US visa photo size
A square digital file for the online application and a 2 × 2 inch print, both from one picture.
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How it works
Add your images
Drag and drop, paste, or pick files. They upload over an encrypted connection.
Pick a quality or a target size
Use the quality slider, or tell it exactly how many KB or MB you need.
Download
Save each file, or grab them all at once as a ZIP.
Visa applicants usually need the photo twice: as a file uploaded with the online application and, at some posts, as a print brought to the interview. The State Department's digital image page sets the file's limits. It must be square, at least 600 by 600 pixels and at most 1200 by 1200, a JPEG, and no larger than 240 kB.
This page opens with both presets. The digital one saves exactly 600 by 600 pixels, the size the department's own cropping tool produces, and holds the JPEG under the 240 kB ceiling. The print preset uses the same square at 2 by 2 inches and 300 DPI, so the two versions match.
Both rows in the table come from State Department pages, read on the date shown. They cover size, file and background only. The consular officer decides whether a photo is acceptable, so read the linked requirements on pose and appearance before you submit.
What the official source states
United States visa, digital photo
- Pixel size
- 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 px
- File size
- At most 240 KB
- Background
- Plain white or off-white
- Format
- JPG
Requirements checked on October 15, 2026. Official source
United States visa, printed photo
- Photo size
- 50.8 × 50.8 mm
- Pixels at 300 DPI
- 600 × 600 px
- Background
- Plain white or off-white
Requirements checked on October 15, 2026. Official source
Check the official requirements before you submit. We resize to the numbers shown; we do not check face position, expression, glasses, lighting or background rules.
Why the file is 600 pixels and not 1200
Any square between 600 and 1200 pixels is allowed, but the weight limit is tight. A 1200 pixel portrait needs heavy compression to fit in 240 kB, and blocky skin or smeared hair can draw attention. At 600 pixels the file fits comfortably at a high quality, and that is the size the department recommends cropping to.
The page adds that the compression ratio should be 20 to 1 or less. You do not need to calculate it: a 600 pixel colour JPEG near 240 kB is far below that ratio. Keep the quality slider high and let the size limit do the rest.
Colour and file details
The image must be in colour, 24 bits per pixel, in the sRGB colour space. Photos from phones and ordinary cameras already are. The tool saves a standard colour JPEG, so a picture taken in an unusual colour mode is converted on the way.
Scanning an older print
If you already have a printed 2 by 2 inch photo, the department says it must be scanned at 300 pixels per inch, which gives 600 by 600. Scan it, add the scan here, frame it with the digital preset, and download the result. The print must still be recent, taken in the last six months.
No glasses, no edits
Eyeglasses are no longer allowed in new visa photos, except when a medical reason prevents removing them, and then a signed medical statement is required. The same page states that photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance in any way.
That is why we suggest a real white or off-white wall rather than the background replacement switch. Cropping and resizing, which is what this page does, leaves your appearance as it is.
Frequently asked questions
What are the US visa photo pixel dimensions?
Square, between 600 by 600 and 1200 by 1200 pixels. This page saves 600 by 600.
What is the maximum file size?
240 kB, in JPEG format. The digital preset keeps the file under that limit.
Can the background be off-white?
Yes. The State Department page asks for a plain white or off-white background.
Do I need a printed photo as well?
That depends on the embassy or consulate. If one is asked for, use the print preset, which gives 2 by 2 inches at 300 DPI.
Is the visa photo the same as the passport photo?
The 2 by 2 inch print is the same size. The digital file and its 240 kB limit belong to the visa application. The US passport has a page of its own.