United States · U.S. Department of State · Verified October 22, 2026
US Passport Online Renewal Photo — 54 KB–10 MB, Make It in Seconds
- 54 KB–10 MB
- JPG
- White or off-white
Off by default: this authority rejects edited backgrounds. Take the photo against a plain wall instead — we'll check it.
Drop your photo here
Tap to choose, drag and drop, or paste. JPG, PNG, HEIC, WebP.
Processed on your device. Never uploaded.
Everything on this page is set to the official US Passport Online Renewal Photo specification from U.S. Department of State. For citizens of the United States applying or renewing.
US Passport Online Renewal Photo requirements
| Document | U.S. Passport Online Renewal |
|---|---|
| Issued by | U.S. Department of State (United States) |
| File size | 54 KB–10 MB |
| Format | JPG, PNG |
| Background color | White or off-white |
| Color | Color photo required |
| Taken within | the last 6 months |
| Submitted as | Digital upload |
The rules in plain words
- Upload a JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF file between 54 KB and 10 MB.
- Colour photo taken within the last 6 months.
- Leave room around your head and shoulders: the renewal system lets you crop and position the photo.
- Plain white or off-white background with no shadows, texture, lines or objects.
- Face the camera directly with both eyes open; avoid showing teeth.
- Remove glasses, hats and anything covering the face unless for documented religious or medical reasons.
- Original image only: no filters, retouching, background removal or red-eye editing.
How to take a US Passport Online Renewal Photo at home
- 1Stand about half a metre in front of a white or off-white wall. Distance from the wall stops shadows behind your head.
- 2Face a window or soft light so both sides of your face are evenly lit — no harsh overhead light.
- 3Ask someone to hold the camera at your eye level, 1–1.5 m away. Selfies at arm's length make noses look bigger and get rejected.
- 4Look straight at the lens with a neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open, hair away from your eyes.
- 5Take off your glasses unless you have a medical reason to wear them.
- 6Drop the photo here and download the result — it is ready to upload.
Tips specific to this document
- Do not scan a printed photo — upload the original file from the phone or camera.
- Frame from the top of your head to where your shoulders meet your arms; the online tool crops it to size.
- iPhone photos are HEIC: ExactFit converts them to JPG and keeps the file inside the 54 KB–10 MB window.
Common reasons photos are rejected
- Photo edited or filtered, including red-eye fixes and cut-out backgrounds.
- Uneven lighting or a grey stripe/shadow on the wall behind you.
- Looking down at a phone camera instead of straight ahead.
Questions people ask
What background color is required?
White or off-white, plain and without shadows or patterns. U.S. Department of State does not accept digitally edited backgrounds, so take the photo against a plain wall; ExactFit checks the background but leaves it unchanged by default.
Can I wear glasses?
Remove glasses, hats and anything covering the face unless for documented religious or medical reasons.
How recent does the photo need to be?
It must have been taken within the last 6 months and look like you do now.
Can I take a US Passport Online Renewal Photo with my phone?
Yes. Have someone else take it at eye level from about 1–1.5 m away with light in front of you. iPhone HEIC files work directly.
Is my photo uploaded anywhere?
No. All processing — face detection, cropping, background and compression — runs inside your browser. Your photo never leaves your device.
Will my photo be accepted?
ExactFit checks every measurable requirement against the official rules, but the final decision is made by U.S. Department of State. Follow the checklist and the official guidance linked on this page.
Official source
Last verified against the official source: October 22, 2026
ExactFit is not affiliated with any government. Requirements can change; always confirm with the official source. No guarantee of acceptance.
Spotted a change? Tell us and we’ll re-verify within days.