United States · visa
US visa photo (DS-160), square and to spec
The DS-160 nonimmigrant visa application takes a square digital photo: between 600×600 and 1200×1200 pixels, JPEG under 240 KB, sRGB colour, on a plain white background, with your head filling 50–69% of the frame. Glasses have been banned in US visa photos since 2016.
- Size
- 50.8×50.8 mm
- Digital file
- 1200×1200 px JPEG
- Background
- white
- Head height
- 50–69%
- Price
- $5.99 · once
Select country and document
Step 1/3
Popular: · ·
- Head size62.4% · 50–69%
- Eye line61.2% · 56–69%
- Backgroundwhite · σ 6
- Lightingeven
- Resolution1832px
MEETS SPEC — ESTIMATED
Checked against the official specification — source cited on every document.
Worth knowing: Bring a printed 2×2 inch photo to your consular interview as backup — some posts ask for one even when the DS-160 upload succeeded. The print sheet in your purchase covers it.
How it works
01
Choose your document
58 documents across 29 destinations, each with the official specification built in.
02
Add your photo
Ten checks measure it live on your device — nothing is uploaded.
03
Pay once, download everything
Exact-spec file, print sheet and compliance report. One price, no subscription.
What is a US Visa (DS-160) photo?
A US visa photo is the square digital photograph uploaded with the DS-160 nonimmigrant visa application: between 600×600 and 1200×1200 pixels, JPEG under 240 KB in sRGB colour, on a plain white background, with the head occupying 50–69% of the frame. Glasses have been banned since November 2016.
The DS-160 runs an automated photo check at upload, and consular posts may still ask for a printed 2×2 inch copy at the interview. The photographic standard is shared with the US passport photo, but the file constraints — square and under 240 KB — are the DS-160's own.
This page measures your photo against the State Department's bands live in your browser — head size, background, lighting, dimensions and file size — and delivers a compliant square file, plus a 2×2 inch print sheet for the interview.
US Visa (DS-160) photo requirements
| Size | 50.8×50.8 mm · 1200×1200 px @300 DPI |
|---|---|
| Digital file | 1200×1200px JPEG · max 240 KB |
| Background | white |
| Head height | 50–69% of frame height |
| Digital upload | accepted |
| Background editing | not permitted — we keep you compliant by not touching it |
- Digital photo must be square, between 600×600 and 1200×1200 px, sRGB 24-bit.
- No AI alteration — the same rules as US passport photos apply.
Source: official requirements · verified 2026-07
What you get for $5.99
- High-resolution file in the exact spec (1200×1200px, under 240 KB)
- Compliance report — everything we measured, printable
- Print-ready 10×15 cm sheet with 4 copies and cut lines
one-time payment — no subscription
Photos that pass
- Exact dimensions — 1200×1200px
- Plain white background, evenly lit
- Head filling 50–69% of the frame
- Taken in the last 6 months, neutral expression
Photos that get rejected
- Edited, filtered or AI-retouched photos
- Shadows on the face or background
- Busy walls, gradients or the wrong background colour
- Head too large, too small, or off-centre
- Glasses — banned for this document
- Old photos, or photos of printed photos
Why PassportClerk
Private by architecture
The free check runs on your device, and paid photos are deleted after 48 hours.
Measured, not guessed
Ten checks against the official specification — with the numbers shown, not a vague thumbs-up.
Exact files, first time
Correct pixels, DPI and file size for the portal, plus a print-ready sheet.
Fair by default
One price, no subscription. Wrong files? We fix them or refund you.
Frequently asked questions
What are the exact DS-160 photo requirements?
Square aspect, 600×600 to 1200×1200 pixels, JPEG, maximum 240 KB, 24-bit sRGB colour, plain white or off-white background, head height 50–69% of the image, eyes open, neutral expression, no glasses, taken within the last 6 months.
Why does the DS-160 portal reject my photo?
The usual causes: file over 240 KB, non-square dimensions, head outside the 50–69% band, shadows or colour cast on the background, and glasses. Each of those is measured in the free check before you upload anything.
Can I reuse my US passport photo?
Usually yes — the photographic standard is the same. But the digital file must meet the DS-160's own limits (square, ≤240 KB), which passport prints and scans often miss. Re-check the actual file here.
No glasses at all?
Correct — since November 2016 glasses are not allowed in US visa photos except with a medical statement. Take them off for the photo.
Compliance, honestly
- We validate your photo against the official rules — we never retouch your face, and we only normalize the background where the destination country permits it.
- Every requirement is cited from official government sources, with the verification date shown on the page.
- You get a measured report, not a guarantee — final acceptance always rests with the issuing authority.
official requirements · verified 2026-07