Passport & Visa Photo Size Requirements by Country
US, UK, and Schengen passport/visa photo dimensions and file-size limits compared, so you know what you actually need before you submit one.
Passport and visa photo requirements look similar across countries — plain background, neutral expression, recent photo — but the exact dimensions and file-size limits differ enough that a photo accepted for one application gets bounced by another. Here's what actually differs.
United States
US passport photos need to be 2x2 inches (51x51mm), with the head sized within a specific range inside that square, on a plain white or off-white background. For the DS-160 visa application specifically, the photo is uploaded as a file with its own separate requirements: a square image, typically expected around 600x600px minimum, under roughly 240KB.
United Kingdom
UK passport and visa photos are 45mm x 35mm, with fairly strict rules on head position and background (plain light grey or cream is generally expected, not white). Digital photo uploads for UK visa applications are typically capped around 200KB.
Schengen (EU)
Schengen visa photos follow the ICAO standard: 35mm x 45mm, similar to the UK's, with the same neutral-background, neutral-expression rules. Requirements vary slightly by the specific consulate handling the application, so always check the exact consulate's stated limit rather than assuming.
The one thing every country actually agrees on
Regardless of exact dimensions, every one of these requires:
- A plain, even background (no shadows, no texture, no other people)
- A neutral expression, eyes open, facing the camera directly
- A recent photo — most guidelines specify within the last 6 months
- The face not obscured by glasses glare, hair, or headwear (religious headwear is usually an exception, with its own specific rules)
A phone photo against a plain wall, with good even light and no strong shadow, is enough to start from — the exact crop, sizing, and background cleanup is what the tool then handles automatically for whichever country's requirement you pick.