Passport Size Photo Converter and Maker

A passport size photo converter has to do more than change the dimensions. Officials measure the head, the eye position and the background, so every one of those has to land inside the rules for your document.

1. Crop to the right shape. A U.S. photo is square; a European photo is a 35 x 45 mm portrait rectangle. Stretching a photo to fit distorts the face.
2. Scale the head. In a U.S. photo the head must be 1 to 1 3/8 inches tall, 50% to 69% of the height, with the eyes 56% to 69% up from the bottom. European photos want a bigger face, 70% to 80%.
3. Replace the background. U.S. documents need plain white or off-white with no shadows or objects.
4. Export the right file. Prints need the right size at 300 DPI. Uploads need the right pixels and file size, such as a square JPEG of 600 to 1200 pixels and no more than 240 KB for the DS-160.

Good light helps the result too, so we also even out exposure. We never change your face: no skin smoothing, no reshaping.

Choose the size by document, not by country alone, since visas and passports from the same country sometimes differ. The table lists the most common sizes, their pixel dimensions at 300 DPI and the official head range.

Digital uploads have their own pixel rules on top of these. The DS-160 visa form takes square JPEGs from 600 x 600 to 1200 x 1200 pixels, and the DV lottery wants exactly 600 x 600 pixels. Canadian passport photos are listed for reference only: Canada requires a commercial photographer and no editing, so we do not convert photos for it.

Most U.S. passport photos fail on the background, not the face. Shadows behind the head, a beige wall or a picture frame in the corner are all reasons for rejection.

PhotoForPass replaces the background with plain white, so you do not need a white wall. You still get the cleanest edges around hair and shoulders when you start with a good setup:

• Stand 2 to 3 feet in front of a plain, light wall so your shadow falls on the floor, not behind your head.
• Face a window, so light falls evenly on both sides of your face.
• Wear a top that contrasts with white, such as a dark or bright color.
• Keep loose hair from blending into a similar-colored wall.
• Turn off portrait mode and background blur, which create soft, uneven edges.

Non-U.S. documents can differ. The UK asks for cream or light gray, so always choose your exact document.

You can convert a photo to passport size yourself in most free image editors. It takes some care, and it helps to know the pitfalls before you start.

1. Open the original photo, not a screenshot or a copy from a chat app.
2. Lock the crop to the right shape: 1:1 for a U.S. 2x2, 7:9 for 35 x 45 mm.
3. Crop so the head, chin to top of hair, fills the official range: 50% to 69% of the height for the U.S.
4. Resize to the target pixels, such as 600 x 600 for a 2x2 at 300 DPI. Never enlarge a small photo, which makes it blurry.
5. Export as JPG at high quality, then check the file size against your upload limit.
6. For prints, place the photos on a 1200 x 1800 pixel canvas (4x6 at 300 DPI): six 2x2 photos fit with no gaps.

The hardest parts by hand are an even white background and an exact head size. Test your result in our free passport photo checker before you print or upload.

PhotoForPass is a passport size photo maker that runs in your browser on any phone, tablet or computer, with nothing to install.

• Pick the document and the size, head range, background and file limits follow it.
• Smart check before you pay. Face size, centering, tilt, open eyes, closed mouth, lighting, shadows, blur and background are checked on your device. Your photo does not leave it until you pay.
• Expert-grade editing after payment. We fix the lighting, replace the background with plain white, size and crop the photo to the official rules and save the file, in 30 to 60 seconds.
• Files you can use. The Digital photo ($16.95) gives you the JPG. Photo + print sheet ($18.95) adds a 4x6 sheet as JPG and PDF for CVS, Walgreens, Walmart or a home printer.

Every order includes up to 5 photo checks and 3 free redos per person, a 14-day money-back guarantee with no questions asked, and a full refund if the agency rejects the photo. Final acceptance is up to the issuing agency.