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How we verifyPricing$11.86Where to get oneMoney-back guaranteeGreen Card Photo Requirements
Short answer
A green card photo is 2 × 2 inches with the head between 1 and 1⅜ inches on a plain white background — the same USCIS specification used across immigration forms, and the same as a US passport photo.
✓
✕See all 10 examples
The specification
| Size | 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm), square |
| Head height | 1 to 1⅜ inches from chin to top of hair |
| Background | Plain white or off-white, evenly lit |
| Expression | Neutral or natural closed-mouth smile, both eyes open |
| Glasses | Not permitted |
| Recency | Taken within the last 30 days |
Which applications this covers
The same photo works for the green card lottery (DV program), adjustment of status on Form I-485, green card renewal or replacement on Form I-90, and the conditional-residence removal on Form I-751.
The Diversity Visa lottery is the one exception worth flagging: its entry system requires a digital photo uploaded to the DV portal with its own file-size limits, rather than a printed one. The photo itself follows the same 2 × 2 geometry, but check the entry rules for the file requirements in the year you apply.
Why green card photos get refused
The same reasons as passport photos, in the same order: a background that is not plain, shadows on the face or behind the head, a head that is too small in the frame, and glasses.
There is one difference in consequence. A refused passport photo delays a renewal; a refused photo in an immigration filing can delay a case with a hearing date or a work-authorisation deadline attached. The stakes are higher, which is a reason to measure rather than hope.
Photos for children on family applications
Every applicant needs their own photo, including infants, and the specification does not change with age. The rules that relax for babies are expression and eyes-open; the rules that never relax are that nobody else may appear in the frame and nothing may be in shot.
For an infant who cannot sit up, lay them on a plain white sheet and photograph from directly above. No hand may be supporting the head, which is the most common failure on family filings.
What passes and what gets refused
Photos that pass
✓ PassesAcceptable
Even frontal lighting, no shadows on the face or the wall, plain white background, neutral expression with the mouth closed, and a mid-tone top that separates cleanly from the background.
✓ PassesAcceptable
A relaxed, closed-mouth smile is fine — the rule is about teeth and exaggeration, not about looking stern. Lighting is even and the background is plain.
✓ PassesAcceptable
Children follow the same rules as adults once they can sit unsupported: eyes open, facing the camera, plain background, nobody else in the frame.
Photos that get refused
✕ RefusedNot accepted — background
The single most common rejection. A bookshelf, lamp and picture frame are all visible, and the warm indoor light has tinted the wall. The background must be plain white or off-white with nothing behind you.
✕ RefusedNot accepted — shadows
Harsh side lighting has thrown a shadow across half the face and a second one onto the wall behind. Both are refused. Face a window on an overcast day, or stand well away from the wall.
✕ RefusedNot accepted — glasses
Glasses have not been permitted in US passport photos since November 2016, and here the glare is obscuring both eyes anyway — which would fail even in countries that do allow them.
✕ RefusedNot accepted — expression
A broad open-mouthed smile with teeth showing, and the eyes have narrowed from smiling. Biometric matching needs a neutral face with both eyes clearly open.
✕ RefusedNot accepted — arm's-length selfie
The phone is far too close, so the nose and forehead are enlarged by lens distortion, and the outstretched arm is in shot. This is why the official checklist says no selfies. Shoot from about six feet instead.
✕ RefusedNot accepted — head covering
Hats are refused outright. Head coverings are permitted only for religious or medical reasons, with a signed statement, and must never shadow the face as this cap does.
✕ RefusedNot accepted — head too small
Framed too loosely, so the head measures well under the required 1 to 1⅜ inches. Too small is far more common than too large, because people instinctively step back.
Illustrative examples — the people shown are AI-generated.
Make one now — checked before you pay
Your green card photo, measured against all eleven requirements before you pay. You get a 1200 × 1200 digital file and a printable 4 × 6 sheet for $11.86 — and nothing is charged until it passes.
Check my photo freeFrequently asked
What size is a green card photo?+
2 × 2 inches with the head 1 to 1⅜ inches — the same as a US passport photo.
Can I use the same photo for my green card and my passport?+
Yes, if it is under 30 days old. The specifications are identical, but USCIS applies the tighter 30-day recency rule.
Does the DV lottery need a different photo?+
The geometry is the same, but the entry portal wants a digital file with its own size limits rather than a print. Check the rules for your entry year.
Can I smile in a green card photo?+
A natural closed-mouth smile is acceptable. Teeth showing is not.
Do babies need their own green card photo?+
Yes, at the same size. Expression rules relax for infants; the rule that nobody else appears in the frame does not.