Chapters · 3
2x2 Photo Maker
Make your photo
New passports and renewals, printed or uploaded for online renewal.
Your photo is checked on this device, and we never see it. By choosing one you agree that this page measures the face in it, on your device only. Nothing is kept after you close the tab.
A 2x2 photo is 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm), the size of a US passport photo. The head must measure 1 to 1 3/8 inches from the chin to the top of the head, on a plain white or off-white background. Add a picture in the tool above: it crops it to 2 x 2 with the head at the right size, checks it free, and gives you a digital file and a 4x6 sheet with 6 copies.
Below: the size in every unit, what a 2x2 photo is used for, and how to print it.
US passport photo rules
New passports and renewals, printed or uploaded for online renewal.
- Size
- 2 x 2 in (50.8 x 50.8 mm)
- Upload limits
- 54 KB to 10 MB, JPG, PNG, HEIC, HEIF
- Our digital file
- 1200 x 1200 px JPEG
- Head height
- 1 to 1 3/8 in (25 to 35 mm), chin to top of head
- Background
- White or off-white, plain, no shadows
- Expression
- Neutral, or a natural smile with your mouth closed. Children need a neutral expression.
- Glasses
- No glasses, unless you include a signed note from your doctor.
- Babies
- A baby's eyes don't have to be fully open. No one else, including a parent, may be in the photo.
- Edits
- The State Department doesn't accept photos changed with software, phone apps or filters, and that includes the background. We only crop and resize it.
- Taken in the last 6 months.
- Printed in color on matte or glossy photo paper. No photocopies or scans.
- No hat or head covering, unless worn daily for religious reasons (with a signed statement) or for medical reasons (with a doctor's statement). Your full face must show.
- No uniform, camouflage or headphones.
Official sources
- U.S. Department of State: Passport photos
- U.S. Department of State: Upload a digital photo (online renewal)
- Foreign Affairs Manual 8 FAM 402.1
- Form DS-11 instructions
Checked against these pages on . How we check the rules
2x2 photo size in inches, mm, cm and pixels
| Unit | Photo | Head (chin to top of head) |
|---|---|---|
| Inches | 2 x 2 in | 1 to 1 3/8 in |
| Millimeters | 51 x 51 mm | 25 to 35 mm |
| Centimeters | 5.1 x 5.1 cm | 2.5 to 3.5 cm |
| Pixels at 300 dpi (print) | 600 x 600 px | 300 to 413 px |
| Our digital file | 1200 x 1200 px | 600 to 825 px |
The State Department doesn't publish a pixel size for digital photos; it asks for a file from 54 KB to 10 MB. Our file is 1200 x 1200 pixels, enough detail to print at 2 x 2 inches.
What a 2x2 photo is used for
| Document | Size | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| US passport | 2 x 2 in | This page and the rule card above |
| OCI card (India) | 2 x 2 in, square, up to 900 x 900 px | Indian passport photo size page |
| USCIS forms and US visas | Not checked on this site | The form's own instructions |
01
How to make a 2x2 photo from a phone picture
Cropping a picture to a square isn't enough: the head has to fill the right share of it. In a 2 x 2 inch photo the head takes up between half and about two thirds of the height.
Steps
- Stand in front of a plain white or off-white wall, facing a window.
- Have someone take the photo at eye level with your head, shoulders and some wall above your hair in view. Don't zoom in.
- Choose US passport photo in the tool and add the photo.
- Read the free check and fix anything marked with a cross.
- Download the 1200 x 1200 pixel digital file or the 4x6 print sheet.
If it doesn't work
- "There isn't enough space above the head": the photo was cropped too tight. Take it again from farther away.
- "The photo is too narrow for this size": turn the phone sideways or step back so there is wall on both sides of your shoulders.
02
How to print 2x2 photos on 4x6 paper
A 4x6 inch print holds six 2 x 2 inch photos, three across and two down, with no space between them. That's why our print sheet is a 4x6 image: any photo printer can make it.
Steps
- Download the 4x6 print sheet from the tool.
- Upload it to a drugstore or photo kiosk as a standard 4x6 print, or print it at home on photo paper.
- Make sure nothing scales the image: choose 100% or "actual size" and no borders.
- Cut along the gray lines with a ruler and a craft knife or paper trimmer.
- Measure one photo. It should be exactly 2 inches on each side.
The US asks for photos printed on matte or glossy photo paper, so don't use plain printer paper.
If it doesn't work
- The copies come out smaller than 2 inches: the printer shrank the image to fit. Print again at 100% scale.
- White edges cut into the photos: the print had borders. Choose borderless printing.
03
Why a correctly sized photo can still be rejected
A photo can be exactly 2 x 2 inches and still be refused. The other rules for a US passport photo:
- Head from 1 to 1 3/8 inches, chin to top of head.
- Plain white or off-white background with no shadows.
- No glasses, unless you include a signed note from your doctor.
- Neutral face or a natural smile with your mouth closed.
- Taken in the last 6 months, in color.
- Not changed with software, phone apps or filters.
The free check measures the head size, the background and the expression, and looks for glasses. The 6 months and the no-editing rule are up to you.
Ready to make your photo?
Pick your document, add a photo and read the free check. You pay only for the HD files.
Troubleshooting
My printed photos are not 2 inches wide
The printer scaled the sheet. Print again at 100% or actual size, with no borders.
The background check fails
The wall behind you is in shadow or has a pattern. Stand a little away from a plain white wall and face the light.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How big is a 2x2 photo in cm?
5.1 x 5.1 cm (51 x 51 mm).
How many pixels is a 2x2 photo?
At 300 dpi a 2 x 2 inch print is 600 x 600 pixels. Our digital file is 1200 x 1200. The State Department doesn't set a pixel size for uploads, only a file size of 54 KB to 10 MB.
Where can I print a 2x2 photo?
Order the 4x6 print sheet as a regular 4x6 photo at a drugstore or photo kiosk, then cut it into six photos.
Is a 2x2 photo the same as a passport photo?
For a US passport, yes, as long as the head size, background and other rules are met. Other countries use other sizes: see the uk passport photo and indian passport photo size pages.
Can I use a 2x2 photo for USCIS?
Many US immigration forms ask for 2 x 2 inch photos, but check the form's own instructions: we haven't checked USCIS rules on this site.