Free original-file checker
Check Your Original U.S. Passport Photo
Compare your original U.S. passport photo file type and size with the State Department’s published online limits. The checker does not evaluate visual compliance and does not crop, retouch, or alter the image.
Choose your original photo
JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC, or HEIF. 54 KB to 10 MB.
Check my fileFree, no account. The photo is analyzed locally and is not sent to the PhotoPass processing API.
Open the full checkerRules checked August 3, 2026 against the official online-upload guidance and paper-photo requirements. PhotoPass is not affiliated with the U.S. government.
Choose your application route
Online and paper applications use different photo workflows. Start with the route you will actually submit.
Online renewal
Check the original digital file
Check format and file size here. Reposition and crop only inside the official State Department application.
Paper application
Prepare a 2×2 print sheet
Arrange an already-suitable 2×2 photo on a 4×6 sheet. The print tool does not alter or validate the photo.
Open the print-sheet toolRead the official workflow details
U.S. passport photo requirements depend on how you apply. For online renewal, upload the original digital photo and use the official State Department application to reposition and crop it. The current upload guidance accepts JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC, and HEIF files from 54 KB to 10 MB. The photo must be recent, clear, and unchanged.
For a paper application, submit one 2×2 inch (51×51 mm) colour photo. The printed head height must be 1 to 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm) from chin to crown. Both routes require a real plain white or off-white background, even lighting, a forward-facing pose, open eyes, a closed mouth, and no glasses.
If the background, lighting, expression, sharpness, or pose is wrong, retake the photo rather than changing it with software. Use the unchanged-file checker for online file type and size. For a paper form, the 4×6 print-sheet tool only arranges an already-suitable 2×2 photo; it does not make the photo compliant. PhotoPass does not guarantee acceptance or submit your application. See the complete 2026 requirements or the rejection checklist before applying.
Official United States Passport Photo Requirements
| Online renewal | Upload an original digital photo; reposition and crop it in the official application |
| Accepted online formats | JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC, or HEIF |
| Online file size | 54 KB–10 MB |
| Paper application | One 2 × 2 inch (51 × 51 mm) colour photo |
| Printed head size | 1–1⅜ inches (25–35 mm), chin to crown |
| Background | Real, plain white or off-white; no shadows, patterns, or objects |
| Editing | Original and unchanged; no filters, retouching, AI, or background replacement |
| Recency | Taken within the last 6 months |
How to Get Your United States Passport Photo
- Select “United States Passport” in the inline PhotoPass checker. The U.S. file-level rules are already selected.
- Upload your original photo from your phone. Use a real plain white or off-white background. If it is not compliant, retake the photo rather than editing it.
- We compare the original file type and file size without changing the image.
- Follow the official application route — use the original image in the government upload flow, or obtain the printed photos required by the authority.
PhotoPass checks only file type and file size for this route. It does not inspect visual compliance, crop, retouch, replace the background, guarantee acceptance, or submit your application. Reposition and crop the image only inside the official State Department application. Renew only on the official .gov website. Not affiliated with the U.S. government.
What the free checker covers
- File properties: format and file size against the published digital-upload rules.
- Your original stays unchanged: PhotoPass does not crop, retouch, or replace the background.
- The authority decides: this is a preliminary file check, not a visual-compliance review or acceptance guarantee.
Choose your next step