USCIS Photo Requirements (2026)
Many USCIS forms still ask you to mail two passport-style photos with your application. Since USCIS Policy Alert PA-2025-29 (December 12, 2025), the photo printed on your green card, EAD or travel document is taken by USCIS at your biometrics appointment — self-submitted photos are no longer used on the card itself. This page explains both: the photos your form instructions ask for, and the photo USCIS takes.
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Passport-style photo specifications
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2×2 inches (51×51 mm), in colour, full face and frontal view. Plain white to off-white background. Head from chin to top of hair between 1 and 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm). Neutral expression, both eyes open, no eyeglasses. Printed on thin glossy photo paper, unmounted and unretouched.
Recency: 30 days, not 6 months
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USCIS form instructions (for example Form I-485) ask for photos taken within 30 days of filing — stricter than the 6-month rule for US passports. An older passport photo will usually not do.
What changed in December 2025
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Under PA-2025-29, USCIS only reuses a photo from a previous biometrics appointment if it was taken no more than 3 years before filing, and it will not use or reuse self-submitted photos on secure documents. Forms I-485, I-90, N-400 and N-600 always require new biometrics, including a new photo taken by USCIS.
Which forms ask for passport-style photos
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Requirements differ by form and edition, and USCIS updates instructions often. Before you print, check the “Photographs” section in the current instructions for your form on uscis.gov — for example I-485, I-765, I-131 or I-130. If the instructions list photos, include them; if not, don’t send any.
How to label your photos
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Lightly write your full name and A-Number (if you have one) on the back of each photo in pencil or felt pen, and place them in a small envelope attached to the form. Don’t staple or clip through the face.
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Upload Photo – Free CheckUSCIS Photo Requirements (2026) – Complete Guide
Passport-style photo specifications: 2×2 inches (51×51 mm), in colour, full face and frontal view. Plain white to off-white background. Head from chin to top of hair between 1 and 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm). Neutral expression, both eyes open, no eyeglasses. Printed on thin glossy photo paper, unmounted and unretouched. Recency: 30 days, not 6 months: USCIS form instructions (for example Form I-485) ask for photos taken within 30 days of filing — stricter than the 6-month rule for US passports. An older passport photo will usually not do. What changed in December 2025: Under PA-2025-29, USCIS only reuses a photo from a previous biometrics appointment if it was taken no more than 3 years before filing, and it will not use or reuse self-submitted photos on secure documents. Forms I-485, I-90, N-400 and N-600 always require new biometrics, including a new photo taken by USCIS. Which forms ask for...
Frequently asked questions
Do I still need passport photos for my green card application?
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Your green card photo is taken by USCIS at the biometrics appointment. Whether you must also mail passport-style photos depends on the current instructions for your form — check the “Photographs” section on uscis.gov before filing.
How recent must USCIS photos be?
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Form instructions such as I-485 ask for photos taken within 30 days of filing.
Can I wear glasses in a USCIS photo?
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No. Remove eyeglasses for passport-style photos, unless you have a signed medical statement.
Are USCIS photos the same size as US passport photos?
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Yes — 2×2 inches with a white or off-white background. The main differences are the stricter 30-day recency and the labelling on the back.
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