US Visa Photo — 2×2 Inches, Under 240 KB
The US Visa & Passport photo specification, with a tool preset to produce exactly that.
Finding the best quality that fits…
- Original
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- Result
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- Reduction
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- Dimensions
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How to use this tool
- Select your file, drag it onto the box above, or paste it from your clipboard.
- Processing starts automatically — there is nothing to configure.
- Check the result panel, which shows the original size, the final size and the output dimensions.
- Click Download to save it.
Consulate requirements drift, and different consulates of the same country sometimes apply different interpretations. The date this page was last checked is shown above, and the official source is linked — confirm there before you submit.
The specification
| Print size | 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm) |
|---|---|
| Digital size | 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 px, square |
| Colour | 24-bit colour, sRGB |
| Background | Plain white or off-white |
| Head size | Face occupies 50–69% of image height |
| Glasses | Not permitted — prohibited since 1 November 2016 |
| Age of photo | Taken within the last 6 months |
Why uploads get rejected
Meeting the size is only part of it. These are the failures that actually come up:
- The photo is not square. A 4:3 phone photo is refused immediately — this tool crops to 1:1.
- You are wearing glasses. Banned in US visa and passport photos since November 2016, prescription lenses included.
- There is a shadow on the background. Stand well away from the wall with even frontal lighting.
- Your head fills too much or too little of the frame — it must be 50–69% of image height.
- The photograph is more than six months old.
How it works
Most compressors pick a fixed quality level and hope for the best, which is why they either overshoot the limit or land far below it and throw away detail you did not need to lose.
This tool runs a binary search instead. It encodes your image at a mid-range quality, measures the resulting file, then narrows the range — higher if there is room, lower if it is over — repeating seven times. It keeps the largest result that still fits. If the lowest quality is still too big, it reduces the pixel dimensions and searches again.
All of it runs on your own device using the browser's canvas API. Nothing is transmitted.
Who uses this
Required for DS-160 non-immigrant visa applications, DS-260 immigrant visa applications, and US passport applications.
Frequently asked questions
What size photo does US Visa & Passport require?
2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm) as a print, or 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 px, square digitally. This tool outputs 600 × 600 pixels under 240 KB.
Does this tool check my photo is acceptable?
No, and no tool can. It matches the size and dimension specification. It cannot judge head position, lighting, background shade, expression, or whether the photograph is recent — all of which a human reviewer will check.
Can I use this photo for other countries?
Sometimes. Many countries use 35 × 45 mm, but the US uses a 2 × 2 inch square and Japan uses 45 × 45 mm. Check the specification for each application rather than reusing blindly.
Are these requirements current?
The source and the date we last checked are shown at the top of this page. Immigration authorities revise photo guidance regularly — always confirm on the official site before submitting.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. Everything runs inside your browser on your own device. Your file is never transmitted and never stored by us. You can confirm this by opening your browser’s Network tab while you use the tool — you will see no upload request.
Is there a limit on how many files I can process?
No. There is no daily cap, no account, and no watermark. Because the work happens on your device rather than our servers, there is nothing for us to ration.
Is this tool really free?
Yes — no account, no trial, no watermark, and no cap on usage. It runs on your own device rather than our servers, so there is no cost for us to pass on.
Does it work on mobile?
Yes. The interface adapts to phone and tablet screens, and everything runs in the browser, so there is no app to install.
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Your files stay on your device. This tool runs entirely in your browser. No file is uploaded, transmitted, or stored. You can verify this by opening your browser's Network tab while using the tool.
Disclaimer. Specifications published by exam boards, governments and platforms change without notice. We verify and date every specification on this site, but you should always confirm against the official source before submitting an application. See our full disclaimer.