US Visa Photo Requirements: 2 x 2 Inches, White Background, No Glasses, Taken Within 6 Months

The US visa photo requirements are short but strict, and the most common surprise is glasses: the U.S. Department of State does not allow eyeglasses in new visa photos. Here is what the photo must look like, whether you upload it to the DS-160 or bring a print.

The basic rules

• In colour. Black-and-white photos are not accepted.
• Recent: taken within the last 6 months.
• Background: plain white or off-white.
• No eyeglasses. The only exception is a rare medical case that you can document; even then the eyes must not be covered and there must be no glare.

Size and head position

The State Department publishes a photo composition template with these head limits.

DS-160: digital upload

For a nonimmigrant visa you fill in the DS-160 online, and the form can require you to upload a digital photo; the same applies to the DS-1648. Use a recent photo that meets the rules above and has not been retouched in a way that changes how you look.

Some embassies also ask for printed photos. For example, the U.S. Embassy in Korea tells fiancé(e) (K1/K2) visa applicants to submit 2 photos taken within 6 months, on a white background, 5 x 5 cm, and repeats that eyeglasses are not allowed in visa photos. Check your embassy’s instructions for how many prints, if any, you need.

Glasses: why photos get turned down

People who wear glasses every day often keep them on. For a US visa photo, take them off. If you cannot remove them for medical reasons, the State Department expects a documented exception, the eyes fully visible and no reflection on the lenses.

Need a square 2 x 2 photo with the head in the right range? Make it on our US visa photo page.