Green Card Photo [+USCIS, EAD and Citizenship]

USCIS uses the State Department's 2 x 2 passport photo standard for green cards, naturalization, work permits, travel documents and most other forms. Take it on your phone and we deliver the file for online filing plus the prints for a paper filing, checked against every rule before you pay.

Take or upload a photo

Every rule checked before you pay. Accepted or double your money back with the Acceptance guarantee.

A phone photo of a man next to the finished 2 x 2 inch green card photo on a white background

One photo, most USCIS forms

  • Made for the USCIS online account

    A square JPEG, 600 to 1200 pixels a side, the format the online filing upload accepts. The 4 x 6 sheet with two identical prints covers a paper filing.

  • Guided, then checked

    The camera guides you while you take it. Then the software crops, sizes the head, replaces the background and checks the photo against the rules USCIS follows, and shows you each result before you pay.

  • Accepted or double your money back

    With the Acceptance guarantee at checkout, a rejection from USCIS means twice your money back.

How it works

  1. Take or upload a photo

    Have someone take it on your phone from about four feet, or use the timer. The camera guides you on distance, tilt and light. Or upload a recent photo.

  2. The AI does the tune up

    Crop to 2 x 2 inches, head sized to 1 to 1 3/8 inches, plain white background, then the initial check: face recognized, one face only, minimum size, correct proportions, background can be replaced, no red eyes.

  3. Pay, and it is yours

    Pay once. The JPEG and the print sheet are in your inbox within a minute and on your order page. Prints ship free within one business day, or are ready for pickup in about an hour.

Why PassportPhotos AI

  • Independent

    We make the photo. USCIS decides your case, and its filing fees are separate from ours.

  • The team behind PassportPhotos.com since 2020

    Same company, same people, now built around your phone.

  • Real support

    Not sure which form needs which photo? Email hello@passportphotos.ai or call 516-231-9449 and a person answers.

  • Acceptance guarantee

    Add it at checkout and a rejection means double your money back, to the card you used.

Three tips before you take the photo

  • Distance

    About four feet away, someone else holding the phone or the timer on. A close selfie fails the head size check.

  • Recent

    Most USCIS forms ask for a photo taken within 30 days of filing. Take it when you are ready to file, not months ahead.

  • Plain wall, glasses off

    Face a window, flash off, white or off white wall behind you. No glasses, nothing on your head, mouth closed, eyes open.

Take or upload a photo

Technical details

Document
Green card (I-485, I-90), naturalization (N-400), work permit (I-765), travel document (I-131), DV lottery entry and most other USCIS forms
Size
2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm)
Resolution
600 to 1200 px square (300 to 600 dpi at 2 x 2 in), JPEG
Online submission
Yes, for forms filed through a USCIS online account
Printable
Yes, 4 x 6 in sheet with two identical 2 x 2 photos for a paper filing
Background
White or off white, plain
Head height
1 to 1 3/8 in (25 to 35 mm), chin to top of head
Eye line
1 1/8 to 1 3/8 in (28 to 35 mm) from the bottom of the photo
Taken within
30 days of filing for most forms; check your form's instructions
Last updated
2026-09-14
Written by
The PassportPhotos AI team
Reviewed by
Asaf Jacobi, founder, PassportPhotos.com since 2020

Every rule checked before every delivery.

What USCIS wants, in plain words

USCIS follows the State Department's passport photo standard, so the rules are the ones you would expect, with one difference: the photo has to be more recent.

  • Size. 2 x 2 inches, in color, head between 1 and 1 3/8 inches from chin to top of head, centered, the whole head in the frame.
  • Background. Plain white or off white, no shadows or pattern.
  • Recent. Most forms ask for a photo taken within 30 days of filing. Read the instructions for your form; the number is there.
  • Pose and expression. Face the camera straight on, neutral expression or a natural smile, mouth closed, both eyes open.
  • Glasses and coverings. No glasses. No hat or head covering unless worn daily for religious or medical reasons, and the full face still visible.
  • Quality. Sharp, evenly lit, natural skin tones, no filters, nothing altered.
  • Paper filings. Two identical prints, with your name and A-Number (if you have one) written lightly in pencil or felt pen on the back.

Which forms use this photo

Green card application (I-485) and replacement (I-90), naturalization (N-400), work permit (I-765), travel document or reentry permit (I-131), and the Diversity Visa lottery entry all use the 2 x 2 standard. A biometrics appointment does not need a photo; USCIS takes your picture there. When in doubt, the instructions for your form on uscis.gov state the photo requirement and how recent the photo has to be.

Digital or printed

Filing online through your USCIS account? Upload the JPEG we send. It is square and between 600 and 1200 pixels a side.

Filing on paper? You need two identical prints. Choose digital plus prints and we mail two free by USPS, 2 to 3 business days, or pick them up at a location near you, ready in about an hour. You can also print the 4 x 6 sheet yourself at CVS, Walgreens or Walmart.*

Entering the DV lottery? The entry form has its own upload with a 240 KB cap. Check your file size on the entry page before you submit.

*Listed stores are not affiliated with our service.

What it costs

The digital photo is $16.99. Digital plus two printed photos shipped free is $19.99. Add the Acceptance guarantee for $6.99 and photo retouching for $4.99 at checkout. Tax included, one payment, no account.

Sources: U.S. Passport Photos, travel.state.gov, Form I-485 instructions, uscis.gov, Form N-400 instructions, uscis.gov and Diversity Visa photo requirements, travel.state.gov.

Safe with PassportPhotos AI

Photos taken with PassportPhotos AI comply with standards recognized by the US Department of State.

  • Every rule checked

    The software checks your photo against every published rule for your document before you pay.

  • 200% money back guarantee

    Double your payment back if your photo is rejected, with the Acceptance guarantee.

  • Image protection

    Deleted 30 days after delivery, never used to train AI.

Secure checkout by Shopify.Read the full guarantee

Choose your document

FAQ

  • Is a green card photo the same as a passport photo?
    Same size and the same rules, 2 x 2 inches with the head 1 to 1 3/8 inches tall. The difference is timing: USCIS wants a photo taken within 30 days of filing for most forms.
  • Which file do I upload to my USCIS online account?
    The JPEG we email you within a minute of paying. Square, 600 to 1200 pixels a side. The 4 x 6 sheet is for printing only.
  • How many prints do I need for a paper filing?
    Two identical photos for most forms, and the 4 x 6 sheet carries exactly two. Write your name and A-Number lightly on the back of each in pencil or felt pen.
  • Can I reuse my passport photo for a green card application?
    Only if it was taken within the last 30 days. A passport photo from last year is too old for USCIS.
  • Do I have to take my glasses off?
    Yes. USCIS follows the State Department standard, which allows no glasses at all.
  • Does the photo work for the citizenship (N-400) application?
    Yes. The N-400 uses the same 2 x 2 photo, filed online or on paper with two prints.
  • Does the guarantee cover USCIS?
    Yes. With the Acceptance guarantee, if USCIS rejects your photo, send us the rejection notice within 14 days and you get double your money back.
  • What happens to my photo afterward?
    Used to make your photo and for nothing else. Deleted 30 days after delivery. Never used to train AI.

Written by the PassportPhotos AI team. Reviewed by Asaf Jacobi, founder, PassportPhotos.com since 2020.