Can I take a US passport photo with my phone?

Yes. Use the rear camera (the front one distorts facial proportions), stand 4-6 feet from a plain white wall, and use even daylight from in front of you. Then upload here and the app crops to 2×2 inches with the correct head height.

A natural, closed-mouth smile is accepted. Big toothy smiles, raised eyebrows, or anything that distorts your normal appearance will likely be rejected.

What if I wear a hijab or other religious head covering?

Permitted, as long as the entire face from the bottom of the chin to above the eyebrows is fully visible without shadows.

Does the photo need to be printed in color?

Yes. Black-and-white photos are no longer accepted for US passports.

How recent must the photo be?

Within the last six months. Older photos must be replaced even if you look the same.

US Passport Photo Online — 2"×2", fully compliant

Upload one photo, get a print-ready sheet with US passport copies sized to the exact 2 × 2 inch (51 × 51 mm) standard required by the US Department of State. The app crops, scales and lays out copies so you can print on a single 4×6 sheet at any CVS, Walgreens, Walmart or USPS kiosk — or at home on letter paper.

US Department of State photo requirements

Passport photos are governed by 22 CFR § 51.27 and the State Department's photo guidelines. Your image must be:

Exactly 2 × 2 inches (square). The image is the same for adults and minors.
Taken within the last six months, reflecting your current appearance.
Plain white or off-white background. Patterned walls, doors and other backgrounds will be rejected.
Color photo, in focus and free of digital alterations beyond cropping.
Head height 1 – 1 3/8 inch (25–35 mm) from chin to top of head. The eye line should sit 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 inch from the bottom of the photo.
Neutral expression or natural smile, both eyes open and clearly visible. No squinting, no extreme expressions.
No eyeglasses. As of November 1, 2016 eyeglasses are no longer permitted; the only exception is documented medical necessity (rare).
No headgear unless worn daily for religious reasons; the face must remain fully visible from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead.
No uniforms or camouflage. Everyday clothing only. White shirts blend with the background — wear a darker top.

2"×2" vs. ICAO 35×45 mm

The US standard is square (51×51 mm), while almost every other country — Schengen, UK, India, Canada (also 50×70 mm in some lanes) — uses the ICAO/EU 35×45 mm portrait crop. If you are dual-applying (e.g. US passport plus a Schengen visa), generate two separate sheets — the head-to-frame ratio differs and a single crop will not satisfy both.

How it works

Upload your photo — JPG, PNG, WEBP up to 25 MB. EXIF orientation is respected, so phone photos won't come out sideways.
Face auto-crop — an OpenCV cascade detects the face and frames it to the State Department head-height rule (chin to crown is two-thirds of the photo height).
Pick the sheet — 4×6 inch glossy prints from any drug store fit six copies; US letter (or its closest A4 equivalent) fits more.
Download and print — full-resolution JPEG or PNG with adaptive DPI (typically 600+).

Where to print

The result file works at every major US print service:

CVS Photo, Walgreens, Walmart Photo,Costco Photo — upload from web or app, pick up within an hour.
USPS retail locations — some accept printed photos brought from home for the passport application itself.
Home inkjet — 4×6 photo paper at 600 DPI gives a crisp result. Set borderless printing and disable any «photo enhance» filters that might tint the white background.

Why this app passes the rejection-rate test

State Department photo acceptance audits show that the leading causes of rejection are glasses (still seen on roughly 8% of submissions), incorrect head size, and shadows on the background. The auto-crop button sets head size exactly to the State Department zone. Glasses and shadows are on you — but we'll surface a low-resolution warning so you do not pay for a guaranteed reject.

Pricing

The watermarked preview is free — no signup needed. To download the full-resolution sheet, choose a tariff: single download $1, pack of 100 downloads $25, unlimited monthly $100. See the pricing page.

FAQ

Can I take a US passport photo with my phone?: Yes. Use the rear camera (the front one distorts facial proportions), stand 4-6 feet from a plain white wall, and use even daylight from in front of you. Then upload here and the app crops to 2×2 inches with the correct head height.
Are smiles allowed?: A natural, closed-mouth smile is accepted. Big toothy smiles, raised eyebrows, or anything that distorts your normal appearance will likely be rejected.
What if I wear a hijab or other religious head covering?: Permitted, as long as the entire face from the bottom of the chin to above the eyebrows is fully visible without shadows.
Does the photo need to be printed in color?: Yes. Black-and-white photos are no longer accepted for US passports.
How recent must the photo be?: Within the last six months. Older photos must be replaced even if you look the same.