Passport Photo Checker: Verify Your Photo Online

You upload a JPG, PNG, or WebP file under five megabytes. The checker sends your image to our photo analysis service, which compares your portrait against the same rules clerks use at post offices and passport agencies. You get a summary verdict plus a line-by-line breakdown: background color, head size in the frame, lighting evenness, glasses, expression, and recency cues where visible.

Each failed rule includes a plain-language fix. A busy bedroom wall might fail background. A cropped drugstore strip might fail square proportions. The tool does not store your file after the session ends. Results are guidance only. The State Department and your acceptance facility make the final call.

Run the check on the exact file you plan to print or upload for online renewal. If you only have a rectangular phone photo, crop it first with our passport photo resize tool and then return here. A pass in this checker still means you should skim the full photo requirements page before you submit an application.

Photo cost is an estimate, not a government fee. Budget about $15.00 if you still need a print. Add that line in the passport cost calculator when you model your total. Rejected photos delay processing until you mail a compliant reprint, which can add weeks during busy seasons.

The checker runs on still images only. It cannot review live video or multiple angles. If you wear hearing aids or small jewelry, official rules still apply even when the tool marks other criteria as passing. When in doubt, retake the photo against a blank wall with window light facing you.

Size and crop: the frame must be square at 2×2 inches (51×51 mm) with your head height roughly 1 to 1⅜ inches from chin to top of hair. Background: plain white or off-white with no shadows, patterns, or visible furniture. Glasses are not allowed on current US passport photos, even with a prescription.

Expression and pose: face the camera directly with both eyes open and a neutral or natural smile. Head coverings are allowed for daily religious wear if your full face is visible from hairline to chin. Uniforms and camouflage clothing follow official restrictions on the State Department photo page.

Lighting matters as much as background color. Harsh overhead fluorescent glare and deep shadows behind your ears fail as often as a colored bedsheet backdrop. Infant photos must show the child alone in the frame without a parent's hands unless you follow the narrow newborn guidance on travel.state.gov.

Digital uploads for eligible online renewals use the same proportions as printed photos. If you mail DS-82, clerks still reject non-compliant prints at intake. Use this checker before you pay for duplicates at a booth. Compare your results to the do and don't lists on our requirements page so you know what to fix before your appointment.

Self-service booths at retail stores vary in quality. Some crop correctly but leave gray backgrounds. Others print on thin paper that wrinkles in mailers. Always inspect the physical print under daylight before you attach it to DS-11 or DS-82. A second set of prints costs less than a rejected application cycle.