Crop a photo to 51 × 51 mm — USA visa
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 50–69%
- 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 | 50–69% of photo height |
| Eye line from the bottom edge | 56–69% |
| Background | Plain white or off-white background without shadows or foreign objects. #ffffff |
| Glasses | Glasses prohibited, except for rare 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 |
|---|---|
| Digital file outside 600×600 to 1200×1200 px / 240 KB range | Re-encode JPEG sRGB, target ~600×600 px ~150 KB |
| Aspect ratio not square (1:1) | Crop to 1:1 — same height and width |
| Colour space not sRGB (Adobe RGB or other rejected) | Convert to sRGB in any photo editor before export |
| Head outside 50-69% of frame | Standard US visa crop |
| Glasses worn (banned since November 1, 2016; rare medical exceptions require a signed doctor's statement) | Remove glasses; if they cannot be removed for medical reasons, provide a signed statement from a medical professional |
| Printed photo at interview doesn't match uploaded digital | Use same shoot session for both digital upload and printed copy |
USA-specific things to know
- Glasses banned in new visa photos since November 1, 2016, except rare medical cases (e.g. recent ocular surgery) with a signed statement from a medical professional; frames must not obscure the eyes, no glare or shadows on the lenses
- Digital upload 240 KB ceiling is server-enforced — phone-camera JPEGs at default quality usually exceed this
- Square aspect (1:1) is mandatory — most country visa photos are not square; this trips applicants
- Both digital (DS-160) AND printed 2×2 (interview) required — use same session for consistency
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 visa photos or digital images to be in color, recent within 6 months, and taken on a plain white or off-white background.
- The official composition rule sets head height at 1 to 1 3/8 inches, equivalent to 50-69% of total image height for digital images.
- Immigrant visa printed photos must be 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm); DS-160/DS-1648 applications can require a digital upload.
- Eyeglasses are not allowed in new visa photos except rare documented medical exceptions, with eyes unobscured and no glare.
Questions people ask before cropping
51 × 51 mm. 50–69% of photo height.
602 × 602 px (300 dpi) · 1205 × 1205 px (600 dpi).
50–69% of photo height.
Plain white or off-white background without shadows or foreign objects.
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.