How to make a passport photo
- Choose the document: US passport or Schengen visa.
- Open a photo of yourself, or take one with your phone's camera.
- The editor finds your face and places the crop box. Check that the top of your head is on the upper line and your chin on the lower one; drag or resize the box if not, then confirm.
- Download the photo, or the 4 × 6 in print sheet and print it at actual size (100%).
Photo sizes
| Document | Photo size | Head, chin to top of hair | Download size |
|---|---|---|---|
| US passport | 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) | 25–35 mm | 600 × 600 px |
| Schengen visa | 35 × 45 mm | 32–36 mm | 413 × 531 px |
Compared with the published rules on 14 October 2026 or later. The download size is the printed size at 300 dpi. Rules change, so follow the links to check them before you print or apply.
What this tool does, and what it can't
It crops and scales your photo to the size above, placing the box so your head's height is about the middle of the allowed range, and lays copies out on a sheet for printing. The head is estimated from your face, so check it against the guide lines. It doesn't check the other rules, such as the background, lighting, expression, glasses or how recent the photo is, so it can't promise that your photo will be accepted.
Tips for taking the photo
- Use a plain, light background, such as a white wall, with nothing behind you.
- Light your face evenly, facing a window, so there are no shadows on your face or behind you.
- Face the camera with a neutral expression, both eyes open and your mouth closed.
- Ask someone else to take it from about 1 to 2 metres away, at the height of your eyes. A selfie at arm's length makes the face look wider.
- Leave room around your head and shoulders, so the crop has space to work with.
Printing the 4 × 6 sheet
- Print on 4 × 6 in (10 × 15 cm) photo paper at actual size (100%), not “fit to page”.
- At a photo shop or online lab, order a standard 4 × 6 print with no cropping or borders added.
- Measure a photo with a ruler before cutting: it should match the size above.
- Cut along the thin grey lines.
What happens to your photo
Nothing is uploaded. Finding your face runs in your browser, with a face detection model (about 12 MB) downloaded from this site the first time you open a photo here. Cropping, resizing and the print sheet are made on your device too.