Crop a photo to 51 × 51 mm — USA passport
We have not yet confirmed from U.S. Department of State whether this document accepts a photo you prepare yourself. Until that is checked, this page promises nothing about it — the sizes below are the published ones, the route is not.
Upload your photo
The document is already selected — the frame is locked to 51 × 51 mm. Drag the photo inside the frame; the shape cannot be broken.
The photo is cropped in your browser. It is not uploaded to a server and we do not store it.
How to crop it, in three steps
- Upload a photo taken face-on, in even light
- Move the photo until the eyes sit on the guide line and the head fills 49–69%
- Save the 51 × 51 mm result — print it or attach it to the application
Exact numbers for this document
| Parameter | What it must be |
|---|---|
| Print size | 51 × 51 mm |
| Digital resolution | 600 × 600 px |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 602 × 602 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 1205 × 1205 px |
| Aspect ratio | 1:1 |
| Head, share of height | 49–69% of photo height |
| Eye line from the bottom edge | 55–70% |
| Background | White or off-white background. #ffffff |
| Glasses | Glasses prohibited, except for rare documented medical exceptions. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
What cropping will not fix
- A wrong background — cropping does not repaint the wall behind you. This document needs: white or off-white
- A shadow on the face or on the wall. Step 1–2 m away from the wall and shoot facing a window.
- Glasses in the frame. This document does not accept them at all — take them off and shoot again.
- A smile, raised brows or a half-open mouth. Cropping keeps the face it was given.
- Too few pixels. If the original is smaller than 602 × 602 px, enlarging it only blurs the face.
Why these photos get rejected — and how to fix each one
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Dimensional non-compliance (head height outside 1"-1 3/8" range) | Re-shoot with the head occupying ~50-69% of the frame height |
| Background not plain white/off-white (texture, shadow, gradient) | Stand 1-2m from a flat light wall with frontal daylight |
| Glasses present (since 1 Nov 2016) | Remove glasses; medical exception requires GP letter |
| Photo older than 6 months from submission date | Re-shoot with current appearance |
| Non-neutral expression (smile, raised brows, closed eyes) | Practice the relaxed-jaw expression for 30s before the shot |
| Digital quality issues (low resolution, JPEG compression artefacts, filters) | Use rear camera, hold phone still, save unedited |
USA-specific things to know
- DS-160 (visa application form) photo upload accepts MAX 240KB, 600x600px JPEG sRGB — re-encode if your file is larger
- Passport renewal-by-mail (DS-82) allows photos older than 6 months only if you also enclose proof your appearance has not changed significantly
- Acceptance Facility photographers do NOT cost extra at most Post Offices and pass the State Dept check by default — $15-20 service fee
Printing on a single sheet
2 × 2 frames fit on one 10×15 cm sheet — 4 copies from a single print.
Photos per print sheet
| 10 × 15 cm · 4×6″ | 4 (2 × 2) |
|---|---|
| A4 · 21 × 29.7 cm | 20 (4 × 5) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
Where these numbers come from
Source: U.S. Department of State. Last checked against the official page on 2026-05-21.
- The U.S. Department of State requires one color passport photo taken within the last 6 months.
- The correct printed passport photo size is 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm).
- Head height must be between 1 and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head.
- The photo must use a white or off-white background without shadows, texture or lines; eyeglasses must be removed except documented medical cases.
Questions people ask before cropping
51 × 51 mm. 49–69% of photo height.
602 × 602 px (300 dpi) · 1205 × 1205 px (600 dpi).
49–69% of photo height.
White or off-white background.
A wrong background — cropping does not repaint the wall behind you. This document needs: white or off-white A shadow on the face or on the wall. Step 1–2 m away from the wall and shoot facing a window. Glasses in the frame. This document does not accept them at all — take them off and shoot again. A smile, raised brows or a half-open mouth. Cropping keeps the face it was given. Too few pixels. If the original is smaller than 602 × 602 px, enlarging it only blurs the face.
2 × 2 frames fit on one 10×15 cm sheet — 4 copies from a single print.