Photo Requirements

Your photo is a vital part of your visa application. To learn more, review the information below on how to provide a suitable photo. Digital images are required for some visa categories, while photos are required for other visa categories. The acceptance of your digital image or photo is at the discretion of the U.S. embassy or consulate where you apply.

We recommend you use a professional visa photo service to ensure your photo meets all the requirements.

Your photos or digital images must be:

In color

Sized such that the head is between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches (22 mm and 35 mm) or 50% and 69% of the image's total height from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. View the Photo Composition Template for more size requirement details.

Taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance

Taken in front of a plain white or off-white background

Taken in full-face view directly facing the camera

With a neutral facial expression and both eyes open

Taken in clothing that you normally wear on a daily basis

Uniforms should not be worn in your photo, except religious clothing that is worn daily.

Do not wear a hat or head covering that obscures the hair or hairline, unless worn daily for a religious purpose. Your full face must be visible, and the head covering must not cast any shadows on your face.

Headphones, wireless hands-free devices, or similar items are not acceptable in your photo.

If you normally wear glasses (without tinted lenses), a hearing device, or similar articles, they may be worn in your photo.

Dark glasses or glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable.

Glare on glasses is not acceptable in your photo. Glare can be avoided with a slight downward tilt of the glasses or by removing the glasses or by turning off the camera flash.

Review the Photo Examples to see examples of acceptable and unacceptable photos. Photos copied or digitally scanned from driver’s licenses or other official documents are not acceptable. In addition, snapshots, magazine photos, low quality vending machine or mobile phone photos, and full-length photographs are not acceptable.

Please review the additional photo requirements for:

Nonimmigrant Visas

Immigrant Visas

Diversity Visa (DV) Program

Additional Information

Tips for taking photos yourself

Change of Appearance

Frequently Asked Questions

Additional Requirements for Nonimmigrant Visas

Applicants using Form DS-160 or Form DS-1648

If you are applying for a nonimmigrant visa by filling out the DS-160 or DS-1648 online form, the form will instruct you to upload your digital image as part of completing the online visa application form. Review the Digital Image Requirements, which also provide additional requirements if you are scanning an existing photo.

Some embassies and consulates require visa applicants to bring one (1) photo, which meets requirements, to the interview. Review the embassy or consulate instructions where you will apply to learn more.

Additional Requirements for Immigrant Visas

Applicants using Form DS-260

If you are applying for an immigrant visa, using Form DS-260, you must provide two (2) identical photos at your immigrant visa interview. Your photos must be:

Printed on photo quality paper

2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) in size

Additional Requirements for the Diversity Visa (DV) Program

Diversity Visa Program Entrants

If you are entering the Diversity Visa (DV) Program online, you must upload your digital image as part of your entry. Your digital image must be:

In JPEG (.jpg) file format

Equal to or less than 240 kB (kilobytes) in file size

In a square aspect ratio (height must equal width)

600x600 pixels in dimension

Do you want to scan an existing photo? In addition to the digital image requirements, your existing photo must be:

2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm)

Scanned at a resolution of 300 pixels per inch (12 pixels per millimeter)

Diversity Visa Program Selectees

Each DV applicant will need to bring two (2) identical photos to the interview. Your photos must be:

Printed on photo quality paper

2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) in size

Do you want to take the photo yourself?

While we recommend you use a professional visa photo service to ensure your photo meets all the requirements, you may take the photo yourself. Photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance in any way. Please review the following technical requirements and references for guidance on taking your own photo.

Photo Composition Template

Digital Image Requirements

Use the Department of State’s free photo tool to:

Start Photo Tool

select a digital image stored on your computer

resize and rotate it if necessary

crop it to a square image of exactly 600 x 600 pixels, and

save it to your computer for printing

This tool requires Adobe Flash Player 10 or later.

Taking photos of your baby or toddler

When taking a photo of your baby or toddler, no other person should be in the photo, and your child should be looking at the camera with his or her eyes open.

Tip 1:

Lay your baby on his or her back on a plain white or off-white sheet. This will ensure your baby's head is supported and provide a plain background for the photo. Make certain there are no shadows on your baby's face, especially if you take a picture from above with the baby lying down.

Tip 2:

Cover a car seat with a plain white or off-white sheet and take a picture of your child in the car seat. This will also ensure your baby’s head is supported

Change of Appearance

If your photo(s) or digital image does not reflect your current appearance, even if it is not older than 6 months, the U.S. embassy or consulate will request that you provide a new photo with your application.

Applicants will be requested to obtain a new photo if they have:

Undergone significant facial surgery or trauma

Added or removed numerous/large facial piercings or tattoos

Undergone a significant amount of weight loss or gain

Made a gender transition

Generally, if you can still be identified from the photo in your visa application, you will not need to submit a new photo. For example, growing a beard or coloring your hair would not generally be considered a significant change of appearance.

If the appearance of your child under the age of 16 has changed due to the normal aging process, he or she will generally not have to provide a new photo. However, the acceptance of your photo or digital image is at the discretion of the U.S. embassy or consulate where you apply.

您的照片是你的签证申请的重要组成部分。要了解更多信息，请查看下面的信息，如何提供合适的照片。数字图像都需要对某些签证类别，而照片需要用于其他签证类别。您的数字图像或照片的接受是你申请那里的美国大使馆或领事馆的决定。

我们建议您使用专业的签证照片服务，以确保您的照片符合所有要求。

您的照片或数码影像必须是：

在色彩

尺寸使得头部之间1英寸和1 3/8英寸（22毫米和35 mm）上，或50％，并且从下巴的底部到头顶图像的总高度的69％。查看照片构图模板的详细尺寸要求的细节。

拍摄的最后6个月内，以反映当前的外观

采取纯白色或类白色背景前

采取全断面视图直接面对摄像机

用中性的面部表情和双眼开放

采取衣服，你通常每天穿

制服不应该在你的照片可以穿，但每天穿衣服的宗教。

不要戴帽子或头罩遮盖了的头发发际，或除非每天穿了宗教目的。你的全脸必须是可见的，蒙头不能投你脸上的阴影。

耳机，无线免提装置，或类似的项目不是在你的照片可以接受的。

如果你平时戴眼镜（不含有色镜片），听力设备，或者类似的文章，他们可能会在你的照片穿着。

墨镜，或带着有色眼镜的镜片是不能接受的。

眼镜眩光是不是在你的照片可以接受的。眩光可以用眼镜微微向下倾斜或者取出眼镜或关闭照相机的闪光灯避免。

查看照片的例子看到的可接受和不可接受的照片的例子。照片拷贝或数字的驾驶执照或其他官方文件的扫描是不能接受的。此外，快照，杂志上的照片，低质量的自动售票机或手机的照片，并且全长照片是不能接受的。

请查看附加照片要求：

非移民签证

移民签证

多元签证（DV）计划

附加信息

提示采取自己的照片

外观变化

经常问的问题

对于非移民签证的附加要求

使用表格DS-160申请或表格DS-1648

如果您是通过填写DS-160或DS-1648在线表格申请非移民签证时，表单将指导您上传您的数字图像作为完成在线签证申请表的一部分。查看数字图像的要求，如果扫描现有的照片也提供了额外的要求。

一些驻外使领馆要求签证申请人带来一（1）照片，这符合要求，面试。查看大使馆或领事馆的指示，你将适用于了解更多信息。

移民签证的附加要求

使用表格DS-260申请

如果你正在申请移民签证，使用表格DS-260，您必须提供两（2）同样的照片在你的移民签证面谈。您的照片必须是：

印在照片质量纸

2×2英寸（为50 x 51毫米）尺寸

对于多元签证（DV）计划的附加要求

多元签证计划进入者

如果你在网上输入多元签证（DV）计划，您必须上传您的数码图像作为条目的一部分。您的数字图像必须是：

在JPEG（.JPG）文件格式

等于或小于240 KB（千字节）的文件大小

在一个正方形纵横比（高度必须相等宽度）

600×600像素尺寸

你想扫描现有的照片？除了数字图像的要求，现有的照片必须是：

2×2英寸（为50 x 51mm）的

以每英寸300个像素的分辨率扫描（每毫米12个像素）

多元签证计划Selectees

每个申请人的DV需要携带两（2）相同照片的采访。您的照片必须是：

印在照片质量纸

2×2英寸（为50 x 51毫米）尺寸

你想采取自己的照片？

虽然我们建议您使用专业的签证照片服务，以确保您的照片符合所有要求，你可以自己拍照。照片不能被数字增强或修改，以任何方式更改你的外表。请查看服用自己的照片进行指导下的技术要求和引用。