies. However, some jurisdictions, such as Canada, require only professionally taken passport-size photographs, according to the Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) guidelines.

For U.S. and U.K. applications, photos must be captured against a real backdrop without AI or digital editing. PhotoGov only guides you through posture and lighting, and adjusts cropping to ensure your image meets official specifications. All processed photographs are reviewed against government standards to help you avoid rejections and save time at submission.

Passport picture dimensions vary depending on the jurisdiction. Here are the most popular ones:

• United States — 2×2 inches (51×51 mm)
• European Union — 35×45 mm (1.38×1.77 in)
• Canada — 50x70 mm (2x2¾ in)
• United Kingdom — 35×45 mm (1.38×1.77 in)
• Germany — 35×45 mm (1.38×1.77 in)
• India — 35×45 mm (1.38×1.77 in)
• Malaysia — 35 × 50 mm (1.38 × 1.97 in)

These dimensions are provided for general reference. For official applications, always verify the latest size and format requirements on the government website, through the relevant issuing authority, or our continuously updated platform PhotoGov.

Most countries require a white, off-white, or light-colored background with even lighting and no patterns or shadows.

With PhotoGov, you don’t need to worry about providing an original portrait that exactly matches the requirements for your country and document — our service automatically adjusts it to match the chosen country’s official standards.

For jurisdictions where digital alterations are restricted, such as the United States, the United Kingdom, or Canada, PhotoGov provides cropping and sizing only, without the automatic background removal.

The best place to take a passport photo depends on your comfort level and budget. Popular options include:

At home, using PhotoGov. Take a selfie with your phone in a well-lit area, and our online service will automatically size and crop it to meet official requirements. Download a digital photo and a printable file — and you are ready for submission. Alternatively, you can use any online AI passport photo maker.

In-store services: Get your picture clicked on-site and order prints at places like Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens. It is a quick and convenient choice, and the staff is usually well familiar with ID specifications.

No. General passport photo requirements don't allow smiling. A neutral expression with no smiling or frowning is acceptable. Your eyes should be open, your mouth closed, and your gaze directed straight into the camera. A “neutral facial expression” is required by the International Civil Aviation Organization for the process of biometric identification.

Wear everyday clothes in darker colors that don't blend with the white backgdrop. Avoid patterns, logos, or text. Keep your hair away from your face. Hats, accessories that obstruct the facial features, aren't permitted on identification document photographs. Head coverings worn daily for religious or medical reasons are allowed — but only if they don't obstruct the applicant's face.

It depends on the country that issues the document.

Glasses aren’t permitted in official IDs in the U.S. and the European Union. However, they are acceptable in India, the UK, and Canada, as long as the eyes are clearly visible and the lenses show no glare or light reflection. Always check the identification document photograph guidelines of the issuing country before applying.

Once you've downloaded your digital image from the PhotoGov app, you can choose print service providers in proximity to your home or office — like CVS or Walgreens in the USA, or Snappy Snaps in the U.K., and Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada. Just bring a stick with a digital image, or send it via email, and they will print it for you on the right crop page size.

Even easier if you have a color printer at home — you don't have to wait and order prints outside. Take a single sheet of matte or glossy photo paper, and print it right from your device, using these guidelines:

• Paper size: 4 × 6 inches
• Print scale: 100 % (Actual size)
• DPI: 300–600
• Disable auto-color corrections
• Cut out the printed photo carefully using scissors or a paper cutter.

According to the Trustpilot customer reviews, PhotoGov is the best free passport photo maker, rated as the number one service in its category. Depending on your location, it allows you to make from one to an unlimited number of free passport photos online, using only your iPhone, Android, or laptop. Just upload your selfie and wait until the system processes it, using the cropping tool, background remover, lighting, and head positioning corrector, adhering to the government standards for your chosen document and country.

PhotoGov is a software-based service that automatically adheres to the official passport and visa ID regulations set by government authorities, such as the U.S. Department of State, HM Passport Office, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), and the International Civil Aviation Organization. The platform applies sizing, cropping, and background adjustments according to the requirements of each country and document type, while our built-in compliance system automatically checks every processed image against official specifications for each destination. All information on our website is manually checked by our experts — compliance experts and immigration media editors.

For applications of high importance, the PhotoGov users can add human verification for an extra layer of eligibility and compliance checks. Learn more.

Depending on your location, you can create from one to an unlimited number of free ID photographs with our online passport photo maker. Prices for additional photos are very affordable, starting from $5.90 — far below typical studio rates. PhotoGov also offers subscription options for frequent users and custom plans for businesses and organizations.

The PhotoGov's paid Premium Features include:

Priority Image:

• Instant download in JPEG, no watermarks
• 100% compliance with state requirements
• Print-ready A4 version in high resolution (300 dpi)
• 4 alternative digitally enhanced photographs included
• Priority customer support
• Free re-generation, if needed

Human Verification:

• Expert eligibility check with a 100% refund guarantee
• Free reprocessing in case the photograph isn't accepted by the authorities.

You can purchase these add-ons with a single click upon checkout. The price will automatically appear in your basket. Now your fully compliant ID picture is ready to be downloaded and printed at home or with print service providers.

No. PhotoGov is an independent service and is not affiliated with any government, embassy, or consulate. All information on the platform is based on official government requirements and verified primary sources. Final acceptance of your photo is determined solely by the issuing authority.

No. PhotoGov cannot guarantee that your identification document photograph will be accepted, as approval depends on multiple factors, including the application you submit and your overall eligibility. However, we guarantee full compliance with the official requirements for more than 200 jurisdictions and 900 document types. When you use our online tool, you can be confident that the final image will comply with the official standards set by state authorities.