how to know if passport photo will be accepted

Free passport photo checker — see if it passes before you pay

complypic's free preview tool runs the same biometric checks the U.S. State Department, UK HMPO, Canada IRCC, BLS Schengen and other major consulates use — head height, eye position, background uniformity, expression, glasses, headwear, file format and pixel dimensions. You upload your selfie, complypic generates the cropped and normalized photo against your destination's spec, and shows you the result before any payment. If the result looks wrong, regenerate from a different selfie at no cost. You only pay US$4.99 when the preview matches what the destination portal will accept.

The free preview — what it actually checks

Pixel dimensions: confirms the output is the destination's exact pixel spec (600×600 for US, 600×750 for UK, 413×531 at 300 DPI for Schengen, 420×540 for Canada PR Portal, 350×350 for India eVisa, etc.).

Head height: measures the chin-to-crown height as a percentage of the frame and checks it's within the destination's tolerance (50–69% for US, 71–80% for NZ, etc.).

Eye position: locates the eyes and verifies they're in the destination's accepted vertical band (usually 56–69% from the bottom).

Head tilt: detects head rotation and rejects tilts greater than ~5 degrees from vertical.

Background uniformity: samples background pixels and checks variance — flat (good for the destination's color spec), or noisy/patterned (rejected).

Expression: detects open eyes, mouth-closed posture, and absence of overly broad smiles. Per-destination tolerances apply (US/UK lenient, China stricter).

Glasses: detects any visible frame, lens reflection or tint. Rejects in all 2026-compliant destinations.

Headwear: detects hats; allows religious head coverings if the face is fully visible from chin to forehead.

File format and size: confirms JPEG, file size within the destination's accepted range, no HEIF/PNG.

What the preview does not check

Identity match against your prior documents: only the consulate or border official does that.

Whether you are the person in the photo: complypic does not perform identity verification (and intentionally so — we don't store photos).

Document-specific eligibility (DV Lottery country eligibility, visa category, etc.) — that's separate from photo compliance.

The destination consulate's discretionary judgment on borderline cases (a barely-acceptable head position may still be rejected by a particularly strict reviewer).

How the free preview is different from paid services

complypic: full preview of the final cropped photo with all checks visible. Free, no signup. You only pay US$4.99 if you want to download.

PhotoAiD photo checker: account required. Shows you a thumbnail preview after signup, charges US$15.95 to download.

Passport-Photo.Online checker: free preview with a watermark. Watermark removed on US$8–13 payment.

Visafoto: thumbnail-only preview, no detailed checks visible. US$5.99 to download.

State Department free tool: full preview and the most authoritative US-spec check. Free. Only handles US spec.

Net: for US documents, the State Department tool is the most authoritative free option. For 37+ other destinations, complypic's free preview is the broadest checker available without signup.

Reading the preview — what each indicator means

Green checkmark on each spec category: passes the automated check at the threshold the destination uses. High confidence the photo will be accepted.

Yellow warning: borderline pass. The check tolerance is met but close to the boundary. The destination's automated check is likely to pass, but a particularly strict human reviewer could flag it. Recommended: retake.

Red X: fails the check. The destination's portal will reject the upload. Required: retake or regenerate.

Specific guidance: each failed check shows what to do. 'Head too small — move closer to the camera.' 'Background too dark — switch to a white wall.' 'Glasses detected — remove and retake.'

After the preview — generating and downloading

If the preview is all-green or you accept yellow warnings: tap 'Generate' and pay US$4.99 via PayPal. The download link arrives immediately and by email.

If the preview shows red Xs: tap 'Retake' to upload a different selfie. No payment, no friction. You can iterate as many times as needed until the preview is clean.

If you're testing across multiple destinations (e.g., a US passport plus a Schengen visa) and want to know which one your current selfie passes: tap 'Try another country' to re-run the check against a different spec without re-uploading.

complypic's preview is free; the generation is US$4.99 per destination spec. If your destinations share a spec (US passport + US visa + Dominican passport are all 2×2), one generation covers all three.

FAQ

Is the complypic preview really free?

Yes. Upload, preview, see all the checks — completely free, no signup. You only pay US$4.99 if you want to download the generated photo.

How does complypic know if my photo will be accepted?

complypic runs the same biometric checks the destination's automated portal uses — head height, eye position, background uniformity, expression, glasses, file format. The checks are calibrated against the destination's official spec.

What if the preview says 'pass' but the consulate still rejects?

Rare but possible. The refund guarantee covers this case — full US$4.99 refund via PayPal within 24 hours on submission of the rejection notice.

Can I check the same selfie against multiple countries?

Yes. After the first preview, tap 'Try another country' to re-run against a different spec without re-uploading. Each country has different head-height, background and pixel tolerances.

Does the State Department's free checker do the same thing?

For US passport applications specifically, the State Department's tool at travel.state.gov is the most authoritative free check. complypic's checker is broader (37+ destinations) but for US specifically the State Department tool is the gold standard.

Related guides

US Passport

Exactly 2x2 inches, plain white background, head 1 to 1⅜ inches. Validated against State Department specs before you pay. Works for new passport, renewal, and minors.

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Last reviewed 2026-05-28Official complypic page →