US passport photo requirements — 2026 State Department rules

What the State Department checks

USPS acceptance facilities and the State Department's online photo tool run every submission through an automated quality check before a human reviewer ever sees it. The checker validates head position, gaze direction, expression, background uniformity, lighting, and digital integrity of the file.

Photos taken at home are accepted at the same standard as in-person USPS captures — the rules apply equally to selfies, professional shoots and pharmacy-printed photos. There is no separate spec for digital DS-160 visa uploads versus paper DS-11 passport applications.

Background, lighting and clothing

Background must be plain white or off-white — pure white is the safe default. No textures, props, second people, or visible furniture. Shadows behind the head are the most common rejection reason on home-taken photos: light the wall separately or stand at least a meter away from it.

Lighting on the face must be even, with no hard shadows under the eyes, nose or chin. Wear normal clothing — uniforms are not allowed except for religious garments worn daily. No hats or headphones; hearing aids and unobtrusive earrings are fine.

Expression, glasses and accessories

Expression must be neutral or a natural closed-mouth smile. Big smiles with visible teeth are rejected by the biometric checker because they distort the mouth landmarks used for face matching.

Glasses of any kind are not allowed — clear prescription, sunglasses or tinted lenses. The State Department removed the medical-exception clause in November 2016. Contact lenses are permitted; coloured contacts that change iris colour are not.

Religious head coverings are accepted only if the face is fully visible from chin to forehead and not shadowed. Wigs, hair extensions and everyday hairstyles are fine as long as they don't cover the eyes or eyebrows.

AI editing ban effective January 1, 2026

On January 1, 2026 the State Department began rejecting photos that have been AI-generated, AI-edited, or processed with beauty/skin-smoothing filters. This is the first formal AI-edit rule in US passport history, prompted by a measurable rise in fraudulent AI-touched submissions during 2024-2025.

Acceptable post-processing is limited to colour correction, brightness, cropping and resizing. Background removal and replacement is allowed only if the resulting photo still looks like an unedited capture. The checker flags overly smooth skin, asymmetric ear positioning, and inconsistent micro-detail as likely AI manipulation.

Children and infants

Minors follow the same physical spec but with relaxed expression rules: babies may have eyes closed or mouth open. The child must be alone in the frame — no parent's hand visible. Babies may be photographed lying on a plain white sheet with no toys or pacifiers showing.

Children old enough to sit unsupported should look at the camera with a neutral expression. Both DS-11 (first-time, all minors) and DS-82 (renewal, eligible adults only) use the same 2×2 inch photo.

FAQ