Photo Requirements

Photo Requirements
Worldwide Caution:
The Department of State advises Americans worldwide, and especially in the Middle East, to exercise increased caution.
Americans in the Middle East:
Americans in the Middle East should follow the latest guidance from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate and can contact the U.S. Department of State to receive information or assistance.
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Photo Requirements
Your photo is a vital part of your visa application. To learn more, review the information below on how to provide a suitable photo. Digital images are required for some visa categories, while photos are required for other visa categories. The acceptance of your digital image or photo is at the discretion of the U.S. embassy or consulate where you apply.
We recommend you use a professional visa photo service to ensure your photo meets all the requirements.
Your photos or digital images must be:
In color
Sized such that the head is between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches (22 mm and 35 mm) or 50% and 69% of the image's total height from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. View the
Photo Composition Template
for more size requirement details.
Taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance
Taken in front of a plain white or off-white background
Taken in full-face view directly facing the camera
With a neutral facial expression and both eyes open
Taken in clothing that you normally wear on a daily basis
Uniforms should not be worn in your photo, except religious clothing that is worn daily.
Do not wear a hat or head covering that obscures the hair or hairline, unless worn daily for a religious purpose. Your full face must be visible, and the head covering must not cast any shadows on your face.
Headphones, wireless hands-free devices, or similar items are not acceptable in your photo.
Eyeglasses are no longer allowed in new visa photos, except in rare circumstances when eyeglasses cannot be removed for medical reasons; e.g., the applicant has recently had ocular surgery and the eyeglasses are necessary to protect the applicant's eyes. A medical statement signed by a medical professional/health practitioner must be provided in these cases. If the eyeglasses are accepted for medical reasons:
The frames of the eyeglasses must not cover the eye(s).
There must not be glare on eyeglasses that obscures the eye(s).
There must not be shadows or refraction from the eyeglasses that obscures the eye(s).
If you normally wear a hearing device or similar articles, they may be worn in your photo.
Review the
Photo Examples
to see examples of acceptable and unacceptable photos. Photos copied or digitally scanned from driver’s licenses or other official documents are not acceptable. In addition, snapshots, magazine photos, low quality vending machine or mobile phone photos, and full-length photographs are not acceptable.
Please review the additional photo requirements for:
Nonimmigrant Visas
Immigrant Visas
Diversity Visa (DV) Program
Additional Information
Tips for taking photos yourself
Change of Appearance
Frequently Asked Questions
Additional Requirements for Nonimmigrant Visas
Applicants using Form DS-160 or Form DS-1648
If you are applying for a nonimmigrant visa by filling out the DS-160 or DS-1648 online form, the form will instruct you to upload your digital image as part of completing the online visa application form. Review the
Digital Image Requirements
, which also provide additional requirements if you are scanning an existing photo.
Some embassies and consulates require visa applicants to bring one (1) photo, which meets requirements, to the interview. Review the
embassy or consulate
instructions where you will apply to learn more.
Additional Requirements for Immigrant Visas
Applicants using Form DS-260
If you are applying for an immigrant visa, using Form DS-260, you must provide
two (2) identical photos
at your immigrant visa interview. Your photos must be:
Printed on photo quality paper
2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) in size
Additional Requirements for the Diversity Visa (DV) Program
Diversity Visa Program Entrants
If you are entering the Diversity Visa (DV) Program online, you must upload your digital image as part of your entry. Your digital image must be:
In JPEG (.jpg) file format
Equal to or less than 240 kB (kilobytes) in file size
In a square aspect ratio (height must equal width)
600x600 pixels in dimension
Do you want to scan an existing photo? In addition to the digital image requirements, your existing photo must be:
2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm)
Scanned at a resolution of 300 pixels per inch (12 pixels per millimeter)
Diversity Visa Program Selectees
Each DV applicant will need to bring two (2) identical photos to the interview. Your photos must be:
Printed on photo quality paper
2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) in size
Do you want to take the photo yourself?
While we recommend you use a professional visa photo service to ensure your photo meets all the requirements, you may take the photo yourself. Photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance in any way. Please review the following technical requirements and references for guidance on taking your own photo.
Photo Composition Template
Digital Image Requirements
Use the Department of State’s free photo tool to:
select a digital image stored on your computer
resize and rotate it if necessary
crop it to a square image of exactly 600 x 600 pixels, and
save it to your computer for printing
Please note: This tool is intended for photo cropping only. A Department of State employee will make the final decision whether your visa photo is acceptable or not for your application.
Taking photos of your baby or toddler
When taking a photo of your baby or toddler, no other person should be in the photo, and your child should be looking at the camera with his or her eyes open.
Tip 1:
Lay your baby on his or her back on a plain white or off-white sheet. This will ensure your baby's head is supported and provide a plain background for the photo. Make certain there are no shadows on your baby's face, especially if you take a picture from above with the baby lying down.
Tip 2:
Cover a car seat with a plain white or off-white sheet and take a picture of your child in the car seat. This will also ensure your baby’s head is supported
Change of Appearance
If your photo(s) or digital image does not reflect your current appearance, even if it is not older than 6 months, the U.S. embassy or consulate will request that you provide a new photo with your application.
Applicants will be requested to obtain a new photo if they have:
Undergone significant facial surgery or trauma
Added or removed numerous/large facial piercings or tattoos
Undergone a significant amount of weight loss or gain
Generally, if you can still be identified from the photo in your visa application, you will not need to submit a new photo. For example, growing a beard or coloring your hair would not generally be considered a significant change of appearance.
If the appearance of your child under the age of 16 has changed due to the normal aging process, he or she will generally not have to provide a new photo. However, the acceptance of your photo or digital image is at the discretion of the U.S. embassy or consulate where you apply.
Already have a photo?
Use our
Photo Tool
to crop your photo so it's the right size.
This photo tool does not check the quality of your image.
This tool is for cropping your photo only when you are applying or renewing using a paper form.
Do not use this tool if you are renewing online.
After you apply, a U.S. Department of State employee will review your photo and decide if we can accept your photo.
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Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Albanian
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Algerian Arabic
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Arabic
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Armenian
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Azerbaijani
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Bengali
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Bulgarian
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Creole
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Croatian
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Czech
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - English
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Farsi
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - French
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Greek
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Hebrew
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Hindi
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Hungarian
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Indonesian
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Japanese
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Korean
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Latvian
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Macedonian
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Mandarin
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Mongolian
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Polish
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Brazilian Portuguese
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Portuguese
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Romanian
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Spanish
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Tagalog
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Thai
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Turkish
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Urdu
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Uzbek
Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers - Vietnamese
Rights and Protections for Foreign-Citizen Fiancé(e)s and Spouses of U.S. Citizens and Spouses of Lawful Permanent Residents
Wilberforce Guidance - Rights and Protections for Temporary Workers
Visa Wizard
Visa Denials
Fraud Warning
What the Visa Expiration Date Means
Lost and Stolen Passports, Visas, and Arrival/Departure Records (Form I-94)
A-Z Index
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Directory of Visa Categories
Customer Service Statement
Photo Requirements
Forms
Administrative Processing Information
Visa Appointment Wait Times
Frequently Asked Questions
Your Rights and Protections
Ineligibilities and Waivers: Laws
Advisory Opinions
Safety & Security of U.S. Borders: Biometrics
National Visa Center Customer Service Pledge
Americans Traveling Abroad
The United States and China Agree to Extending Visas for Short-term Business Travelers, Tourists, and Students
Special Visa Processing Procedures Pursuant to Section 306
List of U.S. Embassies and Consulates - K1-K3 Visas
U.S. Government Fact Sheet on Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting (FGM/C)
Skill List by Country
Public Inquiry Form
List of U.S. Embassies and Consulates that Process Immigrant Visas
Global Visa Wait Times
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