US Visa Photo Requirements: Overall Guides to Qualified Visa Photos

Summary: This is a post sharing the US visa photo requirements and how to make acceptable visa photos online when shooting visa photos at home.

us visa photo requirements and a female visa photo

When applying for a US visa, what troubles travelers and applicants most is getting qualified and accepted visa photos. There are many US visa photo requirements you must meet before submitting your physical or digital visa photos.

In this blog, we will share the US visa photo requirements and mark what you should pay attention to in your US visa photos. Besides, we will share an online visa photo tool to simplify your visa photo-making procedure. Let’s dive in!

U.S. Visa Photo Requirements

  • Visa Photo Size: You should make sure that your US visa photo must be 2 x 2 (51 x 51 mm) inches square image.
  • Visa Photo Age: Your US visa photo must have been taken within the last 6 months.
  • Visa Photo Background and Color: Usually, your uploaded us visa picture should be in color instead of transparent background. And generally speaking, the background photo color must be plain white or off-white as the passport photo requirements.
  • Visa Photo Lighting: Meanwhile, there must be no glares or shadows in your us visa photo.
  • Facial expression: The US visa picture requires a natural facial expression or a natural smile. Still, you must remember that the mouth should be closed and the teeth must not be visible.
  • Head Position: In your us visa picture, your head must be centered in the frame and should be neither titled nor turned in any direction.
  • Eyes: When you are taking US visa photos, you must face the camera and make sure your eyes are open and visible. No eyeglasses except for medical purposes.
  • Coverings: No head coverings except for religious reasons. Your headdress must not cover the face when you have coverings.
  • Outfits: You must be dressed in normal outfits. No uniform is allowed.

Requirements for Digital US Visa Photos

eight cartoon visa photo example for female and male

If you are applying for a US visa online, you must follow the digital US visa photo requirements.

  • Square photo
  • 1200x1200 pixels
  • Colored digital picture
  • JPEG format
  • Less than 240Kb
  • Scan a physical photo into a digital format

Non-Immigrant Visa Photo Requirements

For those non-immigrant US visa applicants, you may be asked to provide and submit your physical and digital photos during the visa application.

You may be asked to submit a digital picture that conforms to the digital US visa photo requirements mentioned above when filling out Form DS-160 online.

Immigrant Visa Photo Requirements

For those immigrant applicants, your submitted visa photo must meet the above US visa picture requirements.

How to Get a US Visa Photo for Your Baby

right and wrong baby visa photo examples

People of all ages need a valid photo to apply for a visa to the United States. If you are taking your babies or children along with the visit to the United States, you must apply for a US visa. You know that may be tough to get an acceptable visa photo for them, but you must help them to get a qualified US visa photo.

  • Baby or toddler alone in the image
  • Eyes open when shooting the visa photo
  • The baby can be laid down on a white sheet for the photo
  • No shadows on the face
  • The baby can sit in a car, but cover the seat with a white sheet

How to Make an Acceptable US Visa Photo Online

Now you have known there are many mandatory requirements for qualified and accepted US visa photos. It is time to start to make your own visa image online which saves time and money. Here you can use the visa photo maker to get a qualified visa photo easily and quickly.

Fotor profile picture maker
Fotor

Fotor's online visa photo maker is free and easy to use. From visa background to standard visa photo size, Fotor allows you to make visa photos that will be accepted easily.

Edit Visa Photo

Fotor, a professional powerful image editor, copes with any kind of graphic easily with its AI tools. No matter how tough the US visa photo requirements are, it’s just a piece of cake to get a qualified one in the Fotor visa photo tool.

There are three image sizes in Fotor professional profile pic maker, so you just need to pick up the 2x2 inches one and start your editing. By the way, the visa photo template has been adjusted according to the US visa photo requirements, so you don’t have to worry about photo placement issues.

How to Make a Qualified US Visa Photo in Fotor

  1. Open the Fotor profile pic maker, and select the needed photo template to get started.
  2. Click the “Change Photo” icon to replace it with your own images. At this time, Fotor’s background changer will help remove the image background and add a white color to photo background.
  3. Resize and center the portrait, if your photo is too dark, you can use the "Adjust" tool in the toolbar above the canvas to adjust the brightness, contrast, hue, etc.
  4. Save your visa photo in JPEG format.

Conclusion:

In this blog, we have shared the US visa photo requirements when applying for a US visa. From the visa photo itself to what you should wear when shooting the photo, we have shared it in a detailed way.

Still, for immigrants and non-immigrants, there are also respective requirements for those US visa applicants. Also, there are mandatory requirements for the baby's US visa photos.

To make a qualified and accepted US visa photo easily at home, you can try the online visa photo maker to help you. Hope you find this blog helpful!