On this page · 8 sections
- What does a passport photo need, wherever you get it taken?
- CVS, Walgreens, Walmart or a photo studio close to me: which is best for a passport photo?
- Can I take my own passport photo with my phone?
- Do I need the passport photo before the acceptance agent visit?
- What does the post office do for a new passport?
- How do you make sure your passport photo is accepted?
- Common passport photo mistakes
- Why PassportsAndVisas.com for the rest of your new passport?
Key Takeaways
- A U.S. passport photo must be 2 by 2 inches with a white or off-white background, show your face in the correct position with no glasses or hat, and be taken within the last six months.
- PassportsAndVisas.com turns a selfie into a compliant passport photo and pre-checks it with your application; new passports start from $199 plus government fees, in as little as 3-4 business days.
- Photos are the most common problem our pre-check finds: a missing or unusable photo on 43% of the 526 applications we reviewed over the last 180 days.
- A first-time U.S. passport applicant still visits an acceptance agent in person, most often a local post office, while a renewal on form DS-82 needs no in-person visit.
What does a passport photo need, wherever you get it taken?
A U.S. passport photo is acceptable when it is 2 by 2 inches, has a white or off-white background, shows your face in the correct position, has no glasses or hat, and was taken within the last six months. Where the photo is taken matters far less than whether it meets these points.
These are the points our team checks on every passport photo before an application moves forward. For the full rules, including head size and what to wear, read our guide to passport photo requirements.
CVS, Walgreens, Walmart or a photo studio close to me: which is best for a passport photo?
The best passport photo, whether you are weighing CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, a photo studio or any spot close to you, is the one that meets every rule: 2 by 2 inches, white or off-white background, face correctly positioned, no glasses, no hat, taken within the last six months.
Before you pay anywhere, run through the key facts above with whoever takes the photo. A store or studio print and a selfie are judged by exactly the same rules.
The closest option is the phone in your hand. When you apply for a new passport with PassportsAndVisas.com, our Digital Photo Service turns your selfie into a compliant passport photo, so there is no trip to a store or studio at all.
| If… | Then… |
|---|---|
| You already have a store or studio print | Check it against the key facts, then upload it with your documents; our team reviews it before submission. |
| You have no photo yet and want to skip the trip | Take a selfie against a plain white or off-white wall and let PassportsAndVisas.com turn it into a compliant photo. |
| Your photo was already turned down | Replace it with a new photo that meets every rule before the application goes back in. |
Our date assumes you send us your documents tomorrow. Government dates are the State Department's published estimates.
First-time, child and certain replacement applications still require one in-person acceptance signing — we prepare the packet and find the soonest slot near you.
Can I take my own passport photo with my phone?
Yes, you can take your own passport photo with your phone when you apply with PassportsAndVisas.com: our Digital Photo Service turns your selfie into a compliant passport photo, so you do not need to find a photo spot at all.
You upload the selfie from your phone along with your other documents. A member of our team then reviews the photo against the rules above before your application is submitted to the U.S. Department of State.
If the photo is not usable, you get a message with the specific reason and a link to upload a new one, so the problem is fixed before anything is sent.
Do I need the passport photo before the acceptance agent visit?
A first-time passport applicant should have the passport photo ready before visiting the acceptance agent, because the agent seals all application documents in an official envelope during that visit. Gather everything first, then go.
- Gather your documentsYour prepared DS-11 form (unsigned), proof of U.S. citizenship, proof of identity and your passport photo. Or let us handle it: PassportsAndVisas.com prepares the form for you and pre-checks every document, photo included.
- Visit the acceptance agentThe agent checks your identity documents, witnesses you signing the DS-11 and seals your application documents. Do not sign the DS-11 at home.
- Ship the sealed envelope to usYou place the sealed envelope in the FedEx envelope we provide. PassportsAndVisas.com submits the application and FedExes your new passport to you.
Renewing instead? A renewal on form DS-82 needs no acceptance agent visit: you sign at home and send your documents, including one passport photo, straight to us.
What does the post office do for a new passport?
A post office is the most common acceptance agent for a new U.S. passport: the agent checks your identity, witnesses your signature on form DS-11 and seals your documents. The visit is required for first-time, child and lost or stolen passports, whether or not you use PassportsAndVisas.com.
Most post offices offer walk-in hours for passport services, usually early in the morning, and the visit itself takes about 10 to 15 minutes once you are being served. With a packet we have already prepared and pre-checked, that visit stays short.
For renewals on form DS-82, the post office only carries the envelope through USPS; post office staff do not review or process renewals. With PassportsAndVisas.com, a renewal comes to us by FedEx and is reviewed by our team instead.
How do you make sure your passport photo is accepted?
A passport photo is safest when a specialist reviews it before the application is submitted. At PassportsAndVisas.com, a member of our team checks every uploaded photo for size, background, face position, glasses, hats and age before anything goes to the U.S. Department of State.
In our review of 526 applications over the last 180 days, our pre-check caught a missing or unusable passport photo on 43% before submission. Those photos were replaced before the application went in.
If a photo has already been turned down, our guide on what happens when a passport photo is rejected explains the next steps.
Common passport photo mistakes
The most common passport photo mistakes are glasses, a hat, the wrong background, a badly positioned face, the wrong size and a photo older than six months. Each one is easy to fix before you submit.
| Cause | Why it happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Wearing glasses | Glasses are not accepted in a passport photo. | Take them off for the photo. |
| Wearing a hat | Hats are not accepted in a passport photo. | Remove it before the photo is taken. |
| Wrong background | The background must be white or off-white. | Stand in front of a plain white or off-white wall. |
| Face out of position | The face must sit correctly in the frame. | Face the camera straight on and keep your whole face in view. |
| Wrong size | The photo must be 2 by 2 inches. | Use a photo made to passport size, or send us a selfie to convert. |
| Old photo | The photo must be taken within the last six months. | Take a new one rather than reusing an older print. |
Reader unsure whether their own photo has one of the common mistakes
Ask Sarah a question →Why PassportsAndVisas.com for the rest of your new passport?
PassportsAndVisas.com handles everything after the photo: we prepare your application, pre-check every document, submit it at a passport agency for you and FedEx your new passport back. We have been a registered passport expediter since 1992 and have served 500K+ travelers.
| Cost | Amount | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Essential Expedited: our service fee Choose one speed | $199 | PassportsAndVisas.com |
| Priority Expedited: our service fee | $249 | PassportsAndVisas.com |
| Rush Expedited: our service fee | $349 | PassportsAndVisas.com |
| Emergency Expedited: our service fee | $449 | PassportsAndVisas.com |
| Passport book application fee (adult) | $130 | Government |
| Execution fee | $35 | Government |
| Government expedite fee | $60 | Government |
| Stage | Time | Type |
|---|---|---|
| PassportsAndVisas.com Emergency Expedited | 3-4 business days | PassportsAndVisas.com |
| PassportsAndVisas.com Rush Expedited | 6 business days | PassportsAndVisas.com |
| PassportsAndVisas.com Priority Expedited | 8 business days | PassportsAndVisas.com |
| PassportsAndVisas.com Essential Expedited | 12 business days | PassportsAndVisas.com |
| Government expedited processing Door to door, with shipping each way: up to 7 weeks | 2–3 weeks | Government processing |
| Government routine processing Door to door, with shipping each way: up to 10 weeks | 4–6 weeks | Government processing |
You get email and text updates at each stage, from documents received to passport delivered. For how the government timelines compare, read how long it takes to get a passport. We have 11,766 customer reviews.
A registered passport expediter since 1992. We are a private company, not the U.S. government.
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