Nathaniel K. Rowden

If you are wondering about the actual baby passport photo requirements in the USA, you have likely already come to know that there are some pretty strict official standards, which are even more rigid when the “model” is a newborn ...

The ICAO 9303 passport photo standard provides for the definition of internationally aligned biometric photo standards, which allow the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to govern the usage of biometric pictures in all machines readable travel documents (MRTD) issued by its member states.

If you’re one of those people who attempted to start U.S. passport renewal online and got stuck at the photo upload step, you’re not alone. The regulations are inflexible, the technology is bewildering, and even the tiniest mistakes can lead to an instant rejection.

Most digital passport photo rejections relate to technical errors that the user is unaware they made. Machines see them instantly. Humans don’t. These problems are divided into two groups: background and lighting issues and may result in non-compliance with a photo that appears to be acceptable at first glance.

If you got a digital passport photo rejected out of the blue, you’re addressing one of the more common problems in the U.S. passport photo submission system. Both the U.S. Department of State and the on-screen automated checks of the online renewal system have very rigorous standards to which they apply.

If you’ve ever tried to upload a digital passport photo from your iPhone and were never told what was wrong with the photo, well, you’re not alone. The U.S. government typically requires a photo for submission on its platform, and most accept only JPEGs, but most modern Apple devices save photos in HEIC by default.

If you’re one of those people who have wondered about taking their own digital passport photo at home, the answer is yes - you certainly can. The U.S. government permits applicants to take their own digital passport photo as long as the image conforms to official guidelines. No app download, no studio visit, no fancy equipment.

Is It OK to wear glasses or headwear in your U.S. Passport Photo? Many people get confused about glasses and headwear and I hope to clear things up for you. The criteria are strict, and even small things - like a slight glare on a pair of glasses or a shadow cast by a scarf on a person’s face - can cause an image to be rejected, even if it looks fine to the naked eye.

If you’ve ever tried to upload a U.S. digital passport photo online only to watch it get rejected for being the "wrong size", you already know why a neat, precise digital passport photo size guide is essential. From 2×2 inches (51×51 mm) to 600×600 pixels – 1200×1200 pixels.