Yes, you can take your own US passport photo at home. The State Department lists “A friend or family member” as one of the places to get your passport photo. You need a white wall or sheet, light from the front, and someone to hold the phone a few feet away.
The photo must still meet every rule. The two that fail most often at home are the head size and shadows. This guide shows how to avoid both, and how to print the photo for less than a store photo.
What you need
- A phone with a back camera. The back camera is sharper than the front camera.
- A plain white or off-white wall. If you do not have one: “Use a white blanket or sheet to cover a non-white wall.”
- Daylight from a window, or a lamp in front of you.
- A second person, or a tripod with a timer.
Step 1: Set up the wall and the light
- Stand about 3 feet in front of the wall. The State Department says: “Position yourself several feet away from the wall.” Distance from the wall removes your shadow from the background.
- Face the window, or put the lamp behind the phone. Light from one side makes one half of your face darker.
- Turn off overhead lights if they cast shadows under your eyes. The State Department says: “Avoid placing overhead lighting or lights too far off to the side.”
The distances in this guide are PassPose tips. They are not State Department rules.
Step 2: Set up the phone
- Hold the phone at the height of your eyes, 4 to 5 feet away from your face. Do not take a selfie at arm's length: the phone is too close, and the head is too large. “Photos that are taken too close or too far away will be rejected.”
- Use the normal photo mode. Turn off portrait mode, beauty mode, and filters. “Prior to taking your photo, set your camera to the highest quality setting.”
- Leave space around the head and shoulders. The crop comes later, so do not zoom in.
Step 3: Pose
- Face the camera, with your head straight and not tilted.
- Eyes open, mouth closed. “You can smile in your photo.”
- Take off glasses, hats, and headphones. Keep your hair away from your eyes.
- Wear normal clothes, not a uniform or camouflage. A dark top looks good against a white wall.
Take several photos. Small changes in light and position make a big difference.
Step 4: Check and crop the photo
The photo must be 2 × 2 inches with the head between 1 and 1⅜ inches. Measure it yourself with the size guide, or use a passport photo checker. Do not change the photo in an editing app. The State Department says: “Do not change your photo using computer software, phone apps or filters.” A crop to the right size is not a change.
Step 5: Print the photo
- Put two 2 × 2 inch photos on one 4 × 6 inch sheet. A 4 × 6 print is the standard size at photo counters.
- Order one 4 × 6 print at a drugstore or a store with a photo counter. Turn off any automatic crop or “fit to print” option, so the photos keep their size.
- Cut along the lines. Check with a ruler that each photo is 2 × 2 inches.
“Print your photo on matte or glossy photo-quality paper.” A home printer on plain paper does not meet this rule.
Renewing online?
The online renewal takes a digital photo file, not a print. Take the photo the same way, then upload the file. See the online renewal photo page.
A photo of a baby
A baby lies on a white sheet, and you take the photo from above. “It is okay if a baby's eyes are not entirely open.” Full steps are in the baby passport photo guide.
Source: travel.state.gov, Passport Photos. Page updated March 24, 2026. Read on October 19, 2026. All rules are in the passport photo requirements guide.