While applying for a US visa or green card, your photograph is required. There are numerous requirements to make sure that the photograph is correct. The photograph requirements for the US visa, green card (permanent resident card), diversity visa lottery, and the US passport are essentially the same except prescription glasses are allowed in US passport photos.
Acceptable Visa Photos
Shadows and Lighting
✓
X
X
The photo should be clear with no shadows. Be sure that the lighting is adequate to evenly illuminate you and not too bright or too dull so that the photo is overexposed or underexposed.
Glasses
✓
X
X
Prescription glasses or sunglasses are not allowed.
✓
X
X
Head should be centered and of the correct size.
Resolution, Print Size, and Quality
✓
X
X
Resolution should be sharp without any visible pixels or printer dots. Photo should not be blurred, grainy, and should be of the right size.
Digital Alternations and Retouching
✓
X
X
The image should not be altered or cropped.
Pose and Expression
✓
X
X
Applicant needs to directly face the camera with natural and neutral expression with both eyes clearly being visible. Applicants should not be looking down, up, sideways, laughing, or have their eyes closed.
Attire, Hats, and Hair
✓
X
X
A full face should be visible with no shadows or clothing that would obscure the face. There should be no pacifier, scarf, hat, or anything else obscuring the face. Hair should not block the face.
Background
✓
X
X
The background must be white or off-white. It should not be any other color than white. There should be no objects in the background and no other person(s), regardless of their age in the photo.
Child
✓
X
X
There should be no other person in the photo. The child should be facing the camera with both eyes open. The child should be looking directly at the camera and not be looking around. The child should not have an exaggerated facial expression. Nothing can cover the face such as their hands or pacifier.
When applying for a non-immigrant visa by completing online forms such as either a Form DS-160 or DS-1648, you will be asked to upload your digital photo. You need to review the digital image requirements, listed above, to make sure it complies in all aspects.
On a DS-160 or DS-1648 application confirmation page, if there is an “X” instead of your photo, that means your photo upload failed. When your photo upload fails, you need to carry one paper photograph with you to the US embassy/ consulate where you will be applying.
In any case, some US embassies and consulates require visa applicants to bring one paper photograph. As this varies, please check with the specific US embassy/consulate where you will be applying.
Applicants that are applying for an immigrant visa using a Form DS-260 must provide two identical paper photographs at the time of the immigrant visa interview.
When applying for a Diversity Visa (DV) program online, you need to upload your digital photo as part of the application process that meets the following requirements:
In case you would like to scan an existing photo, the paper photo must be 2 x 2 inches and should be scanned at a resolution of 300 pixels per inch (12 pixels per millimeter).
If you are selected for the diversity visa lottery program, you need to bring two identical paper photos to the interview.
Depending upon whether you are required to submit a paper photo or digital photo, you need to keep different requirements for the image in mind:
As there are many requirements and it is hard to meet all of the requirements by yourself, it is the best to use a professional photo service.
In the US, you can visit many places like FedEx Office, Walgreens, CVS. You can also visit a private photo studio of your choice.
Even though you might be tempted to save some money by taking the picture yourself, you may not want to risk your entire visa or green card application being rejected or delayed where you could incur significantly more expenses and/or hardships.
For visitors, travel, student and other international travel medical insurance.
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Even if your photo was taken within the last 6 months, if your appearance has significantly changed from what is in the photo, you would need to get a new photo taken. Simply growing a beard or coloring your hair is not considered a significant change. As long as you can be identified from the photo, a new photo is not required. Children and teenagers that go through the normal process of growing do not need a new photo. However, if you have undergone significant facial surgery or trauma, added or removed numerous\large facial piercings or tattoos, undergone a significant amount of weight loss or gain, or obtained a new gender identity, that is considered a significant appearance change and a new photo is required.
In any case, it will be at the discretion of the US Embassy/Consulate or USCIS whether to accept your photo or not.
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