Do you want to save money by taking passport pictures for your family or organization? If you also need photos for visas, work permits, bank accounts, staff ids, applications, or other documents, the cost can add up quickly. You can save money by taking your own pictures, if you follow the specifications laid down by the US Department of State. The goal is to produce a 2 inch x 2 inch picture of the applicant’s face against a white background without shadows or distortions.
7 Steps to Successful Photos (from travel.state.gov)
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Frame subject with full face, front view, eyes open |
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Make sure photo presents full head from top of hair to bottom of chin; height of head should measure 1 inch to 1-3/8 inches (25 mm to 35 mm) |
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Center head within frame (see Figure 2 below) |
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Make sure eye height is between 1-1/8 inches to 1-3/8 inches (28 mm and 35 mm) from bottom of photo |
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Photograph subject against a plain white or off-whitebackground |
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Position subject and lighting so that there are no distracting shadows on the face or background |
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Encourage subject to have a natural expression |
Some helpful links:
- ePassportPhoto.com – an online tool to manipulate pictures
- Instructions to edit with Adobe Photoshop
See the Department of State Website for more information