The short version
- SelfieToPassport: a 1200 x 1200 px renewal JPEG from a phone photo, free preview, $6.95.
- Save the photo as a JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF file between 54 KB and 10 MB.
- Use an original digital photo, not a scan or a photo of a print, and do not send it by text message.
- Stand several feet from the camera, head centered, frame ending at the shoulders.
- Use a plain white or off-white background, even light and no shadows.
- Take off eyeglasses and use a color photo from the last 6 months.
- Crop if needed, but do not edit, filter or retouch the photo.
What the renewal photo tool checks
The renewal application screens the photo as you upload it. When it refuses one, it says what to change, and you can try again with a different photo.
Start with the file: the format, the size between 54 KB and 10 MB, and whether it is an original digital image saved at full quality.
The rules
- A built-in photo tool screens each upload against basic requirements, explains what needs fixing when it fails, and lets the applicant try a different photo. travel.state.gov
- The U.S. online passport renewal takes the photo as a JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF file, sized from 54 KB up to 10 MB, and a photo from a phone may already be saved in one of those formats. travel.state.gov
- An online renewal needs an original digital image: rephotographing a paper print or running one through a scanner to create the file is not allowed. travel.state.gov
- The State Department recommends saving the renewal photo at the camera’s highest quality setting and not passing it along by text message, which can degrade the image. travel.state.gov
Framing and distance
Most framing problems come from where the camera is. Too close and the head is too big; too far and it is too small.
The rules
- For an online renewal photo, the applicant faces the camera without tilting, standing several feet back with the head centered and entirely in view. travel.state.gov
- Online renewal applicants should frame the picture so it ends at the outer edge of the shoulders, just where the shoulders join the arms. travel.state.gov
- When in doubt about framing, the State Department suggests leaving some extra space around the face, since the renewal application allows cropping after upload. travel.state.gov
Background, light, glasses and editing
Cropping is fine: the application lets you crop when you upload. Editing is not: filters, retouching or software changes to the face or the background get the photo refused.
The rules
- Behind the applicant, an online renewal photo needs a plain wall or backdrop in white or off-white, with no shadows, texture or objects. travel.state.gov
- Light should fall evenly on the face, leaving no shadows on it or on the wall, and the image should not look overexposed; a well-lit spot with natural light is the suggested setting. travel.state.gov
- Eyeglasses and anything else covering the face have to come off for the renewal photo unless a religious or medical reason is documented. travel.state.gov
- A photo uploaded for U.S. passport renewal has to be in color and no older than 6 months. travel.state.gov
- An edited or filtered upload is refused, and the State Department screens every renewal photo for digital enhancement or alteration. travel.state.gov
- A renewal upload has to be crisp and in focus, without grain, pixelation or visible printer dots. travel.state.gov
If the photo is questioned after you submit
Passing the upload check is not the last step. A State Department employee reviews the photo after the application arrives and writes to you if there is a problem.
The rules
- Each online renewal photo gets a second look from a State Department employee once the application is received, and problems lead to a letter or email requesting a replacement. travel.state.gov
- An applicant who receives such a request has 90 days from the date on the letter or email to respond. travel.state.gov
How to fix the photo
SelfieToPassport crops and resizes the photo in your browser and saves it as a JPEG. It does not retouch the face, apply filters or change the background, and you see the result in a free preview before you pay $6.95.
- Retake the photo: a helper several feet away, natural light, a plain white or off-white wall (a white sheet over a colored wall works), glasses off.
- Keep the head centered and the frame down to the shoulders.
- Crop and resize without filters or retouching.
- Save the file to the device you are renewing on and check that it is between 54 KB and 10 MB.
- Upload it again in the renewal application.
FAQ
What file size does the online passport renewal photo need?
Between 54 KB and 10 MB, as a JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF file. Source: official page "Uploading a Digital Photo", checked on Oct 25, 2026.
Can I crop my online renewal photo?
Yes. The application lets you crop the photo when you upload it. What is refused is editing: filters, apps or software that change the photo. Source: official page "Uploading a Digital Photo", checked on Oct 25, 2026.
Can I scan a printed photo for online renewal?
No. The upload has to be an original digital image, not a photo or a scan of a printed one. Source: official page "Uploading a Digital Photo", checked on Oct 25, 2026.
What if the State Department asks for a new photo after I submit?
Follow the instructions in the letter or email and respond within 90 days of its date. Source: official page "Renew Your Passport Online", checked on Oct 25, 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.
- Uploading a Digital Photo travel.state.gov · checked Oct 25, 2026
- Renew Your Passport Online travel.state.gov · checked Oct 25, 2026
Something here out of date? Tell us and we will check it against the official page.