how to take baby passport photo at home

How to take a baby passport photo at home — newborn to age 5

To take a baby passport photo at home, lay the baby on a plain white sheet with the head centered, hold a phone directly above at chest level, and capture with no shadows from your body. For infants under 12 months, the State Department waives the eyes-open and neutral-expression rules — a sleeping baby is acceptable as long as the face is fully visible. The photo must still be 2×2 inches at 600×600 px, with the head 50–69% of the frame. complypic auto-crops a loose baby selfie to a compliant State Department photo for US$4.99.

The white-sheet method (newborn to 6 months)

Lay a clean, unwrinkled white sheet or large white towel on a flat surface — a changing table, the floor, or a bed. The sheet must extend at least 30 cm in every direction beyond where the baby will lie, so the entire background of the cropped photo is white.

Place the baby on their back in the center of the sheet, head fully supported, looking up. Their face should be relaxed; the State Department waives the neutral-expression rule for infants under 1 year, so a small smile, a yawn, or even closed eyes (sleeping) all pass.

Stand directly above the baby and hold your phone (rear camera, in JPEG mode) at chest level pointing straight down. The phone's lens must be parallel to the floor, not tilted — a tilted angle distorts proportions and causes rejection. Use the timer or a second person to take the shot so you can stabilize the baby's head with one hand without it appearing in the frame.

Take multiple shots — at least 10. Babies move, and you'll need options. Pick the one where the head is straight, no hands or pacifier in frame, and the white sheet fills every edge.

The car-seat method (6 months to 18 months)

Once the baby has neck control but isn't sitting reliably upright, the car-seat method is the easiest path. Place the baby in their car seat, lay a plain white sheet over the car seat behind their head (extending past both sides of the head and at least 15 cm above the crown), and take the photo straight-on with the rear camera at the baby's eye level.

The white sheet must cover the entire visible background. Any visible car-seat fabric, straps or pattern that isn't fully covered by the sheet will be flagged as 'background not plain.'

Use a soft toy or a flashing keyring just above the lens to get the baby looking at the camera. Avoid bright direct lights aimed at the face — babies squint, which the biometric check sometimes interprets as eyes-closed.

Toddlers (18 months to 5 years)

By 18 months most children can sit, look forward and follow a soft prompt. Seat the child on a chair pulled against a plain white wall with feet not touching the floor (which encourages slouching). A booster or pillow keeps the head at adult-camera height.

Have someone stand behind you at the level of the camera lens and call the child's name, hold a phone playing a 5-second animation, or wave a soft toy. The goal is one second of forward-facing attention with eyes open and mouth closed.

The State Department's rules for ages 1–5 are stricter than for newborns: eyes open looking at the camera, mouth closed or natural smile (no big toothy grin), and head centered. Plan for 15–20 minutes of stop-start shooting.

What the State Department waives for infants

Eyes-open requirement: waived under 12 months. A sleeping infant photo is acceptable.

Neutral expression requirement: waived under 12 months. Smiling, yawning or open-mouth photos pass.

Other person in frame: never waived. You cannot hold the baby with a hand or arm visible in the cropped photo. The white-sheet method exists specifically to remove the parent from the frame.

Pacifier and toys: never accepted in the frame at any age. Remove before capturing.

Background plain rule: never waived. The single most common rejection of baby photos is a visible patterned blanket, car-seat strap or carpet under the cropped area.

From raw baby photo to compliant 2×2 inch JPEG

Pick the photo where the head is straight, both ears are visible (or partially visible — full face visibility is the standard), no hands or props in frame, eyes positioned roughly in the upper third of the head.

Upload to complypic and select the US passport spec. The auto-crop centers the head, sets the head height to 60% of the frame, and exports at 600×600 px JPEG. Preview the result before paying — if the baby's head is too close to a frame edge, re-upload a different shot. US$4.99 per generated photo.

The State Department requires a fresh photo for each passport application. Children's photos for newborns under 1 year should ideally be taken within the last 2 weeks because growth is rapid; for children 1–5 within 3 months; older than 5 the standard 6-month rule applies.

FAQ

Can my newborn's eyes be closed in the passport photo?

Yes. The State Department waives the eyes-open requirement for infants under 12 months. A sleeping newborn's photo is acceptable as long as the face is fully visible and the background is plain white.

Can I hold my baby in the photo?

Only if your hands and arms are completely outside the cropped 2×2 frame, which is rarely possible. The white-sheet method (laying the baby on a plain white sheet, photographing from above) avoids the problem entirely.

What if the baby is in their car seat?

Acceptable if you fully cover the car seat with a plain white sheet — fabric, straps and any pattern must be hidden. Take the photo straight-on at the baby's eye level.

How often does a newborn passport photo need to be retaken?

For newborns under 1 year, the practical recency window is 2–3 weeks because facial features change rapidly. A 6-month-old photo will not pass for a 12-month-old's application. complypic regenerations are free unlimited within 90 days of the original purchase if you need a fresh capture.

What if my baby refuses to keep their eyes open?

For under 12 months, eyes closed is fine. For 1–5 years, the rule is enforced but most consulates accept eyes-mostly-open if the iris is visible. Try a quick distraction (a phone playing music behind the camera) for a 1-second window of attention.

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 →