US visa (DS-160, DS-260) photo
2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) printed photo and a digital file sized for the online form. Cropped and checked in your browser.
Your photo is processed in your browser and never uploaded. You can also drop a photo here.
Photo rules for the US visa (DS-160, DS-260)
- 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm)
- Square, 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 px, up to 240 KB
- JPEG
- 1200 × 1200 px, JPEG
- 50–69% of the photo height, chin to top of hair
- 56–69% of the photo height from the bottom
- Plain white or off-white (we offer: white, off-white)
- Not allowed.
- 6 months
- Immigrant visa applicants (DS-260) also bring two printed 2 × 2 in photos to the interview.
How to take a US visa (DS-160, DS-260) photo at home
- Stand about half a metre in front of a plain light wall. Face a window or a soft light. The US visa (DS-160, DS-260) needs a white or off-white background; the tool can lighten or replace it if your wall is darker.
- Ask someone to take the photo from about 1.5 metres at eye level, or use the camera of your laptop. Look straight into the camera with a neutral expression and your mouth closed.
- Take your glasses off. They are not allowed for this document.
- Upload the photo above. The tool crops it so that the head size matches the rule (50–69% of the photo height, chin to top of hair) and then checks the photo quality.
Digital file
For the online application you upload a JPEG of 1200 × 1200 px, at most 240 KB. The tool shows the file size before you download.
Printed photos
The print sheet holds several 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) photos on 4 × 6 in or 10 × 15 cm photo paper. Print it at 100% at home or at a photo shop and check the size with a ruler before you cut.
Questions about the US visa (DS-160, DS-260) photo
- What size is a US visa (DS-160, DS-260) photo?
- The printed photo is 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm). Head size: 50–69% of the photo height, chin to top of hair.
- What are the rules for the digital US visa (DS-160, DS-260) photo?
- Square, 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 px, up to 240 KB. Our file is 1200 × 1200 px in JPEG, and we keep the file size at most 240 KB.
- Which background colour is needed?
- Plain white or off-white. The tool offers white or off-white.
- Can I wear glasses?
- Not allowed.
- How recent must the photo be?
- It must have been taken within the last 6 months.
- What does it cost?
- The tool and a preview with a watermark are free. The digital file and the print sheets without watermark cost $5.99, paid once.
- Will the authority accept my photo?
- The authority that issues your document decides. The tool checks the published rules, but it cannot see everything an officer checks. If the authority rejects your application with a photo you bought from us, we refund the full price. Ask within 90 days of the purchase. The exceptions are listed in our refund policy.