Photo problems and fixes
Each page explains one reason photos are refused, what the official rule says, and how to take a photo that passes. The free checker is on every page.
United States online passport application
- Online passport renewal photo rejectedWhy the US online renewal tool or a State Department reviewer rejects a photo, and how to …
- Passport renewal photo upload not workingThe US online renewal accepts JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF files between 54 KB and 10 MB. …
- Background not white enoughUS passport photos need a plain white or off-white background. Why your wall looks grey or…
- Head tilted in the photoThe State Department asks you to face the camera without tilting your head. How to spot a …
- Smiling and showing teethThe US allows a natural smile with eyes open and mouth closed. The online renewal page add…
- Blurry, grainy or pixelated photoThe State Department rejects photos that are blurry, grainy, pixelated or show printer dot…
- Rejected as edited, filtered or made with AIThe State Department checks every photo for digital changes and AI. What counts as an edit…
- Red eye in the photoThe State Department rejects photos with red eye and says not to edit it out. How to avoid…
- HEIC photos from an iPhoneiPhones save photos as HEIC. The US online renewal accepts HEIC and HEIF, but some browser…
- File size: 54 KB to 10 MBThe US online renewal accepts photo files between 54 KB and 10 MB. How to tell your file's…
- Using a selfie as a passport photoA selfie can work for a US passport photo if it meets the rules, but arm's-length selfies …
United States passport
- Your passport photo was not accepted: what to do nowWhat to do when the State Department writes that your passport photo was rejected: what th…
- Shadows on the face in a passport photoShadows under the eyes, beside the nose or on one cheek get passport photos rejected. How …
- Shadow behind the head on the backgroundA dark outline or grey patch behind the head is a common rejection. Why it happens and how…
- No white wall at home: use a white sheetHow to make a plain white passport photo background at home with a bed sheet or blanket, a…
- Glasses in a passport photoThe US does not allow glasses in passport photos. When a medical exception applies and wha…
- Head too small in the photoOn a 2 × 2 in US passport photo the head must measure 1 to 1 3/8 inches (25–35 mm) from ch…
- Head too big, or the face looks distortedWhy your head fills the whole passport photo, how a phone held too close distorts the face…
- Not facing the cameraTurned heads and eyes looking away are a common reason passport photos are refused. How to…
- Eyes closed or coveredYour eyes must be open and fully visible in a US passport photo. How to avoid blinking, sq…
- Too dark or washed outUnderexposed and overexposed passport photos are rejected. How to get skin tones right wit…
- One side of the face is darkerUneven lighting, with one side of the face in shadow, is a standard rejection example on t…
- Hats and head coveringsHats are not allowed in US passport photos. Religious and medical head coverings are, with…
- Passport photos of babies and toddlersHow to take a US passport photo of a baby or toddler: a white sheet, no hands in the frame…
- Printed photo is the wrong sizeWhy a 2 × 2 in passport photo prints smaller or larger than it should, and the print setti…
United States DV Lottery
- DV lottery photo: 600 × 600 pixelsDiversity Visa entry photo rules: square 600 × 600 pixel JPEG, 240 kB or less, in colour, …
- DV entries disqualified for the photoA wrong photo can disqualify a Diversity Visa entry or a selected applicant. The photo mis…
United States visa
- DS-160 photo upload failedThe DS-160 photo must be a square colour JPEG, 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 pixels, 240 kB or …
Schengen visa
- Schengen visa photo rejectedSchengen visa photos are 35 × 45 mm with the face 70–80 % of the height, on a plain light …
United Kingdom online passport application
- UK online passport photo rejectedGOV.UK digital passport photos need a plain light background, at least 600 × 750 pixels an…