How you attach a passport photo to your application depends on how you’re applying. For a mail-in renewal on Form DS-82, you staple the photo to the form yourself using four staples, one in each corner. For an in-person application, you bring the photo loose and let the acceptance agent attach it. For an online renewal, there is nothing to staple: you upload a digital image instead.1U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail
Stapling the Photo to a Mail-In DS-82
The State Department accepts staples and only staples for mail-in renewals. No glue, no tape, no paper clips.1U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail Glue can wrinkle or smudge the print, tape loses its hold in transit, and paper clips fall off.
Position the photo inside the designated box on the form, upright and centered. Then place four staples vertically, one in each corner of the photo, as close to the outer edges as you can get them. The point is to keep every staple away from your face in the image.2U.S. Department of State. DS-82 U.S. Passport Renewal Application for Eligible Individuals Don’t bend the photo while you staple it.
Run your finger over each staple after you’ve placed it. They need to sit flush against the paper. A staple sticking up can catch on other documents in the envelope and tear the photo during processing. Mail the completed form in a large flat envelope rather than folding it, because a crease across the photo is one of the more common reasons an application comes back.
Applying in Person: Bring the Photo Loose
If you’re getting a first passport or otherwise applying in person, do not staple the photo yourself. Bring it loose to the acceptance facility. The agent reviews it for compliance and attaches it to the form.3U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Photos This works in your favor: any problem gets caught at the counter, before the application ever enters the mail stream. Many acceptance facilities also take photos on site, so if yours fails review you can usually get a replacement taken right there.
Photos for Children Under 16
Never attach a child’s photo to the application form. The acceptance agent or passport employee will review it and attach it themselves. Because every applicant under 16 must apply in person, an agent will always be handling this step.4U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16 Bring the photo loose, along with the rest of your documents.
Uploading a Digital Photo for Online Renewal
Online renewal replaces the physical photo with a file upload, so nothing gets stapled. The image must be a JPG, JPEG, or HEIF file between 54 kilobytes and 10 megabytes. The State Department’s online tool runs a basic check on the image before you submit.5U.S. Department of State. Uploading a Digital Photo
One rule catches people off guard: do not use AI tools or digital editing software to create or modify the photo. Background-removal apps, beauty filters, and red-eye correction all count. If the image looks altered, the State Department will reject it. For red-eye, retake the photo with better lighting rather than editing the original.5U.S. Department of State. Uploading a Digital Photo
Get the Photo Itself Right Before You Attach It
A perfectly stapled photo that doesn’t meet specifications still gets rejected. Before you attach or upload anything, check the basics.
The photo must be a color image taken within the last six months, printed on glossy or matte photo-quality paper, and sized at exactly 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm). Your head, measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head, must fall between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches (25–35 mm). The background must be plain white or off-white with no shadows, patterns, or textures. Face the camera directly with a neutral expression, both eyes open, and mouth closed. A slight smile is fine as long as your mouth stays closed. No holes, creases, or smudges, and no filters, editing software, or AI tools.3U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Photos
Glasses, Head Coverings, and Clothing
Take off all eyeglasses, including sunglasses and tinted lenses. The only exception is recent eye surgery where a medical professional signs a statement confirming glasses are necessary to protect your eyes during urgent travel, and even then the frames cannot cover your eyes and the lenses cannot cast glare or shadow.6U.S. Department of State. New Eyeglasses Policy for Visa and Passport Photographs
A hat or head covering worn daily for religious reasons is allowed, but you need to include a signed statement confirming it is religious attire you wear in public every day. It cannot cast shadows on your face. Uniforms, anything that looks like a uniform, and camouflage clothing are not allowed. Jewelry and facial piercings are fine if they don’t obscure your face. Headphones, wireless earbuds, and face coverings have to come off.3U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Photos
What a Rejected Photo Costs You
If the State Department flags a problem with your photo after you’ve submitted, you’ll get a letter or email requesting more information, and your application status will change to “Additional Information Needed.” The notice explains what was wrong and what to send.7Travel.State.Gov. Respond to a Letter or Email
You have to respond by the deadline in the letter, and in any case within 90 days. Include a copy of the letter with your corrected photo so the agency can match it to your pending file. Miss the 90-day window and your application may be treated as abandoned.7Travel.State.Gov. Respond to a Letter or Email
The real cost of a photo mistake is time. A rejection adds weeks on top of the normal processing timeline, which can easily push past a travel date. Two minutes of checking against the State Department’s photo examples before you seal the envelope is the cheapest insurance available.