United States Visa photo requirements

United States visa photo requirements, in plain English

The U.S. nonimmigrant visa photo (the one you upload with the DS-160) shares the exact 2×2 inch square format of the U.S. passport photo, but it is stricter in one important way: you may not smile. Every rule below comes straight from the U.S. Department of State's official photo pages.

Size, head height, and position

Your photo must be a 2×2 inch (51×51 mm) square, in color, and taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance. Within that square your head must measure 1 to 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head (including hair) — that is, 50% to 69% of the image height. The head must be centered and shown in full-face view directly facing the camera. For a digital image, the eyes should sit between 56% and 69% of the image height from the bottom, and the file must be a square at least 600×600 and at most 1200×1200 pixels.

Expression — neutral, no smile

The visa photo requires a neutral facial expression with both eyes open. This is the key difference from the U.S. passport: smiling is not allowed. Keep your mouth closed and relaxed, with no visible teeth and no exaggerated expression. Profile shots or out-of-focus photos will not be accepted.

Glasses — take them off

Eyeglasses are no longer allowed in new visa photos — a rule in effect since November 1, 2016. The only exception is a rare medical circumstance in which glasses cannot be removed, which requires a signed statement from a medical professional. If glasses ever are worn under that exception, there must be no glare, shadow, or refraction from the lenses that obscures the eyes.

Head coverings and hats

Do not wear a hat or head covering that obscures the hair or hairline, unless it is worn daily for a religious purpose. If a religious covering is worn, your full face must be visible and the covering must not cast any shadows on your face. Wear clothing you normally wear day to day — uniforms are not allowed (except religious clothing worn daily), and headphones or wireless hands-free devices are not acceptable.

Lighting, shadows, and red-eye

The State Department does not publish a single general lighting rule, but best practice is even, diffuse lighting with no harsh shadows. The specific shadow rules it does state are narrow: a religious head covering must not cast shadows on your face, and there must be no shadow, glare, or refraction from eyeglasses that obscures the eyes. On red-eye, the rule is distinctive: it is acceptable to use your camera's red-eye reduction setting when taking the photo, but you may not use a photo-editing tool to digitally remove red-eye.

Background

A plain white or off-white background. Snapassport standardizes your background to the exact compliant colour automatically, so a slightly off-colour or busy wall is corrected for you.

Children and infants

For a child's visa photo, the child must be the only person in the photo, with eyes open and looking at the camera. Nothing used to support the child may appear in the frame — including the arms or hands of a parent holding the child.

Recency and format

Submit one color photo taken within the last 6 months, as the original, unedited photo — you may not digitally enhance or alter the photo to change your appearance in any way. Acceptance of any photo is ultimately at the discretion of the U.S. embassy or consulate where you apply.