US Visa Photo Requirements: Size, Face, and Common Rejections

US visa photo requirements call for a 2 x 2 inch color photo taken within the last six months, shot against a plain white or off-white background, showing your full face with a neutral expression and both eyes open.¹ No eyeglasses, no filters, no shadows. These rules apply to both nonimmigrant applications (DS-160) and immigrant applications (DS-260), and consular staff can reject any photo that misses the mark.

Size and File Specifications

A printed photo must measure exactly 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm), with no borders, printed on matte or glossy photo paper.¹ Regular printer paper will not pass.

For the digital upload, the file must be JPEG, no larger than 240 kilobytes, and between 600 x 600 and 1,200 x 1,200 pixels. The color space should be sRGB, which is the default on most cameras and phones.²

How Your Face Should Appear

Your face should fill about half the frame’s height. The distance from the bottom of your chin to the top of your head must measure between 1 inch and 1⅜ inches (25 to 35 mm).¹ Look straight at the camera with your head centered and level. Any tilt up, down, or sideways is grounds for rejection.

Keep a neutral expression with both eyes open. No squinting, no teeth-showing smiles, no unusual expressions.³ The photo needs to be something facial recognition software can reliably match at a border crossing.

Glasses, Head Coverings, and Clothing

Eyeglasses are not allowed. The Department of State banned them in 2016 because frames, glare, and shadows interfered with facial recognition.⁴ The only exception is rare medical necessity, such as recovery from eye surgery during urgent travel. You’d need a signed statement from a medical professional, and even then the frames cannot cover your eyes and the lenses cannot produce glare or shadows.¹ Sunglasses and tinted lenses are never permitted.

Hats and head coverings must come off unless you wear one daily for religious or medical reasons. Religious coverings require a signed statement confirming the item is part of traditional attire you wear continuously in public; medical coverings require a signed doctor’s statement. Your full face must still be visible, and nothing can hide your hairline or cast shadows on your face.¹

Uniforms, clothing that looks like a uniform, and camouflage are not allowed. Religious attire worn daily is the only exception.³ Jewelry and piercings are fine, provided they don’t hide your features or reflect light.

Background, Lighting, and No Editing

The background must be plain white or off-white, with no patterns, textures, or objects behind you.¹ Light the scene evenly so no shadows fall on your face or on the wall. Standing too close to the background and relying on a single overhead light are the two most common causes of shadow problems in home photos.

The photo must be in color. No digital editing of any kind is permitted: no filters, no blemish removal, no background changes, no red-eye correction.² Scans of other documents, photos cut from magazines, and low-resolution images from vending machines or phone booths will also be rejected.

The Six-Month Rule

The photo must have been taken within the past six months and reflect how you currently look.¹ If your appearance has changed significantly, whether from substantial weight change, a facial tattoo, or surgery, you need a new photo. The consular officer compares the image to the person in the interview chair, and a mismatch causes avoidable problems.

Photos of Babies and Children

The same size, background, and format rules apply to applicants of every age. No other person can appear in the frame, and the child should be looking at the camera with eyes open. Anything supporting the child, including a parent’s hands or arms, must be out of view.¹

Submitting the Photo

You upload the digital photo while completing Form DS-160 (nonimmigrant) or Form DS-260 (immigrant).¹ The system runs a basic check on file size and dimensions. If your upload fails, an “X” appears where your photo should on the confirmation page. In that case, bring a printed photo that meets every requirement to your interview, along with the DS-160 confirmation page.³

Even when a digital upload goes through, many embassies and consulates ask you to bring a printed copy anyway. Check the specific instructions from the post where you’ll interview, because some locations add their own submission steps.

Common Reasons Photos Get Rejected

Once you apply, a Department of State employee reviews the photo and decides whether to accept it, and that decision sits with the officer.³ The problems that come up most often:

Wrong dimensions or blurry resolution. Snapshots, full-length photos, and low-quality phone images are rejected outright.
Shadows on the face or background, usually from standing too close to the wall or lighting from one side.
Wearing eyeglasses. Applicants who last applied before 2016 still get caught by this one.
Head tilted or turned. Profile shots and angled poses are never accepted.
Digital editing. Even red-eye removal or skin smoothing invalidates the photo.
Outdated photo. Older than six months, or no longer resembling you, and it fails.

If your photo is rejected after submission, you’ll need to supply a new one before the visa can be processed. Depending on the post, that may mean bringing the replacement to your interview or uploading again. Getting it right the first time matters, since interview slots at many consulates are booked weeks or months out.

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U.S. Department of State. Photo Requirements
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U.S. Department of State. Digital Image Requirements
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U.S. Department of State. Photo Frequently Asked Questions
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U.S. Department of State. 16 STATE 106142 – No Eyeglasses Policy for Visa and Passport Photographs