Prepare a 2 x 2 inch (51 x 51 mm) US passport photo from a picture you already have. Vekyo checks head size and framing against the published State Department specification and produces a digital photo plus a printable sheet.
Official requirements
Official requirements
Compiled from the source below. Vekyo could not directly confirm these figures against that source, so check the official site before submitting your photo.
Digital photo requirements
Minimum pixel size
600 × 600 px (max 1200 × 1200 px)
Format
jpg
Printed photo requirements
Photo size
51 × 51 mm
Head height (chin to crown)
25–35 mm
Other requirements
Background
Plain white or off-white, no shadows or patterns
Expression
Neutral expression or natural smile, both eyes open, facing the camera directly.
Glasses
Glasses are generally not permitted; photos must show your full, bare face with no glare or tinted lenses.
Head coverings
Head coverings are not permitted except for religious or medical reasons, and your full face must remain visible.
Source: U.S. Department of State — Passport Photos.
Common mistakes
✕Photo taken with a filter or beautification app, or otherwise digitally edited
✕Shadows cast on the face or background
✕Head tilted or not facing the camera directly
✕Wearing glasses or a hat without a documented exception
How to take a good photo
✓Stand facing a plain white or off-white wall in even, natural light
✓Have someone else take the photo at eye level, roughly arm's length away
✓Keep a neutral expression with both eyes open and mouth closed
✓Remove glasses and any head covering unless worn for religious or medical reasons
How Vekyo works for a United States passport
Upload a recent photo, and Vekyo detects your face, then checks it against the United States passport specification above — including its plain white or off-white, no shadows or patterns background requirement — before letting you crop and position it to match. Face detection, quality checks, cropping, and resizing run in your browser by default. Vekyo never changes your facial features, skin tone, or facial structure, and never generates or beautifies a face. If your background doesn't look plain and evenly lit enough for this document, you'll see a warning rather than a silent pass, and you can choose the optional background tool to replace it with a plain color — nothing is replaced unless you ask. The optional high-quality background removal option sends the cropped photo to our server for that one step.
Frequently asked questions
Vekyo prepares your United States passport photo at 51×51mm, based on the published specification linked on this page — you don't need to measure or crop it yourself.
Plain white or off-white, no shadows or patterns Vekyo's compliance check flags a background that looks patterned, shadowed, or uneven before you pay, so you can retake the photo if needed.
Yes. A recent phone photo works well as long as it is a clear, front-facing shot in good, even lighting against a plain background. Vekyo crops and resizes it to the required dimensions in your browser.
Yes. Vekyo lets you prepare a photo that matches the United States passport photo specification from an existing picture, without visiting a photo studio. You still need to check your final photo, and print it, according to your application's instructions.
No. Vekyo crops, resizes, and repositions your existing photo to match the required dimensions, and can optionally replace the background or adjust lighting when you choose. It never alters your facial features, skin tone, or facial structure, and never generates or beautifies a face.
Not by default. Face detection, cropping, resizing, and file generation happen locally in your browser. If you choose the optional high-quality background removal service, the cropped image is securely sent to our server for that processing step only; the standard option stays entirely on your device. See our Privacy Policy for full details.
No. You get a free preview of your finished photo — including its compliance score and checklist — before paying anything. Payment only unlocks the full-resolution, watermark-free download and the printable sheet.
Your compliance checklist shows exactly which checks passed, which need attention, and which failed, with a plain-language explanation for each. From there you can use Auto-Fix to automatically correct issues like cropping, brightness, or sharpness, adjust the crop yourself, or upload or retake a different photo — you can keep adjusting until it looks right, all before you pay. A mistake we see often for a United States passport: photo taken with a filter or beautification app, or otherwise digitally edited.
Yes. Vekyo generates a printable PDF sized for a United States passport — 51×51mm — with multiple copies laid out on a 4x6 inch or A4 sheet, so you can print it at home or at a photo lab without distortion.
Vekyo prepares your photo according to the published United States passport photo specification linked on this page. You are responsible for confirming your final photo meets your specific application's requirements before submitting it.
We cannot guarantee acceptance. Vekyo prepares your photo according to the published photo specifications, but final acceptance is always decided by the receiving government authority. Always verify the latest requirements on the official source before submitting your application.
Prepared according to the published requirements — not a guarantee of acceptance and not government approved. Always verify the latest requirements with the official authority before submitting your photo.