SelfieToPassport
Make my photo

Guide

U.S. visa photo apps compared: price, preview and the DS-160 file

As of November 4, 2026, the DS-160 photo apps we checked charge from $0 (OpenPhotoId and Passport Self say they are free) to $16.95 (PhotoAid’s digital photo with an expert check), with Passport Photo Guru at $2.99, PhotoGov at $6.90 in the U.S., Visafoto at $9 and Snap2Pass at $11.95. SelfieToPassport charges $6.95 for a 600 x 600 pixel JPEG under 240 KB, with a free preview. The State Department’s own photo tool is free but only crops.

Updated Rules checked against the official pages listed belowHow we check

Make my photo · free preview, $6.95

The short version

  1. SelfieToPassport: $6.95, free preview, a 600 x 600 px JPEG under 240 KB; it crops, sizes and compresses in your browser and does not change the background or your face.
  2. OpenPhotoId: $0; exports a JPEG under 240 KB for a U.S. visa.
  3. Passport Self: free to use, with the digital photo and a 4x6 sheet.
  4. Passport Photo Guru: free preview, $2.99 for the HD download.
  5. PhotoGov: $6.90 for a digital photo in the U.S.
  6. Visafoto: $9 per photo, preview before you pay.
  7. Snap2Pass: $11.95, free resubmissions for 14 days.
  8. PhotoAid: $16.95 digital or $19.95 printed, both checked by an expert.
  9. State Department photo tool: free, crop only.
  10. Whatever you use, the file must be a square JPEG of 600 x 600 to 1200 x 1200 pixels and 240 KB or less.

How this comparison works

Each price below comes from the service’s own page, read on November 4, 2026 from a U.S. connection. We compare what the pages state: the price, whether you see the photo before you pay, and whether the file is made for the DS-160 upload. We do not score or rank the apps.

Where a page does not state something, we leave it out instead of guessing. No photo service, including SelfieToPassport, can promise that a consular officer will accept the photo.

The rule

  • Whether a visa photo or digital image is accepted is up to the U.S. embassy or consulate where the applicant applies. travel.state.gov

What each DS-160 photo app charges

From the lowest price shown to the highest: OpenPhotoId and Passport Self say they are free, Passport Photo Guru charges $2.99, PhotoGov $6.90 in the U.S., SelfieToPassport $6.95, Visafoto $9, Snap2Pass $11.95 and PhotoAid $16.95 with an expert check.

The State Department’s own tool is free too, but it only crops the image; it does not check it.

The rules

  • OpenPhotoId says every feature and every photo is free. openphotoid.com
  • Passport Self’s U.S. visa photo maker says it is free to use and includes the digital photo and a printable 4x6 sheet. passportself.com
  • Passport Photo Guru’s U.S. visa page offers a free preview and charges $2.99 for the HD download. passportphotoguru.com
  • PhotoGov’s pricing table lists $6.90 for a digital photo in the United States, and $2.90 more with a printable A4 sheet. photogov.net
  • Visafoto charges a one-time fee of $9 per photo, according to its prices page. visafoto.com
  • Snap2Pass prices its U.S. visa photo at $11.95; a mailed 4x6 print sheet is added on the order page. snap2pass.com
  • PhotoAid charges $16.95 for a digital U.S. visa photo and $19.95 for printed copies, both with a manual check by one of its experts. photoaid.com
  • The State Department’s free online photo tool only crops an image; a State Department employee makes the final decision on whether a visa photo is acceptable. travel.state.gov

Free preview, retakes and the DS-160 file

Passport Photo Guru, Visafoto and SelfieToPassport show you the photo before you pay. Snap2Pass offers free resubmissions for 14 days, and PhotoAid has a person check the photo.

The file is where a DS-160 upload fails: a square JPEG between 600 x 600 and 1200 x 1200 pixels, 240 KB or less, with the head 50% to 69% of the image height. OpenPhotoId and SelfieToPassport say they make the file under 240 KB.

The rules

  • Visafoto shows a preview of the finished photo before you pay. visafoto.com
  • Snap2Pass offers 14 days of free resubmissions and a refund if the photo still fails. snap2pass.com
  • OpenPhotoId says it exports a JPEG under 240 KB for a U.S. visa. openphotoid.com
  • A digital U.S. visa photo must be square, no smaller than 600 x 600 pixels and no larger than 1200 x 1200 pixels. travel.state.gov
  • The digital visa image has to be a JPEG file of 240 KB or less. travel.state.gov
  • In a digital U.S. visa photo, the head including the hair must take up 50% to 69% of the image height, and the eyes must sit 56% to 69% of the way up from the bottom edge. travel.state.gov

Background and editing

Some apps replace the background for you; Passport Photo Guru and PhotoGov say so on their U.S. visa pages. SelfieToPassport does not: it keeps the wall behind you, so take the photo against a plain white or off-white wall.

The State Department’s rules are about the photo itself: a plain white or off-white background, and no digital change to your appearance.

The rules

  • Passport Photo Guru’s U.S. visa page says its AI replaces the background. passportphotoguru.com
  • PhotoGov says its U.S. visa tool resizes and crops the photo and places it on a white background, without changing facial features. photogov.net
  • Every U.S. visa photo has to be taken in front of a plain white or off-white background. travel.state.gov
  • Visa photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change the applicant’s appearance in any way, per the State Department. travel.state.gov

What SelfieToPassport does

SelfieToPassport crops, sizes and compresses the photo in your browser and turns it into a 600 x 600 pixel JPEG under 240 KB for the DS-160, plus 4x6 and letter-size print sheets in case your consulate asks for a printed photo. It does not replace the background or retouch the face.

The preview with the measurements is free. The files cost $6.95 per person and document, once, with up to 3 photos for the same document within 30 days of purchase.

  1. Check the price on the app’s own page, and whether you see the photo before you pay.
  2. Take the photo against a plain white or off-white wall, with your glasses off.
  3. Make sure the file is a square JPEG of 600 x 600 to 1200 x 1200 pixels and 240 KB or less.
  4. Upload it in the DS-160, and bring a printed copy if your embassy or consulate asks for one.

The rules

  • Eyeglasses are no longer allowed in new U.S. visa photos, except in rare cases where they cannot be removed for medical reasons and a signed medical statement is provided. travel.state.gov
  • Some U.S. embassies and consulates also ask visa applicants to bring one printed photo that meets the requirements to the interview. travel.state.gov

FAQ

Is there a free DS-160 photo app?

OpenPhotoId and Passport Self say their tools are free, and the State Department’s photo tool is free but only crops. Whatever you use, check the file before you upload: a square JPEG of 600 x 600 to 1200 x 1200 pixels, 240 KB or less. Source: official pages "Free Passport Photo Maker in Your Browser | OpenPhotoId", "PassportSelf › Frequently asked questions" and "Digital Image Requirements", checked on Nov 4, 2026.

Do DS-160 photo apps replace the background?

Some do: Passport Photo Guru and PhotoGov say so on their U.S. visa pages. SelfieToPassport keeps your own background, so the wall behind you has to be plain white or off-white. Source: official pages "Passport Photo Guru › U.S. visa photo", "PhotoGov › US visa photo tool" and "Photo Requirements (U.S. Visas)", checked on Nov 4, 2026.

How much does SelfieToPassport cost for a U.S. visa photo?

$6.95 per person and document, once; the preview is free. Source: official page "Pricing | SelfieToPassport", checked on Nov 4, 2026.

Will the consulate accept a photo made with an app?

The embassy or consulate where you apply decides. No photo service can promise acceptance; what you can check is that the photo meets the published rules. Source: official page "Photo Requirements (U.S. Visas)", checked on Nov 4, 2026.

Where this information comes from

Every rule on this page comes from a page published by the U.S. Department of State and the companies named, read on the date shown. We rewrite each rule in plain words and link to the page it came from. Each rule has a review deadline; one that passes it without a new check comes off the page.

Something here out of date? Tell us and we will check it against the official page.