PassCheck PhotoBaby Passport Photo Rules
Babies and children need their own US passport — and their own passport photo. The size and background rules are the same as for adults, and there is no sitting-still requirement quite like photographing a four-month-old. The Department of State publishes a few baby-specific allowances and two setups that make the shot possible at home.
The rules for baby and child photos
- One color photo, taken within the last 6 months
- Same size rules as adults: 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) printed, head 1 to 1-3/8 inches from chin to top of head
- Plain white or off-white background
- Your child is the only person in the photo — no parent, no sibling, and no hands holding the baby in the frame
- For a baby, it is okay if the eyes are not entirely open
- All other children must have their eyes open, looking at the camera
- No shadows on your baby or toddler's face
- No digital changes — the ban on software, apps, filters, and AI edits applies to children's photos too
The two setups the Department of State recommends
The white sheet, top-down. Lay your baby or toddler on their back on a plain white or off-white sheet. This supports the head and gives you a plain background in one step. Photograph from directly above — and be careful about shadows, because a shot from above is exactly when the photographer's shadow falls across the baby's face. Move so the light falls evenly instead.
The covered car seat. Cover a car seat with a plain white or off-white sheet and take the picture with your child in the seat. The seat supports the head, which helps with older babies and toddlers who will not lie still on the floor.
Either way, support comes from the sheet or the seat — not from a visible arm or hand. If a hand is holding the baby's head up in frame, the photo shows another person, and it will not meet the rules.
Practical tips for the shot
- Take the photo when your baby is fed, rested, and calm — you may need several attempts, and that is normal.
- Use a plain white or off-white sheet with no patterns, and smooth out folds and creases behind the head.
- Shoot in bright, even, natural light; check for shadows on the face before you finish.
- Keep anything that covers part of the face — a pacifier, hat, or headband — out of the photo; the full face must be visible, and keep toys out of the frame.
- If your child's appearance has changed only through normal aging, that is expected — a photo within the last 6 months is what matters.
Common reasons baby photos are rejected
- A parent's hand or arm visible, holding the baby's head
- Another person in the photo
- Shadows across the baby's face — especially from the overhead shot
- A patterned blanket, colored sheet, or busy background
- An older child's eyes closed (only babies get the eyes exception)
- A filtered or "cleaned up" photo — digital changes are banned
Check the baby photo before the appointment
PassCheck Photo includes a baby and child passport mode with a top-down white-sheet guide, and measures the photo against the same specifications as an adult photo — head size, background, and shadows — on your iPhone, 100% on-device, with nothing uploaded and no edits to your child's face. The pre-check is free. The Family Pack ($9.99, one-time) covers up to 4 people, so parents' and siblings' photos are in the same purchase. No subscription.
Download on the App Store — free to checkPre-check only. The U.S. Department of State makes the final decision.
Sources: U.S. Department of State — U.S. Passport Photos (children's photo guidance; page last updated December 15, 2025) and Visa Photo Requirements ("Taking photos of your baby or toddler"), travel.state.gov, accessed November 2026. Requirements can change — always confirm the current rules on the official pages before you apply.