Compliant Passport Photo

How to take a passport photo at home

To take a passport photo at home: stand about 0.5-1 m in front of a plain white wall in even, shadow-free light; have someone hold the camera at your eye level roughly 1.2 m (4 feet) away; face the camera straight on with a neutral expression and your mouth closed; take the photo in landscape or portrait with your head and shoulders in frame; then check and crop it against the official specification. Don't use filters, beauty modes, or AI editing — those are rejection reasons.

Check your United States passport photo against the official spec → Free check, accepted-or-money-back.

Step by step

1. Find a plain, light-coloured wall (white for most countries) with nothing behind you. 2. Use soft, even light facing you so there are no shadows on your face or the wall — natural daylight from a window works well. 3. Turn off any beauty filter or portrait/skin-smoothing mode. 4. Have someone take the photo from about 1.2 m away at your eye level (not from below or above). 5. Keep a neutral expression, both eyes open, mouth closed, facing forward.

Then upload it here — we measure your head size and eye line against the exact spec, check the background, and crop it to the correct dimensions, or tell you precisely what to fix.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use my phone to take a passport photo?

Yes, a modern phone camera is fine. Use the rear camera if possible, avoid the beauty/portrait filter, and have someone else take it from about 1.2 m away at your eye level.

What lighting is best for a passport photo at home?

Soft, even light facing you — such as daylight from a large window — with no harsh shadows on your face or the background.

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