US Passport Photo Requirements: 2x2 Inches, 600x600 and 30KB Rules

US passport photos follow strict rules: 2x2 inches, plain white background, neutral expression — and online renewal adds digital constraints on pixels and kilobytes. Get any of them wrong and the system rejects your application weeks into the process.

The official requirements, decoded

Requirement	Rule
Print size	2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm)
Digital size	600 x 600 px minimum, up to 1200 x 1200 px
File size	Often capped around 30-240 KB depending on the portal
Background	Plain white or off-white, no shadows
Pose	Face camera directly, neutral expression, eyes open

How to make one from a phone photo

1. Photograph yourself against a white wall in soft daylight — no flash shadows, no glasses.
2. Open the free passport photo maker and crop to 2x2 inches.
3. Compress to the required kilobytes with the image compressor and verify dimensions before uploading.

Rejection reasons and instant fixes

• File too large: compress to the portal cap; JPG at 70-80% quality stays crisp for ID use.
• Shadows on background: reshoot further from the wall, or cut out the subject with a background remover onto pure white.
• Wrong head size: the head must fill 50-69% of the frame — crop tighter or step back and re-crop.
• Filters or retouching: submit the natural photo; beauty filters are grounds for rejection.

Print vs digital: prepare both

Paper applications need two identical 2x2 prints on photo paper; online renewal needs the JPG. Make the digital master first at 1200x1200, then export a compressed copy for upload and a full-quality copy for the print shop — one session covers both.