DS-160 Visa Photo Requirements

If you are applying for a US nonimmigrant visa with Form DS-160 (or DS-1648), you upload a digital photo as part of the online application. The upload is checked against the U.S. Department of State's digital image specifications — and the photo itself must follow the same composition rules as a printed visa photo. Here are both sets of requirements.

The digital file requirements

Square aspect ratio — height must equal width
Dimensions: minimum 600 x 600 pixels, maximum 1200 x 1200 pixels
File format: JPEG (.jpg) only — PNG and HEIC files are not accepted for the DS-160 upload
File size: 240 kB or less
Color image, 24 bits per pixel, in the sRGB color space
If the file is compressed to fit the size limit, the compression ratio should be 20:1 or less

The photo itself

Head size: your head must be between 1 inch and 1-3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head — that is 50% to 69% of the image's total height.
Recent: taken within the last 6 months, reflecting your current appearance.
Background: plain white or off-white, with no shadows, patterns, or objects.
Pose and expression: full-face view directly facing the camera, neutral facial expression, both eyes open.
Glasses: eyeglasses are no longer allowed in new visa photos, except in rare medical circumstances documented with a signed medical statement — and even then the frames must not cover your eyes and there must be no glare.
Clothing: what you normally wear daily. Uniforms should not be worn, except religious clothing worn daily. Do not wear a hat or head covering that obscures the hair or hairline, unless worn daily for a religious purpose; your full face must be visible and the covering must not cast shadows on your face.
No headphones or wireless hands-free devices. A hearing device you normally wear may be worn.
No digital changes: photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance in any way.

Scanning an existing photo, and the interview

Instead of a new digital photo, you may scan an existing printed photo. A scanned photo must be 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) and scanned at a resolution of 300 pixels per inch (12 pixels per millimeter), and the resulting file still has to meet the digital specifications above. Note that photos copied or digitally scanned from driver's licenses or other official documents are not acceptable, and neither are snapshots, magazine photos, low-quality vending machine or mobile phone photos, or full-length photographs. Separately, some embassies and consulates require DS-160 applicants to bring one printed 2 x 2 inch photo to the interview — check the instructions of the embassy or consulate where you will apply.

Common reasons DS-160 photos fail

Wrong file type — a PNG or an iPhone HEIC photo instead of JPEG
File larger than 240 kB, or a photo squeezed with extreme compression
Not square, or smaller than 600 x 600 / larger than 1200 x 1200 pixels
Head too small or too large in the frame (outside 50–69% of the height)
Eyeglasses, shadows on the face, or a colored or patterned background
A filtered, retouched, or AI-edited photo
A photo older than 6 months

Check your visa photo before you upload it

PassCheck Photo measures your photo against these specifications on your iPhone — head size, eye position, background, shadows, and brightness — with a clear Pass, Review, or Retake result for each item, and exports a digital file for your application. Everything runs 100% on-device; nothing is uploaded, and your face is never edited. The pre-check is free. Exports are one-time purchases (Single Photo Pack $7.99, Family Pack $9.99) — no subscription.

Download on the App Store — free to check

Pre-check only. The U.S. Department of State makes the final decision.

Sources: U.S. Department of State — Visa Photo Requirements and Digital Image Requirements (travel.state.gov, accessed November 2026). Requirements can change — always confirm the current rules on the official pages before you apply.