Online Passport Photo Tool

What are the typical passport photo prices?

The typical cost of passport photos in the U.S. hovers around $9 to $15. These prices are from retailers and photo studios like USPS, Walmart, Walgreens, Costco, Post Office, etc. However, there is a better and cheaper alternative for biometric passport photos. You can take pictures online using Pixelied’s passport photo upload tool.

All you need to do is have a working mobile camera or a professional digital camera to transfer your images to a laptop or desktop. You also need an active internet connection to generate an online ID photo or passport picture.

A passport image is an essential travel document the U.S. government requires, regardless of whether you are traveling for leisure, studies, business, or any other purpose. When applying for a new passport, renewing an old passport, or even applying for a visa of any country, the embassies or passport offices often require a passport image.

Although it is often hard to get an updated passport picture that meets the U.S. Department of State requirements, with the correct information, you can take these images online or from a retailer without any fear of rejection. Remember, passport pictures must reflect an individual’s most updated look, meaning if you have grown your hair, undergone surgery, or started wearing spectacles for medical reasons, or anything else—it is time to take a new passport image. It will help you avoid any trouble when passing through border security.

What are the main passport photo requirements?

The US passport photo requirements are quite detailed but straightforward. You can quickly fulfill them all by yourself if you are not planning to seek professional passport services. There’s an alternative; as you might have guessed, Pixelied’s online passport photo service is an incredible way to order passport photos online, either from home or wherever you are. Follow these main passport image requirements to take the photographs and send them to the US passport office.

Size of Passport Photos

According to the size guidelines for U.S. passport photos, as listed on the official portal of the U.S. Department of State, the acceptable measurements of the passport size are below:

• The passport image should be exactly 2 x 2 inches (5 x 5 cm) color photo.
• Your face should be facing the camera directly. The distance from your face to the camera should be at least 4 feet or 48 inches.
• The head position must be between 1 or 1 ⅜ inches ( 25.4 mm to 35.052 mm) from the top of the head to the bottom of your face. These measurements should be determined in the camera view.

If you are opting for digital images, then here are some additional requirements:

• The photo must only be in JPEG format.
• A high-resolution photo that is not pixelated, grainy, or torn.
• The photo must be square.
• The photo dimensions must be exactly 600 × 600 pixels.
• The image file size must be at least 240 kilobytes.

Background in Passport Photos

The background in the passport pictures should be white. You can use a plain white or off-white background without shadows to add the backdrop. It is best to eliminate any distractions or textures in the background. If there are pictures, frames, or any decorative pieces, remove them too.

Furthermore, filters or editing tools should not be used before or after taking a picture. Your picture should be all-natural. Lastly, the photo should be in color.

Appearance in U.S. Passport Photos

Taking care of your appearance in the U.S. passport photo is something you must pay attention to because it can essentially make or break your luck with the passport acceptance process.

Wear semi-formal or formal clothes if you're applying for a passport or visa, and never take your passport photos in nightwear, uniform, or camouflage attire. Your accessories and make-up should be subtle.

When it comes to clothing and the colors you should wear, remember that bright colors are a big no-no. Wear neutral colors that do not take the attention off of your face. If you wear any head coverings or glasses, it is best to take them off unless worn for religious or medical purposes. If worn for the before-mentioned causes, you must declare the reasons by providing a signed letter to the U.S. passport offices and embassy.

Note: If you have experienced significant changes to your appearance, you might need to apply for a new passport. It includes having undergone significant facial surgery or gender transition or sustaining severe facial injuries. Additionally, if you've added or removed multiple or large facial tattoos or piercings, it would also necessitate a new passport. Significant weight fluctuations, either through loss or gain, are another reason to consider updating your passport.

Where to get cheap passport photos?

America is dotted with various professional passport photo services; if you search for passport photo locations near me, you will have a never-ending list of such services. Of course, plenty of photo studios and online photo services will take a perfect passport image for you while fulfilling the requirements. But you will never know which one of them is the best, so we have narrowed down the list for you here:

Pixelied’s Passport Photo Online Tool:

The biggest fear while applying for a passport or visa in the U.S. is rejection. Nobody wants to go through the hectic process repeatedly, so everyone wishes to nail it in the first go. You can take pictures with Pixelied’s online passport photo maker.

It saves you the effort and cost that usually is by default with this process. With Pixelied, you will never have to worry about things like passport photo quality, cost, or rejection because we are taking care of these things on your behalf.

Pharmacy Drug Stores:

With Pixelied’s online passport photo tool, you can print pictures from a nearby pharmacy drug store such as Walgreens, Rite-Aid, or CVS. The cost may vary from location to location, but a set of two 2 x 2 passport images is usually between $9.99 to $16.99 in drug stores. They also get high-quality prints in just an hour.

These pharmacy drug stores are great for high-quality professional photographs. If you find one nearby, it is best to call them first and confirm whether they offer professional passport photo services. If the answer is affirmative, you can capture or develop some photos from them.

Photography Studios:

Another excellent method to get your image is to head to a nearby photography studio and ask if they do passport images. They usually get the job done within $10 to $25 and bring you professional-grade photos and prints at the same cost.

Most photography studios offer these services, and rarely anyone denies taking photos for a passport. It is best to have that information in advance.

Departmental and Convenience Stores:

Most departmental and convenience stores in the U.S. that offer passport image services are great at what they do. They are well aware of the U.S. Department of State requirements. Costco, Sam’s Club, and Walmart are some of the names that offer passport images for as low as $5.31. You can also get two image prints at the same price with same-day pickup.

Passport photos location near me

Looking for passport picture services nearby? Then you are at the right place!

Many department stores and photo studios will get the job done, but nothing compares to the convenience Pixelied’s passport photo generator offers.

• Capture or Upload a Photo: Using your phone, snap a photo. If you already have a picture, upload it and leave the rest to us. Our online passport photo checker will do the rest.
• AI Tool Prepares the Photo: Our AI tool will check your photo thoroughly and prepare it perfectly for the application process.
• Professional Assessment: Our tools will conduct an assessment, check passport image requirements, and verify if your photo meets the official requirements.
• Digital Copy or Photo Print: After verification, you can either download the image for print or keep digital copies.

What are the most common mistakes when taking passport photos?

Here are the most common mistakes applicants make when taking their images:

Quality of the Photo

The biggest mistake people make when taking passport photos is neglecting the quality of the photo. The passport office might reject them when you submit pictures with bad-quality cameras, low-resolution mobile cameras, or in a dimly-lit environment. Once rejected, you will have to submit them again. This will double the processing time usually required for your passport application, and your travel plans will indeed have to wait because the visa will take even longer.

So, the best way to go about taking your passport photographs is to take them from professional studios, drug stores, or retail photo centers. You can also do it at home with Pixelied’s online passport photo service.

However, if you are determined to take photos at home, you must ensure your camera is high quality. Moreover, you are meeting all requirements laid out by the U.S. Department of State.

Background and Editing

The second most common mistake people make while taking a passport image at home is that they need to take care of the background. According to the guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of State, the background of the image should be white and plain. Make sure there are no shadows or distractions, either.

Never edit your passport picture or use photo filters. They can change your facial features, which is the most common mistake people make.

Facial Features and Expressions

It is essential that you keep this point in mind. To avoid this mistake, follow these steps:

• Face the camera directly with a neutral expression.
• Your head should level with the camera. It should not be too above or below.
• If you want to smile in your passport pic, keep it natural and avoid exaggerating or showing too many teeth.
• Do not shut your eyes; keep them widely opened.
• Keep your lips gently pressed and avoid frowning.

Clothing and Appearance

Besides lighting, background, and facial expressions, your clothing and appearance are the most significant factors you should consider to avoid rejection of passport pictures.

• Wear neutral-colored clothes, preferably black or brown, without any graphic images.
• Keep your appearance normal, and avoid over-accessorizing yourself with jewelry or anything else.
• If you are wearing glasses or headgear for medical or religious purposes, you must declare that in a signed letter and submit it with your passport application.

Moreover, restrictions are placed on the type of clothing you are allowed to wear in a passport image. For instance, wearing a uniform (or anything resembling a uniform) is strictly prohibited. This means you cannot wear a camouflage-printed scarf, shirt, or anything else. A simple trick to avoid this mistake is to stick to something simple; a plain black shirt works well—avoid high collars.

Are visa and passport photos the same?

In the United States, passport and visa photos have different size requirements. Due to this, you can not use the same photos for these two applications.

If you are applying for a visa, you must have one passport image that meets those requirements. And, if you are applying for a passport, the requirements are quite different from your visa application.

Visa Photo Requirements

The US visa photo size should not exceed 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm). The camera should be kept so that the head is between 1 and 1 3/8 inches (22 mm and 35 mm). In other words, the total distance from the bottom of your chin to the crown of the head should be 50% and 69% of the image.

The background should be plain and white, just like a passport picture.

Passport Photo Requirements

While background requirements remain the same, the U.S. passport photo size should be 2 x 2 inches (5 x 5 cm). The total distance between the camera and your face should be at least 4 feet (48 inches). Your head must be placed between 1 or 1 ⅜ inches ( 25.4 mm to 35.052 mm) from the top of the head to the bottom of your face.

How to take passport photos at home using a phone?

Using a mobile phone to take a passport photo is not rocket science. It boils down to ensuring that your photo should meet all the relevant rules and guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of State. If you want to take a passport picture, simply follow these steps, and you are good to go!

• Set proper lighting and keep your camera in a stable position. If you don’t have additional lights, take the photo in daylight. Face toward the window and camera between your face and the window.
• The distance between your phone camera and yourself should be 4 feet or 48 inches.
• Dress appropriately, as per the guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of State.
• Keep your head leveled with the camera, and ask someone to take the photo.
• You can use a Bluetooth device or set a time if no one else is available.
• Once the photo is taken, resize it to 2 x 2 inches for print.