Photo Requirement for US Visa: Guidelines and Specifications

If you are a student applying for a US student visa, you will be required to provide at least one image to confirm your identity. Your photo should fulfil certain US visa photo requirement to be legally approved. Based on the type of US visa you are applying for, various US consulates and embassies have diverse demands of student candidates, with some requiring digital images and others demanding physical photos. When filling out your Form DS-26 or Form DS-160, make sure to check what are the things you will need to present. For instance, certain embassies require student candidates to upload a digital photograph while submitting either Form DS-26 or Form DS-160. In such circumstances, your photograph will be collected at the Offsite Facilitation Center (OFC) or the Visa Application Center (VAC). The acceptance of physical or digital images is at the discretion of the US Consulate or Embassy where you register. Through this article, we will help students discover all they need to know about the USA visa photo requirements, as well as how to submit a valid photograph.

Photo Criteria for US Visas

The length and width of your visa application photo must meet specific US visa photo requirements. Your photograph must have been shot within the last six months and should capture your present look. Do note that selfies and other images that don’t fulfil the conditions will not be approved, resulting in a visa processing delay. Often, even if the system approves the uploaded photo, it does not mean that the image is suitable for visa processing and printing. Thus, in addition to submitting the digital photograph online, you have to bring one original photograph printed on photo paper with a white background and no shadows on the face to your interview. Therefore, you have to bring a photo that exactly follows these standards on the day of the interview. If your photo fails to fulfil any requirement, the visa application procedure will be delayed. Below are listed the US visa photo requirements for both digital and physical images that will assist you in applying for a US visa —

Photo Size for a US visa

The size of your US visa photo must be 5cm by 5cm or 2 inches x 2 inches (51 mm x 51 mm). It is worth noting that this is not the same as the standard photo criteria in Europe and the United Kingdom. The photo must be positioned in the following manner: Size of the Head

• Your head length must be within 50 to 70% of the overall length of the shot, measured from the top of your head, including hair, to the bottom of your chin.
• Your eye length must be within 55 to 70 per cent (or around 2/3 of the photo’s length), calculated from the bottom of the photo to the height of your eyes.

Photo Dimensions

• Your photo must be square-shaped, which means its height and width should be equal.
• It must be at least 600 pixels wide by 600 pixels tall (height x width).
• The standard size is 1200 pixels wide by 1200 pixels tall (height x width).

Eyeglasses Eyeglasses are no longer permitted in visa pictures after November 1, 2016. Photo Basics 

• The photo must have been clicked within the last six months.
• It has to be a coloured photo.
• Make sure the image of your face is clear.
• Avoid using social media filtering.
• Have someone else take your picture. Selfies are not accepted, as mentioned earlier.
• Remove your spectacles for the snap.
• Have the background plain white or off-white.
• There should be no shadows.
• Face the camera while taking the photo.
• Keep your expression neutral.
• Keep both your eyes open.

Photo Attire

• The photo can be taken in casual everyday wear.
• You can have your face pierced or wear your jewellery as long as it doesn’t cover your face.
• For visa reasons, permanent tattoos are also allowed.
• Any electrical devices such as headphones or wireless hands-free devices are not permitted.
• You are not allowed to wear a uniform, uniform-like apparel, or camouflage clothing.
• You are not permitted to wear glasses.
• Please attach a signed note from your doctor with your application if you cannot remove your spectacles due to medical issues, such as eye surgery.
• You are not permitted to wear a hat or other headscarf.
• If you are wearing a hat or headscarf for religious reasons, you must include a signed note stating that the hat or headscarf in your photograph is a component of traditional religious attire and that it is expected to be worn on a regular basis.
• If you use a hat or head covering for medical reasons, include a written doctor’s note certifying the fact that the hat or headscarf in your photo is worn regularly for medical reasons.
• Your entire face has to be exposed. Your hat or headscarf must not cast shadows on your face or conceal your hairline.

Specifications for Digital & Physical Images

If you want to send a digital photo to the US Embassy online, it must match the following US visa photo requirements:

• The image should be in JPEG format.
• The image should be less than or equivalent to 240 KB in size.
• The image must be in colour, preferably using the sRGB colour scheme.
• The image must be square and have a 1,200 x 1,200 pixels resolution.
• If your photo is larger than that, you can shrink it to a proportion of less than or equivalent to 20:1.

If you already have a physical photo fitting the requirements, scan it and make it align with the following specifications:

• The photograph must be 22 inches or 5151 mm in size.
• The scanned image has to have a quality of 12 pixels per millimetre or 300 pixels per inch.

Photo Specifications for Nonimmigrant Visas

In addition to the general standards, there are certain US visa photo requirements for the various types of US visas. The following are among the criteria for nonimmigrant visa photos in the United States:

• Candidates who use Form DS-160 can be asked to submit a digital image that satisfies the criteria for digital photos.
• You can be asked to submit one physical photo in addition to the digital photo, depending on the criteria of the US Consulate or Embassy where you register.

Photo Specifications for Immigrant Visas

If you are seeking a US immigrant visa to remain in the country permanently, you will need to provide two physical images on high-quality paper that meet the regular US visa photograph standards.

Photo Specifications for Diversity Visas

The photo must meet the below conditions for applicants applying for the Diversity Visa (DV) scheme or lottery:

• A digital image must be uploaded.
• The dimension must be 600 x 600 pixels in size.
• The image must be 240 KB in size.
• The image should be saved in a JPEG file format.
• The photograph should be square.

If you are scanning an existing photo, make sure it meets the following criteria:

• The photo’s dimension should be 12 pixels per millimetre or 300 pixels per inch.
• If you are chosen for the Diversity Visa Program, you must provide additional images that meet the US visa photo criteria.

Conclusion

For a USA visa, the photograph you provide with your visa application is essential. Go through all the requirement details we have provided here carefully to know how to provide an acceptable photo. While applying for a US visa, if your photo does not fulfil all of the mentioned requirements, you will be asked to request a new photo. The processing will be held off until you provide an appropriate photograph. So, ensure everything is in place to ensure a hassle-free student visa approval process. For more details on studying abroad in the US, contact our experts at LeapScholar.

Frequently Asked Questions