Skip to the photo tool

Visa photo maker

Visa photo maker for the US and India, with the head size and eye guides each one asks for. Pick your visa, fit your photo and download the file and a print sheet. Free, no sign-up.

Choose the document

US visa: 51 x 51 mm (2 x 2 in), head 25 to 35 mm from chin to crown.

Add your photo

Include your head and shoulders. A plain light wall behind you works best.

51 mm
51 x 51 mm, shown at true shape. Head height 25 to 35 mm.

Add a photo and it appears inside the frame, ready to drag.

Crown line 8.3 mm from the top. Chin between 33.3 and 43.3 mm.

Fit your head to the lines

100 percent
0.0 degrees

Lighten the background

0 percent
0

This pulls light greys towards white. It does not remove a busy background, so stand in front of a plain wall.

Check and download

  • Look straight at the camera.
  • Keep a neutral face with your mouth closed.
  • Keep your eyes open and clearly visible.
  • Nothing covering your face, and no hair across your eyes.
  • No glasses glare. Take glasses off if you can.
  • Plain, light background behind you.
  • Even lighting, with no shadows on your face or the wall.
  • Take off glasses and anything that hides your face.
  • Use a colour photo taken in the last 6 months.
Check the official rules: U.S. Department of State visa photos

The embassy or consulate decides whether your photo is accepted. The State Department suggests a professional visa photo service, so read their page before you apply.

The 600 x 600 px, under 240 kB file is the size the State Department gives for online Diversity Visa entries. Check your own application for its upload rules.

We size and crop your photo to the official measurements. The passport office decides if it is accepted, so check it against their rules.

Photo: 600 x 600 px JPG. Square, 600 x 600 px, under 240 kB. Sheet: 6x4 in, 1800 x 1200 px at 300 dpi, 6 photos.

Your 6x4 inch print sheet, with cut lines. Print at full size with no fit to page.

How to take a visa photo at home

  1. 1

    Take a clear photo

    Stand facing a window with a plain light wall or sheet behind you. Hold the phone at eye height, or prop it up. Keep your face straight, mouth closed and eyes open. Include your head and shoulders.

  2. 2

    Fit it to the lines

    Choose US visa, add the photo, then drag and zoom until the top of your head touches the red crown line and your chin sits between the dashed lines. The frame is 51 x 51 mm.

  3. 3

    Download and print

    Press Download photo for the single file, or Download print sheet for a 6x4 inch sheet. Print the sheet at any photo kiosk at full size and cut along the thin lines.

Visa photo size and rules

DocumentUnited States visa
Photo size51 x 51 mm (2 x 2 in)
Head height, chin to crown25 to 35 mm
BackgroundPlain white or off-white, with no shadows.
Digital file we make600 x 600 px JPG. Square, 600 x 600 px, under 240 kB.
Copies on a 6x4 inch sheet6

These figures come from the official guidance. Check the official rules before you apply.

Questions

Which visas can I make a photo for?

US visas and Indian visas for now. Pick the document at the top of the page. Each page links to the official rules.

Are visa photos different from passport photos?

Often the size is similar, but the digital file rules differ. The Indian visa form wants a square JPEG under 300 KB, and the US asks for 2 x 2 inches.

Will the embassy accept it?

We size and crop your photo to the official measurements. The passport office decides if it is accepted, so check it against their rules.

Can I use it for a Schengen visa?

Not yet. We only add a country when we can check its measurements on an official page.

More photo guides

See all countries