We're the Perfect Print team. Passport photos have detailed specs β not just the overall size, but how big and where your head sits. That's why people assume they have to pay a studio. But if you can take a compliant photo on your phone, you can size it correctly to 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51mm) and print it at home or a print shop. This article walks through preparing your own passport photo while avoiding the points that get photos rejected.
U.S. passport photo spec (size and head height)
The outer size of a U.S. passport photo is 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51mm), square β and a photo that isn't exactly square is rejected. On top of size, the head height is regulated: from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head must be about 1 to 1 3/8 inches (25 to 35mm), which works out to roughly 50β69% of the photo's height. Too small or too large a head is one of the most common "invisible" rejection causes that cropping tools and generic apps get wrong.
Many other countries use a different format β typically 35 x 45mm, portrait, with their own head-size rules β so if you're applying for a non-U.S. passport or visa, check that spec instead. The shared conditions are a plain white or off-white background, front-facing, no hat, taken within the last 6 months. Specs change, so confirm the latest with the U.S. Department of State (or the relevant authority). What we handle in the app is locking the photo to the right size with the face positioned correctly.
Tips so your home shot works out
Stand in front of a plain, light-colored wall in bright, shadow-free light (a window in daytime is good) and shoot straight on. Hold the phone at face height so you're not looking up or down. Frame a little loose so you can size it down afterward β that makes it far easier to get the head height inside spec. If you crop in tight from the start, you may clip the top of the head or run out of margin, and there's nothing left to adjust.
How to size to 2 x 2 inches and print in Perfect Print
Pick a paper size in the app (a letter sheet or 4x6 photo print) and load your photo. Enter the photo size as 2 x 2 inches so it's placed at actual size, then move it so the face is centered with a little margin above the crown. Because you can specify down to the millimeter, you can nudge the head height into the 25β35mm range while watching the preview. Unlike a photo-app crop, you fix the size in real inches from the start, which prevents the "wrong size after printing" problem.
Save, then print at home or at a print shop. Always set printing to actual size (100%); "fit to page" scales it and pushes it out of spec. After printing, measure the outer size (2 x 2 in) and the head height with a ruler to be sure. Placing several copies on one sheet gives you spares in the same print.
Perfect Print
A free app that sets a passport photo to the exact size (2 x 2 in / 51 x 51mm) and prints at 100%. Millimeter-precise, batch-print several at once. No sign-up, iPhone / Android.
Learn more about Perfect PrintFrequently asked questions
What size is a U.S. passport photo?
2 x 2 inches (51 x 51mm), square. The head height (chin to crown) must also be about 1 to 1 3/8 inches (25 to 35mm), so you need to get both the size and the face position right.
Can I apply with a phone photo?
If it meets the conditions β front-facing, no hat, plain background, within 6 months β and you print it at the required size and head height, yes. Confirm the latest rules with the U.S. Department of State.
How do I get the head height right?
Shoot a little loose, then size to 2 x 2 inches in Perfect Print and position the face centered with a small margin above the head. Millimeter adjustment lets you bring the chin-to-crown height into the 25β35mm range.
How do I keep the print from coming out the wrong size?
Set printing to "actual size," "100%," or "no scaling." "Fit to page" auto-scales and pushes it off 2 x 2 inches. Measure with a ruler after printing to be certain.