The print size
The outside square and the head inside it have separate measurements.
The State Department’s passport photo rules set the printed square at 2 × 2 in (50.8 × 50.8 mm). The head, measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head, must be 25.4–34.9 mm (1–1 3/8 in). A square at the right size can still hold a head that is too small or too large.
Online renewal uses a digital upload and its own reposition-and-crop step. Follow the separate Uploading a Digital Photo guidance and our online renewal photo guide for that application.
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Below, within and above the head range
All three rulers use the same head range, 25.4–34.9 mm (1–1 3/8 in). The first and last markers are illustrative values placed outside its limits. The middle marker is the sample crop’s measured head height. These labels describe one measurement; they do not judge the rest of a photo.
Below the head range
Sample crop within the head range
Above the head range
A loose crop leaves a smaller head on the print; a tight crop leaves a larger one. Measure the head on the finished print as well as its outside edge. If a photo has already been refused, read the explanation you received and the guide to a rejected passport photo before taking a replacement.
Room for the crop
Leave room around the head and shoulders when taking the photo. The drawing below shows the sample’s original frame, its head and eye lines, and the crop planned for the U.S. print. The top of the head is an estimate, which the drawing labels. The hatched area is outside the crop.
Get the wall, light and pose right when taking the photo. Keep the original unedited: the passport photo rules prohibit filters, retouching and AI edits, including changes to the background. For setup instructions, read how to take a passport photo at home.
Measure the printed sheet
A 4 × 6 in sheet is the paper size. Each U.S. passport photo inside it is 2 × 2 in. Print the sheet at 100% scale with crop and fit-to-page options off, then hold a ruler to one photo before cutting. Check its outside size and the head height; both can change if the printer scales the sheet.
The 4 × 6 printing guide explains print settings and what to measure before you leave the photo counter. Use matte or glossy photo-quality paper, as the State Department requires.
Check the rest of the photo
Measurement drawings cannot show whether a real face is evenly lit, the eyes are open, the expression meets the rules or the background has shadows. Compare your original with the State Department’s passport photo examples and tips. They show the actual photo conditions the rules address.
Studioless is a private service. Its U.S. passport photo check can help you inspect measurements, and the source-linked photo facts let you read the rules. The issuing authority makes the final decision.