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Resize

Resize a photo for a US passport or visa

A digital US passport photograph has to be square, between 600 and 1200 pixels on each side. Passport renewal accepts a generous file size; a visa application or the DV lottery does not, and caps it at 240 KB. This page produces whichever you choose at exact pixels, and measures the file it actually wrote rather than assuming the numbers came out right.

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How to resize a photo for a US passport or visa

  1. Choose which application you are preparing the photo for.
  2. Drop in a photograph of yourself, cropped to head and shoulders.
  3. The tool resizes it to the exact pixels and lands it inside the file-size band.
  4. Check the requirements it cannot check for you, then download.

Supported formats

This tool accepts JPG, PNG and WebP files. Everything is decoded by your own browser, so the formats available depend on what your browser can open - which for HEIC in particular varies between Safari and other browsers.

Frequently asked questions

What size does a US passport photo need to be?

Square, and between 600 by 600 and 1200 by 1200 pixels. Larger is not better here: the validator rejects anything outside that range in either direction. Online passport renewal accepts files from about 54 KB up to 10 MB, so file size is rarely the problem for a renewal - it is the exact square crop that catches people out.

Why is the visa limit so much smaller?

Visa applications and the Diversity Visa lottery run through a different system from passport renewal, and it accepts JPEG only at 240 KB or smaller. It is a hard ceiling rather than a guideline. This page has a separate option for it because a file that sails through a passport renewal will be refused by a visa form.

Does this guarantee my photo will be accepted?

No, and it would be dishonest to say so. The pixel dimensions, the square crop, the format and the file size are correct, and measured from the finished file rather than assumed. Head size, background, lighting, expression, glasses and how recently the photograph was taken are not things this tool can see - they are listed on the page so you can check them before you submit.

Is my photograph uploaded anywhere?

No. Everything happens in your browser and the photograph never leaves your device.

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