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The U.S. passport card — the wallet-sized document valid for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda — uses exactly the same photo as the passport book: 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm), head 1 to 1 3/8 inches (25–35 mm) tall, plain white or off-white background, no glasses, taken within the last 6 months.
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Not sure whether your photo will pass? See Why ID photos get rejected.
U.S. Passport Card Photo requirements
| Photo size | 2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm) |
|---|---|
| Pixels (print) | 600 x 600 px at 300 DPI · 1200 x 1200 px at 600 DPI |
| Head height | 25–35 mm from chin to crown — official published figure. |
| Eye line | 28.6–34.9 mm from the bottom edge (official figure — checked automatically by the photo check panel). |
| Background | Plain white or off-white or cream. |
| Glasses | Not allowed — remove glasses for this photo. |
| Editing | Must be original and unedited — retouching, filters and replaced backgrounds are explicitly banned for this document. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes open, facing the camera straight on. |
| Official source | Official photo requirements ↗ |
Good to know
The State Department's photo requirements are written for passport books, passport cards and visas together, so one compliant 2 x 2 inch photo covers all of them. If you are applying for a book and a card at the same time, you submit one photo, not two.
The card is not a photo-size question but an eligibility one: it is valid only for land and sea border crossings to a specific set of destinations, never for international air travel. The photo standard is identical either way.
The photo must be an original, unedited image — no filters, no retouching and no digitally replaced background. Photograph yourself against a real white wall and leave the background replacement here switched off.
How to make it in 3 steps
- Take or choose a photo. Stand in front of a plain light wall in even light with no shadows, camera at eye level about 2 m away, head and shoulders in frame with space around your head.
- Crop with the head guides. The maker opens preset to the 2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm) standard with the official 25–35 mm head range marked. Drag and zoom until the crown of your head and your chin sit on the guides, then run the built-in photo check.
- Download. Save the single photo (for online uploads) or the 4 x 6 in print sheet, and print it at CVS, Walgreens, any pharmacy kiosk or at home for the price of a regular photo print.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a U.S. Passport Card Photo?
2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm) — 600 x 600 px at 300 DPI. The head must measure 25–35 mm from chin to the top of the head.
What background color does a U.S. Passport Card Photo need?
Plain white or off-white or cream.
Can I take a U.S. Passport Card Photo at home with my phone?
Yes. Stand in front of a plain light wall in even daylight, have someone take a sharp, front-facing photo from about 2 m away, then crop it to the exact 2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm) standard with the free maker — the head guides show you the official head-height range.
Is this U.S. Passport Card Photo maker really free and private?
Yes — completely free, with no ads, no watermark and no signup. Unlike photo-booth apps and paid services, your photo is processed entirely in your browser and is never uploaded to any server.
Where can I print my U.S. Passport Card Photo?
Download the 4 x 6 in (10 x 15 cm) sheet and print it as an ordinary borderless 4 x 6 in (10 x 15 cm) photo at actual size (100%, no scaling) at a photo shop, a pharmacy photo kiosk, an online print service or on a home printer, then cut along the guide lines. You pay only for an ordinary photo print, not a photo-booth service fee. Local examples: Walgreens Photo, Walmart Photo Center, CVS Photo, USPS. More detail: Printing passport photos in the United States.
Is the passport card photo different from the passport book photo?
No. The State Department publishes one photo standard covering the passport book, the passport card and U.S. visas: a 2 x 2 inch photo with a 25–35 mm head height on a plain white background. Applying for both a book and a card takes one photo.
Can I use the same photo I submitted for my passport book?
Only if it is still within the 6-month recency window and still looks like you; several rules also bar submitting a photo identical to one in the document being replaced. Since taking a new one is free, that is the safer route.