Here’s how to take your own passport photo.
After paying $17 for photo taken in front of a pull-down white shade in a Walgreens aisle and $79 for a “photo shoot” under lights and another pull-down white shade in a camera store, only to have both sets of photos rejected by the passport office—one for being too dark and the other for being the wrong size—I decided there had to be a better way.
Turns out there is: you can take your passport photo at home. Based on my experience, snapping your own passport pic is easier, cheaper, and more convenient than going to a “professional” (aka, the cashier at your local camera or drugstore). Here’s the scoop on how to do it.
Websites That Help You Take Your Own Passport Photo
- The U.S. State Department: Bureaucracy has moved into the 21st century; even the State Department wants to help you take your own passport photo by offering a free photo cropping tool that will size your photo correctly so you can print it yourself.
- MyPassportPhotos.com: If you don’t want to deal with printing your own passport pictures, or if you need a passport or visa photo for another country (which may require different sizing than U.S. standards), MyPassportPhotos.com does everything for those who want to take a passport photo at home, including printing and mailing your photos directly to you. You can also pay extra to have your photos checked to make sure that they will be approved.
- Passport Photo Booth: For those wondering, “Can I take my own passport photo?” there’s an app for that. Passport Photo Booth (iOS | Android) helps you with passport photo composition, showing you exactly where and how to pose within the frame. You can e-mail or save the image for free, or pay extra to have your passport pictures printed.
Passport Photo Requirements
If you take a passport photo at home, make sure it meets all of the State Department’s passport photo requirements:
- Passport pictures must be in color, not black and white.
- No filters are allowed, no matter how good they make you look.
- Passport photos must be “2” x 2″ (51 x 51 mm), with the head centered and sized between 1″ and 1.4″ (25 and 35 mm).” (Click here for a passport photo composition template.)
- Remove any face coverings or masks for the photo.
- Passport photos must be “taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance.”
- Passport photos must be “taken in front of a plain white or off-white background.”
- Passport photos must be “taken in full-face view directly facing the camera.”
- When taking your own passport photo, make sure that you have a “neutral facial expression and both eyes open.”
- Your passport picture should be “taken in clothing that you normally wear on a daily basis.”
- “Uniforms should not be worn in your photo, except religious clothing that is worn daily.”
- When taking your own passport photo, “do not wear a hat or head covering that obscures the hair or hairline, unless worn daily for a religious purpose. Your full face must be visible, and the head covering must not cast any shadows on your face.”
- “Headphones, wireless hands-free devices, or similar items are not acceptable in your photo.”
- “Eyeglasses are no longer allowed in photos, except in rare circumstances when eyeglasses cannot be removed for medical reasons.”
The State Department provides some examples of passport pictures that are and are not accepted. Check them out here.
How to Take Your Own Passport Photo
- When taking passport pictures, stand in front of a neutral background. If you don’t have a plain white wall to pose in front of, tape a piece of plain white poster board behind you to create a clean backdrop.
- Check the lighting; no shadows are allowed in the photo. Taking the shot in natural daylight on a sunny day works best.
- Get help: Selfies aren’t acceptable; use a tripod or ask a friend to snap your photo.
Twist’s Take: It’s easy, cheap, and convenient to take your passport photo at home.
