How to Take a Passport Photo at Home

Make Passport Photo Online Now

Step 1: Use a digital camera or a smartphone

Find someone to take the photo for you and selfie photo is not acceptable for passport photo application. If you have a tripod, use it. A tripod will make it easier to keep the camera steady and level.

Step 2: Find a venue with plain background and good lighting

Depending on your country , there may be a slightly different background color requirement. For the most of the countries, the background should be plain white. Make sure that there are no other objects in the background.  When taking photo, you should face the light, such as a nice bright window or the door. This can provide even lighting to avoid shadows on the face and background.

Step 3: Wear properly for your passport photo

Do not wear a uniforms. Wear regular street clothes in your photo.

Do not wear eyeglasses. If you wear glasses, sunglasses, or tinted glasses, take them off for your passport photo.

Your face must still be fully visible.  Don’t let your hair drape over your face and obscure your eyes. If you have very long bangs that cover your eyebrows, you should pin them back with bobby pins. It’s best if your ears show, as well, but that won’t cause your photo to be rejected.

No hats are allowed in passport photos unless it is religious headgear such as a headscarf or yarmulke that you wear every day.

Step 4: Pose for a passport

Look straight towards the camera with face straight on. Head should not be tilted or rotated.

Both ears showing or both edges of the face visible if hair covers the ears.

Shoulders should be visible, and there should be enough space around the head for cropping the photo.

Position the camera in the same height as the head.

Step 5: Have a neutral facial expression

You can smile in your passport photos, but the government prefers that you have a neutral facial expression.

Smiling or having your mouth open is usually not acceptable, especially under the new international passport rules.

 

Good and bad examples of passport photos

Step 6: Take a photo and crop the photo using the online passport photo generator

It will help your to make use the head size is correct in your passport photo. You can generate a printable passport photo and a digital passport photo for online submission.

Online Passport Photo Generator

Passport Photo Requirement Checklist

• Background: Photo background should be white. There should be no shadows or objects in the background.
• Lighting: The face must be evenly lit. There should be no shadows and glares on the face.
• Clothes: Clothes should be dark enough to make a good contrast with the background.
• Glasses: No glasses are allowed for US passport photo or visa photo.
• Hair: Hair must not cover the face. Both eyes and eyebrows must be visible.
• No smilling: Facial expression must be neutral. Mouth closed.

Example United States Passport Photos

Example Photos for Children