A 2x2 picture has a square aspect ratio of 2x2 inches (51 × 51 mm, 5.08 × 5.08 cm). This photo size is used in U.S. passports, visas, Indian OCI cards, and several other documents.
Upload your portrait taken within the last 6 months, choose your document type, and our online 2x2 picture tool will crop and size it in about 30 seconds. Download a digital photo or a printable sheet to print at home or at a store. Works on iPhone, Android, or any browser. No studio visits, no waiting in queues.
No studio · No app · 30 seconds
PhotoGov is an independent service. We are not affiliated with any government, embassy, or consulate. All information on this website is based on official government requirements and verified primary sources. Final acceptance is determined solely by the issuing authority.
Use our 2x2 photo converter to make a 2x2 passport photo from the comfort of your home or office. Follow the on-screen instructions below and get your photo in seconds.
The 2x2 Inch Photo editor crops your image to the selected format and positions the head within the frame. It sizes the picture you upload without changing your facial features, and the built-in photo checker tests the file against the selected format. The selected format is 2 x 2 inches. Before you submit the photo, check the photo instructions for the application you are completing.
If you need assistance, don't hesitate to contact our Support team, which is always there to help.
Select the document type first, since photo specs differ even when the size is the same. For a U.S. passport, the converter follows the official U.S. Department of State layout: a 2x2-inch frame, head height between 1 and 1 3/8 inches (25 to 35 mm) from chin to top of head, and a plain white or off-white background. For other 2x2 documents, the corresponding template applies.
Upload your photo
Take a photo with your smartphone against a plain, light wall in even lighting, or use an existing photo taken within the last 6 months.
Processing
Wait about 30 seconds while the tool crops the photo to the required frame, resizes it, and adjusts the background.
Service selection
Add Human Verification by our expert or select additional PhotoGov services, if required.
Passport photo download
Save the digital 2x2 photo or the printable sheet to print at home or at a local print shop.
Written by Olia Potiagaeva, Managing Editor Reviewed by the PhotoGov Editorial Team★ 4.8 / 5.0 GoogleChecked against official government requirements
On THIS PAGE:
Unit | 2x2 photo size and dimensions |
Inches | 2 × 2 in |
Millimeters | 51x51 mm |
Centimeters | 5.08 × 5.08 cm |
Pixels | No fixed pixel size: varies by document type and submission channel |
Digital pixel dimensions are determined by each application system, rather than the 2×2-inch print standard. For instance, the U.S. visa DS-160 application accepts a square image from 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 pixels, JPEG up to 240 kB. The DV lottery entry requires a square JPEG (600 × 600 pixels, up to 240 kB), and a scanned 2x2 photo must be scanned at 300 ppi. Online passport renewal doesn't specify pixel dimensions: it supports JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC, or HEIF files between 54 KB and 10 MB, and you can crop the photo in the application. The OCI Services portal requires a square photo from 200 × 200 to 900 × 900 pixels, JPEG up to 200 KB.
For printing, PhotoGov generates a 600 DPI file for maximum physical print clarity.
Documents listed in the table below require a 2x2 inch photo (51 × 51 mm), as specified by the relevant issuing authorities:
Document | Official requirement |
U.S. passport, paper application | One color photo, 2 × 2 in, taken in the last 6 months, plain white or off-white background |
U.S. immigrant visa (DS-260) | Two identical 2 × 2 in photos brought to the visa interview |
U.S. Diversity Visa (DV) selectees | Two identical 2 × 2 in photos brought to the interview |
U.S. nonimmigrant visa (DS-160) | A digital image submitted with the form (600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 pixels); select foreign missions may also require one printed photo subject to local guidelines. |
Green card, Form I-485 (USCIS) | Two identical 2 × 2 in color photos |
India OCI card | Color photo, 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm); square digital file submitted with the online form |
India visa via the Consulate General in San Francisco | 51 × 51 mm |
Bangladesh passport re-issue via the Embassy in Washington | A 2” × 2” photo submitted with the form |
While the 2×2 format meets US passport and visa requirements, a 2x2 picture isn’t valid for every document. Specifications vary internationally: an official Indian passport size through Passport Seva is 630 × 810 pixels, a Canadian passport photo is 50 × 70 mm, a UK passport photo is 45 × 35 mm, and a Schengen visa requires a 35 × 45 mm biometric passport photo. Always verify the specifications for your document and issuing country before printing; our passport-size picture tool provides the full breakdown by country and document type.
The parameters of your final 2x2 photo for the U.S. passport by PhotoGov are listed in the table below. Formats provided at checkout are suitable for digital upload or printing and do not require any adjustments on your side.
Parameter | Your final photo |
Photo size | 2 × 2 inches / 51 × 51 mm / 5.08 × 5.08 cm |
Head size | 1 to 1-3/8 inches (25 to 35 mm), from chin to top of the head |
Background | Plain white or off-white |
File format | JPEG / printable PDF sheet |
Resolution | High-resolution file, 600 DPI for printing |
Head positioning | Automatically centered |
Color | Full color |
Face visibility | Fully visible, not retouched |
For a full overview of official standards, please see our US passport photo requirements guide. For other ID photos, our online photo maker applies the official template corresponding to your selected document.
Your photo is processed in a private session in a secure environment. Facial features are never altered — the tool only resizes, crops, centers the portrait, and replaces the background. If your photo is rejected due to technical issues on PhotoGov's side, we provide a free retake or a full refund.
Stand in front of a plain white or off-white wall, facing a window in daylight to ensure even facial illumination. Avoid harsh lighting that casts shadows.
Remove your eyeglasses. U.S. passport and visa regulations strictly prohibit them, except in documented medical cases.
Have someone hold the device at eye level, or mount the rear camera on a tripod. Disable portrait mode and all digital filters.
Look directly into the camera lens with both eyes open and a neutral facial expression. Make sure your full head and the tops of your shoulders remain visible in the frame.
Capture several images, select the clearest shot, and upload it to the 2x2 picture tool.
Do not edit the image manually. The U.S. Department of State strictly prohibits modifying photos using editing software, mobile apps, digital filters, or artificial intelligence.
Choose a U.S. passport, US visa, OCI card, or another 2x2 document, and the converter will adjust it to the selected document’s template.
The 2x2 photo editor runs in your mobile or desktop browser. You don’t need to download an app.
Download a digital photo for online applications or a printable 4x6 sheet with six photos to be printed and submitted in person or with mail-in applications.
Your photo and personal data are processed in a private session and never shared with third parties.
Our platform is designed to align with the U.S. Department of State and USCIS passport and visa photo rules. Final acceptance is at the discretion of the passport authority, consular officer, or issuing agency handling your application.
PhotoGov formats 2x2 passport photos in line with requirements published by the authorities that use this format — primarily the U.S. Department of State for passports and visas. They are grounded in ICAO Doc 9303 — the international biometric standard for document photos. For other ID photos, such as Indian OCI cards, the template follows the relevant official authority’s photo rules.
The tool adjusts only the size, crop, and background of your passport photo or other ID picture. Facial structure and facial features remain exactly as they appear in your original photo — no retouching, filters, or reshaping are applied.
If you want a manual review before submitting, add Human Verification at checkout. A senior PhotoGov specialist checks your 2x2 photo against the current requirements for your specific document. Final acceptance of your photo is determined solely by the issuing authority.
For other US document photos, see our US Passport Photo Tool, DV Lottery Photo Tool, and US Digital Passport Photo Tool.
The U.S. Department of State and USCIS prohibit digital alterations of ID photographs. Our platform provides sizing and cropping services only and does not modify or enhance images.
Campus cards require a specific photo: check our Student ID card photo guide, learn the specifications, and prepare the correct image for your student ID.
A 2x2 picture size is 2 × 2 inches, or 51 × 51 mm (5.08 × 5.08 cm). Digital pixel dimensions aren't fixed: each online system sets its own requirements, such as 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 pixels for the U.S. visa form DS-160.
5.08 × 5.08 cm. Official government guidelines typically standardize it to 51 × 51 mm.
It means a photo is 2x2 inches: 2 inches wide and 2 inches high. The head size, background, and file properties for this particular document are set by the relevant issuing authority.
Upload a photo to the online 2x2 picture tool on this page, select your document type, and wait about 30 seconds while your original headshot is processed. The tool crops, sizes, and centers the photo. You can create one digital photo for free where the free option is available; the add–on services and prices are displayed before download.
You can use the PhotoGov 2x2 photo editor in your browser without installing an app. The options and prices for your location are displayed before download.
Open the Camera app, turn off Portrait mode and filters, and take a straight-on photo at eye level against a plain, light wall with even lighting. Keep your eyes open and your mouth closed. Upload the photo to the converter to crop it to 2 × 2 inches.
Use the standard camera mode. Stand in front of a plain white or light wall with even lighting, no shadows on your face, and take a straight-on photo at eye level. Upload it to the 2x2 picture tool.
For a U.S. passport, yes: the passport photo size is 2 × 2 inches for paper passport applications. Passport photo sizes differ by country; for example, it is 35 × 45 mm in the UK and Schengen countries and 50 × 70 mm in Canada.
While the physical dimensions may be identical, underlying regulatory requirements often differ: recency guidelines, background specifications, and digital file constraints vary by issuing agency. Generate a distinct image for each application using its dedicated template; for instance, U.S. passport and visa standards follow specific guidelines, while an OCI card follows an entirely different set of requirements.
An online passport photo maker for a visa and passport is the fastest option: take a photo with your phone, upload it to the tool, and download the result in about 30 seconds. Photo counters at stores like CVS, Walgreens, and Walmart also take passport photos, but you have to visit in person.
Download the digital file and upload it to the application portal. Check the portal’s file rules first: the U.S. visa form requires a photo of 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 pixels up to 240 kB, and online passport renewal accepts only files between 54 KB and 10 MB.
You can print the 4x6 sheet with six 2x2 pictures produced by PhotoGov at your local print shop, at a pharmacy photo counter such as CVS or Walgreens, at a Walmart photo center, or at home (printed at 100% scale without resizing). The U.S. Department of State requires matte or glossy photo-quality paper, so use only this kind. Photocopies or scanned photos aren’t accepted.
For US visas, the Department of State allows you to take the photo yourself but recommends a professional visa photo service. For other documents, check the official specifications of the relevant issuing authority.
No online service can legally guarantee acceptance, as it is at the sole discretion of the issuing authority. At PhotoGov, you can add Human Verification before you submit, and our specialist will review your final photo and provide expert feedback on its compliance. If your photo is rejected due to technical issues on PhotoGov's side, we provide a free retake or a full refund.
PhotoGov.net strictly adheres to the Global regulations for ID photos.
PhotoGov is an independent service. We are not affiliated with any government, embassy, or consulate. All information is provided for guidance only.
Checked against the U.S. Department of State, Ministry of Home Affairs of India, and ICAO standards · Last checked: September 24, 2026
U.S. Online Passport Photos Renewal, Digital Upload Photo Requirements: The U.S. Department of State
U.S. Visa Photos and Digital Image Requirements: The U.S. Department of State — Travel
OCI Card Photo Specifications: OCI Services portal, Ministry of Home Affairs of India
Machine-Readable Travel Documents, Biometric Photograph Standards: International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Document 9303
Others
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