We're the Perfect Print team. "I had an ID photo ready, but it didn't match the size the office wanted, so I had to redo it" — we hear this constantly. The tricky part is that ID photos use different required sizes depending on the document. A U.S. passport, a national or state ID, and an international visa each call for different dimensions. In this article we first lay out the correct size for each use, then walk through how to build it to spec and print it.
Why ID photo sizes are so easy to get wrong
ID photo sizes vary because each program and agency set its rules separately. In the United States, passports and most federal applications use a square 2 x 2 inches (about 51 x 51mm), while many other countries use a smaller portrait format of about 35 x 45mm. They all look like "an ID photo," so people reuse the same file across documents and get rejected — the exact failure we kept hearing about while building this app.
The other trap is orientation. A U.S. passport photo is square, but international photos are usually portrait, written height-first (e.g. 45mm tall x 35mm wide). Mix that up and the face position and margins fall outside spec. Pinning down the exact size your office requires is the first step to avoiding a redo.
ID photo sizes by document type
Here are the common required sizes. Because there are exceptions by agency and country, always confirm the exact dimensions in the official instructions of whoever you're submitting to. Use the figures below as a starting point when you're unsure.
| Document | Size (W x H) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. passport | 2 x 2 in (51 x 51mm) | Square; head size is also regulated |
| U.S. visa / green card (USCIS) | 2 x 2 in (51 x 51mm) | Same square format as passport |
| U.S. state ID / REAL ID | commonly 2 x 2 in | Usually taken at the DMV; check your state |
| Many countries' passport / visa | 35 x 45mm (1.38 x 1.77 in) | Portrait; written height-first |
| Some applications / employer badges | 2 x 2.5 in (wallet-ish) | Varies; follow the issuer |
| Resumes / general use | no fixed standard | Match the request, if any |
Lined up this way, you can see U.S. documents cluster around the square 2 x 2 inch format, while much of the rest of the world uses 35 x 45mm. Even if a photo you already have fits one of these, a different office may want the other — so before you shoot, confirm the exact dimensions you need.
Why hand-cropping drifts off size
When people try to fit a phone photo to a required size, most crop it in a photo editor. But that only cuts pixels on screen — it doesn't guarantee how many inches it will be on paper. Then, if you print with a "fit to page" setting, it gets auto-scaled and the size shifts. It looked right on screen, but it printed wrong — almost every sizing question we get traces back to this drift.
What an ID photo actually needs isn't "cutting pixels," it's locking the result to a real measurement — "2 x 2 inches" or "35 x 45mm." We built Perfect Print so you can set that physical size right on your phone.
How to build it to spec and print
The flow is simple. Pick a paper size in the app (A4, A5, B4, B5, L-size, or L2), choose a photo from your camera roll, then enter the required ID photo size in inches or millimeters. Just type the figure your office wants (e.g. 2 x 2 in for a U.S. passport). You can specify down to the millimeter, so unusual requests like 35 x 45mm are no problem.
Lay it out on one sheet (a 4x6 photo print or a letter sheet works well), save, and print at home or at a local print shop. Set the print option to actual size (100%); leaving it on "fit to page" undoes your exact dimensions. Placing several copies of the same photo on one sheet gives you spares far more cheaply than a photo booth. For shooting tips and saving money, see our dedicated ID photo article.
Perfect Print
A free app that sets ID photos to the exact required size (in inches or mm) and prints at 100%. Millimeter-precise, batch-print several at once. No sign-up, iPhone / Android.
Learn more about Perfect PrintFrequently asked questions
Can I reuse one photo for my passport and my state ID?
Often yes for U.S. documents, since many use the same 2 x 2 inch square format. But a country that uses 35 x 45mm needs a different crop. Rebuild from the same source photo at each required size to be safe.
Where do I find the size I really need?
The official instructions or website of whoever you're submitting to take priority. Use this chart as a guide, and confirm the final figure with the issuer's requirement.
Can I size a phone photo to spec?
Yes. With a print-size app like Perfect Print, enter the photo's width and height in inches or mm and you get print data at the exact required size. Millimeter precision is supported.
My print comes out the wrong size.
If the print setting is "fit to page," it auto-scales. Choose "actual size," "100%," or "no scaling" and it prints at the dimensions you set.