For a U.S. passport application on paper, print your photo on matte or glossy photo-quality paper, at 2 x 2 inches. Both finishes are acceptable under the State Department’s passport photo rules. Plain office paper, photocopies and scans are not. The Department sets no required paper weight, brand or printer type, so ignore any claim that one specific stock is mandatory.
If you are renewing online, paper does not matter at all. You upload a digital photo instead. The rest of this guide helps you decide which route applies to you, what to look for in a print, and how to avoid the mistakes that put applications on hold.
TL;DR
- Paper finish: matte or glossy photo-quality paper. Either is fine. Office paper, photocopies and scans are not.
- Size: 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm), with the head measuring 1 to 1 3/8 inches (25 to 35 mm) from chin to top of head.
- No GSM rule: the State Department does not publish a required paper weight, brand or inkjet-versus-dye-sub type.
- Online renewal: you need a digital file, not paper. Never scan or photograph a print to make one.
- Our options: Digital Only is $3.99. Digital + Printed is $22.99 and includes four prepared 2 x 2 prints and free U.S. shipping.
Table of Contents
- What the State Department actually requires
- Paper types to avoid
- Size matters as much as paper
- Paper or digital: which does your application need?
- What it costs to get it right
- Taking the photo at home
- Our perspective: why we separate the file from the paper
- Get prepared prints or a digital file from home
- A quick checklist before you submit
- FAQ
- Sources
What the State Department actually requires
The official guidance is shorter than the internet makes it sound. For a paper application, the photo must be printed on matte or glossy photo-quality paper. It must be a high-resolution color photo, free of blur, grain and pixelation. It must also be free of visible printer dots. The photo must be taken within the last 6 months.
The same page warns against photocopies, scans, creases, holes and smudges. The reason is simple: the reviewer needs to see a clean, original-quality image of your face.
The Department also says that unacceptable photos are the number one reason it puts passport applications on hold. That is why paper is only one part of the picture. A perfect glossy print of a badly framed photo will still be rejected.
Matte vs. glossy: which one should you pick?
Both are allowed, so the choice comes down to practical handling.
| Glossy | Matte | |
|---|---|---|
| Accepted for U.S. passports | Yes | Yes |
| Look | Shiny, high contrast, vivid color | Flat, soft, no reflections |
| Fingerprints | Show easily | Hide better |
| Glare under bright light | More likely | Less likely |
| Risk | Smudges if handled carelessly | Can look slightly less sharp |
If you are handing the photo over at an acceptance facility, where the agent will staple it to your form, either finish works. Handle the print by the edges and keep it flat until you submit it.
Does paper weight (GSM) matter?
Search results are full of advice like “use 200 gsm” or “220 gsm is best.” It is reasonable to pick a sturdy photo stock because thin paper creases and curls more easily. But that is a handling tip, not a U.S. passport rule. The State Department does not specify a GSM, a brand or a printing technology. Treat any site that presents a particular weight as a requirement with caution.
What the Department does care about is the result: a sharp, clean image on genuine photo paper.
Paper types to avoid
- Regular printer or copy paper. It is not photo-quality paper, and ink bleeds and shows dots.
- Photocopies of a photo. Explicitly not accepted.
- Scanned reproductions. Also not accepted, even if they look fine on screen.
- Creased, punctured or smudged prints. Damage can make an otherwise good photo unacceptable.
- Prints with visible printer dots. This is common with low-resolution files or poor home printers. Hold the print at normal viewing distance and look for dots, banding and graininess before you submit it.
Size matters as much as paper
The printed image must be 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm). Your head, measured from chin to top of head, must be between 1 and 1 3/8 inches (25 and 35 mm). That second number is where many DIY prints fail. A perfectly sized square cannot rescue a face that was photographed too close, too far away, too high or too low in the frame.
A few size questions come up constantly:
- Is 3 x 4 a passport size? Not for a U.S. passport. If that means 3 x 4 inches, it is far too large. If it means 3 x 4 centimeters, that is a different convention used for other documents or countries.
- Can I print on 4 x 6 paper and cut it? You can, but only if you cut it precisely to 2 x 2 inches with the head size correct. Uneven cutting is a common cause of rejected prints.
- Is the paper size the same as the photo size? No. Paper can be any sheet size. What counts is the finished, trimmed photo.
Paper or digital: which does your application need?
This is the decision that matters most, and it depends on how you apply.
| Situation | What you submit |
|---|---|
| First-time adult passport (Form DS-11) | One printed photo, applied for in person |
| Adult renewal by mail (Form DS-82) | One printed photo |
| Eligible online renewal | A digital photo upload |
For a first-time adult application, you apply in person and submit one passport photo with Form DS-11. The acceptance agent reviews it and staples it on, as described on the adult passport application page. First-time applications cannot be completed online or by mail. For adult renewal by mail, USAGov explains that you send Form DS-82 along with your photo.
If you qualify to renew online, you skip paper. The digital upload page says the State Department accepts JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF files between 54 KB and 10 MB. The image must be in color, taken within the last 6 months, sharp and unedited.
Never turn a print into a digital file
The State Department advises against scanning or photographing a printed photo to upload it, because this lowers the image quality. It also advises against sending the file by text message, which can degrade it further. Upload the original file from your phone camera instead.
The reverse also holds. A digital file is not a print. Do not submit both formats interchangeably without checking what your application instructions ask for.
What it costs to get it right
The cost of a passport photo is small next to the application itself. As of October 19, 2026, the online renewal page lists passport fees of $130 for a book, $30 for a card, or $160 for both. Optional 1-to-3-day delivery is listed at $26.87. Those are government fees, not photo fees.
For photos, you can read our breakdown of digital vs. printed photo costs. The short version of what we charge:
- Digital Only: $3.99. This is a digital file only, not a printed photo.
- Digital + Printed: $22.99. It includes the digital photo, four professionally prepared 2 x 2 prints and free U.S. shipping.
Compare like with like. A digital file should be compared with other digital files, and a set of prints with other print sets, including how many prints you get and whether shipping is included.
Taking the photo at home
If you shoot the photo yourself, paper quality cannot fix a poor source image. The State Department’s guidance for a home photo comes down to a few points:
- Use a plain white or off-white background with no shadows, texture, lines or objects.
- Face the camera directly with a neutral expression, eyes visible and mouth closed.
- Remove glasses, masks, headphones and ordinary hats. Documented medical or religious exceptions exist.
- Set your camera to its highest quality setting.
- Do not use filters or retouching, including AI alteration. The photo should be original and unedited.
We walk through the phone setup in detail in our guide on taking a U.S. passport photo with your iPhone.
Babies and young children
A baby’s eyes do not have to be fully open, but the full face must be visible, the child must face the camera, and nobody else can be in the frame. The State Department’s practical setup is a plain white or off-white sheet over a safe surface or a car seat. The usual failure points are pacifiers, hands over the face, shadows and blur. Taking several shots and choosing the sharpest one saves a lot of frustration.
Our perspective: why we separate the file from the paper
Most people searching for paper expect a shopping decision: which brand, which weight. In our experience with passport photos, that is rarely where applications go wrong. The government’s own guidance puts the weight on composition, head size, lighting, background and image integrity. It names photo-quality matte or glossy paper as the only paper requirement.
That is why we built our service around preparing the photo, not selling a stock. You take the picture at home with your smartphone and upload it. We then prepare it professionally, and every photo goes through AI-assisted checks and human review against the official requirements. We do not describe ourselves as an automated service, and we do not promise government acceptance, because the final decision is always the State Department’s.
We also keep the two products clearly apart. Digital Only at $3.99 is for people who need a file. Digital + Printed at $22.99 is for people who need paper, and it comes with four prepared 2 x 2 prints and free U.S. shipping. If you are not sure which you need, check your application route first, using the table above.
— lumaris
Get prepared prints or a digital file from home
If you need paper for a DS-11 or mail renewal, our Printed Passport Photos – Premium order is $22.99. It includes the digital photo, four professionally prepared 2 x 2 prints and free U.S. shipping. Printed orders typically arrive in 4 to 6 business days, so plan ahead of any appointment or travel date.
If you are renewing online, the Digital Passport Photo is $3.99, and digital photos can be provided within 24 hours when requested. Applying for the whole family? See the Premium Family Package or browse all passport photo packages.
A quick checklist before you submit
- Is the print on matte or glossy photo-quality paper, not office paper?
- Is it exactly 2 x 2 inches, with no crooked trimming?
- Does the head measure 1 to 1 3/8 inches from chin to top of head?
- Was the photo taken within the last 6 months?
- Is it free of dots, blur, grain, creases, holes and smudges at normal viewing distance?
- Is the background plain white or off-white, with no shadows?
- For online renewal: is it the original phone file, not a scan or a photo of a print?
FAQ
What paper should I use for a passport photo?
Use matte or glossy photo-quality paper. The State Department accepts both finishes. Do not use regular printer paper, photocopies or scans.
Is there a required paper weight for U.S. passport photos?
No. The State Department does not publish a required GSM, brand or printer type. A sturdier photo stock is easier to handle without creasing, but weight alone does not make a photo acceptable.
Do I need printed photos to renew my passport online?
No. Online renewal uses a digital photo upload, so paper is not involved. Upload the original file from your phone camera, not a scan or a picture of a print.
Can I print a passport photo at home?
You can if you use photo-quality matte or glossy paper, print at 2 x 2 inches and avoid visible dots, blur or grain. Check the finished print at normal viewing distance. If your printer or paper falls short, a professionally printed set is the safer route.
Sources
- Passport Photos, U.S. Department of State
- Uploading a Digital Photo, U.S. Department of State
- Apply for Your Adult Passport, U.S. Department of State
- Renew Your Passport Online, U.S. Department of State
- Renew an adult passport, USAGov
Recommended
- How to Take a U.S. Passport Photo With Your iPhone
- Passport Photo Packages
- How Much Do Passport Photos Cost? Digital vs. Printed Options Explained
- Digital Passport Photo – Digital Download
Passport and visa photo requirements may change. Always confirm the latest requirements with the relevant government authority before submitting your application. Lumaris Photo prepares photos according to applicable specifications but cannot guarantee acceptance by the issuing authority.