Part of:Photo Print Size Chart: Inches, Pixels and DPI
US Passport Photo Resizer
Resize a photo to 600x600 for a US passport application, and check the head size and background rules that cause rejections.
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US passport photos must be exactly 2x2 inches printed at 300 DPI, which is 600x600 pixels. The face must fill 1 to 1.375 inches of that height, so resize and then center the subject before printing.
How it works
The pixel count follows from two inches at 300 DPI
A United States passport photo is 2 by 2 inches, which the State Department gives as 51 by 51 millimetres, and a printed photograph is normally specified at 300 pixels per inch. That gives exactly 600 by 600 pixels. The requirement is a physical size, and 600 by 600 is the digital equivalent of it at the resolution a print shop expects. Some online applications accept a file declared in inches rather than pixels, and in that case the declared print size matters more than the pixel count, but exporting at 600 by 600 satisfies both readings.
| Measure | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Physical size | 2 × 2 inches | Given by the State Department as 51 × 51 mm |
| Resolution | 300 pixels per inch | The standard for a printed photo |
| Required pixels | 600 × 600 | 2 inches × 300 pixels |
| Aspect ratio | 1:1 | Square, because the print size is square |
| Online file size range | Roughly 54 KB to 10 MB | Varies by application |
Head size is the rule that causes rejections
The State Department requires the head to measure between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head, which it also expresses as 25 to 35 millimetres, and as 50 to 69 percent of the total image height. That percentage is the more useful way to check it, because it works whatever the output resolution. In a 600 pixel image, 50 to 69 percent is 300 to 413 pixels from chin to crown. A face that is too small, too large, or positioned too high or low fails even when the file is exactly 600 by 600 and perfectly exposed.
| Measure | Required | In a 600 px image |
|---|---|---|
| Head height, chin to crown | 1 to 1 3/8 in, or 25 to 35 mm | 300 to 413 px |
| As a share of image height | 50 to 69 percent | 300 to 413 px of 600 |
| Head position | Centred horizontally | Aimed at the horizontal middle |
| Hair | May extend past the edge if the whole head is shown | Not a cropping failure |
| Photo height | 2 inches | 600 px |
NoteHead height must be 50 to 69 percent of image height. That is the most common rejection reason.
The other rules, and none can be fixed by resizing
Size is the easy part and the least common reason a photo is refused. The photo must be in colour, taken within the last six months, in front of a plain white or off white background, with a neutral expression and the mouth closed. Glasses are not permitted, and a hat is only allowed for a religious or medical reason. A digitally altered image that changes your appearance will be refused. None of these are properties of the file dimensions, which is why checking them at the point of capture matters more than getting 600 by 600 exactly right.
- In colour, taken within the last six months.
- Plain white or off white background, with no shadow or texture.
- Neutral expression, eyes open, mouth closed.
- No glasses. A hat only for a religious or medical reason.
- No digital alteration that changes your appearance.
NoteNone of these can be fixed by resizing. They have to be right at capture.
A practical workflow, and checking the finished file
The reliable sequence is to photograph the applicant against a plain light wall in even light, with the head centred and filling 50 to 69 percent of the frame height. Crop square around the head, resize to 600 by 600, and then check the chin to crown distance against the table before submitting. Doing that check on the actual 600 pixel output rather than on the original is what catches a crop that put the face too high or made the head too small. The resizing tool handles the dimensions and the arithmetic; every other rule has to be satisfied at the point of capture.
- Photograph against a plain light wall in even light.
- Head centred, filling 50 to 69 percent of the frame height.
- Crop square, then resize to 600 by 600.
- Measure chin to crown on the finished 600 pixel file.
- The tool handles dimensions. Every other rule is a capture requirement.
NoteMeasure the head on the finished 600 pixel file, not on the original.
Batch resize passport photos
Resize a set of portraits to 600x600 at 300 DPI for passport applications. Free, private, and no uploads.
Frequently asked questions
What pixel size is a US passport photo?
600x600 pixels equals 2x2 inches at 300 DPI, the required physical size.
How large should the face be in a US passport photo?
The face should measure 1 to 1.375 inches from chin to crown, roughly 300 to 413 pixels within the 600x600 frame. For other print sizes, use our resize for 4x6 print tool.
Can I batch resize passport photos?
Yes, add a folder of portraits and resize every one to 600x600 at 300 DPI. Download a ZIP with all files processed privately.