AnswerUnited States online passport applicationchecked November 10, 2026
Rejected as edited, filtered or made with AI
The State Department says it checks all photos to make sure they were not digitally enhanced or altered, and it rejects photos created or changed with AI. Background removal, skin smoothing, beauty filters and AI touch-ups all count. Take a new, unedited photo.
Why it happens
- A beauty or portrait mode smoothed skin or blurred the background.
- A background removal app cut out the head and placed it on white.
- An AI tool generated or "fixed" the photo.
- Red-eye was removed or the colours were adjusted.
How to fix it
Turn off camera effects
Use the standard photo mode, with beauty, portrait and filter options off.
Fix the scene instead
Use a white sheet, daylight and distance from the wall rather than an app.
Use the original file
Upload or print the photo as the camera took it, cropped to size only.
Check your photo now, free
Checks
- Add a photo to see the crop and the checks.
Bought your photo here and it was still rejected? You get a free redo or a refund. See the guarantee
Questions
Is cropping an edit?
No. For online renewal the State Department says you can reposition or crop your photo in the application. We only crop and resize; for online renewal we do not even rotate.
Do you remove backgrounds?
No. Most passport offices refuse photos with a replaced background, so we never do it.