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US Visa Photo Size (DS-160): 600 × 600 Pixels

The DS-160 form asks for a square digital photo. The tool below is set to the US Department of State rule: 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 pixels, JPG, no larger than 240 KB.

What does the form ask for?

Your head should be 50 to 69% of the photo height. Zoom in so your head fills about two-thirds of the photo.

Or paste the rules from your notification

For example: “Signature: 140 x 60 pixels, file size 10 KB to 20 KB, JPG”. Paste one document at a time.

You will get a 600 × 600 pixel JPG of at most 240 KB. The form accepts any size from 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200.We aim for 0 to 240,000 bytes. This passes whether the form counts 1 KB as 1,000 or 1,024 bytes.

Add your photograph

Your image stays on this device. It is never uploaded.

Already have a file? Check it before you upload

See if your file follows the rules above before you upload it. Most forms don’t tell you what is wrong.

US visa digital photo rules

  • Square: width and height must be equal, between 600 × 600 and 1200 × 1200 pixels.
  • JPG format, 240 KB or smaller.
  • Head height 50% to 69% of the photo height, measured from the chin to the top of the hair.
  • Taken in the last 6 months, in colour, against a plain white or off-white background.
  • No glasses. No hat or head covering except for religious or medical reasons.

Check travel.state.gov for the current rules before you submit. A photo that fails the DS-160 check has to be replaced.

Getting the head size right

This is the rule most home photos fail. Zoom in the tool until your head, from chin to the top of the hair, fills about two-thirds of the frame. Leave a little space above your head and show the top of your shoulders. Your eyes should sit a little above the middle of the photo.

Taking the photo at home

  • Stand about half a metre in front of a plain white wall, with light falling evenly on your face.
  • Have someone else take the photo from about 1.2 metres away, at your eye level.
  • Keep a neutral expression with both eyes open and look straight at the camera.
  • Do not edit the photo or use beauty filters. Edited photos are rejected.

Questions

What is the US visa photo size in pixels?

A square between 600 × 600 and 1200 × 1200 pixels. The tool makes 600 × 600.

What is the maximum file size for a DS-160 photo?

240 KB, in JPG format.

Is a US visa photo the same as a passport size photo?

No. The US uses a square 2 × 2 inch (51 × 51 mm) photo. The common passport size in India and Europe is 3.5 × 4.5 cm.