Green Card Photo Online

Green Card Photo Requirements: A Complete Guide

When you apply for a Green Card, a key requirement is providing photos that meet the prerequisites set by authorities.

Head pose and measurments

Your photo for the Green Card application must have the following measurements:

• The distance from the chin to the top of the hair must be 1.29in.
• The eye level measurement, from the bottom of the photo must be 1.18in.

Picture Quality

The pictures you submit for your Green Card application must meet certain standards of quality to be acceptable, which ensure your facial features are visible and recognizable:

• Be sharp without any visible pixels or printer dots.
• Not be blurry so your face in focus and without motion or focus blur.
• In color (not black and white).
• There should be no objects occupying the space behind you and no shadows on you or the background. To prevent shadows, use uniform illumination when taking the photo.
• No flash disruption making your eyes red.

Facial Expression

When you take your Green Card photo, you must:

• Have a neutral facial expression.
• Look straight at the camera.
• Face the camera with a neutral expression, without or smiling or showing your teeth.
• Keep your eyes open so your pupils and irises (colored portions of the eyes) are clearly visible in the photo.

Posture

You must stand straight and not tilt your head.

Attire

Your clothing in the residence permit photo affects the visibility of your face and the overall quality of the photo. You should wear clothing that you would typically wear on a daily basis when taking your photo. Religious attire is allowed unless it covers important features of your face.

If you are employed at a job that requires you wear a uniform to perform daily activites, (such as construction, police, firefighting, nurse etc.) you should take off your uniform when taking your photo.

Accessories

When taking a Green Card photo, it’s important to ensure that you are dressed appropriately and that your photo meets specific requirements. Here are some guidelines to keep in mind:

Before taking the photo for your a Green Card application, bear in mind that any accessories that cover your face in any way are not allowed.

• Hats or head coverings. You must not wear a hat or head covering, unless you are medically or religiously required to wear one all the time.
• Jewelry.You must not wear jewelry that obscures your face.
• Glasses.You must not wear glasses that cover your eyes, cause glare or shadows, or distort your eyes in any way. If your glasses are medically required, and do not interfere with your facial images, you can keep them on.
• Hearing devices or similar articles If you typically wear a hearing device or other similar articles, you may wear it in your photo.

Note: If you must wear a hat or glasses for medical reasons, you must provide a doctor’s statement as valid proof.

How Many Photos Should I Submit for Green Card Application

You should provide identical photos which were taken in the last six months. If the application is online, one copy of a photo will suffice.

Can I Upload a Scanned Photo?

Yes, you can scan your existing physical photo and use it for your United States residence application. Make sure you follow the listed directions when you scan the photo:

• You must scan one photo at a time.
• The photos must be scanned in color.
• Scan photos clearly so the front and the back are seen.
• Do not put the photo on another piece of paper.

Requirements for Toddlers and Babies

Taking a picture for a residence permit application of a baby or toddler comes with its own difficulties. They move a lot, and it may be challenging to keep them straight and without closing their eyes or opening their mouth. No matter how difficult it may be, their photo must meet the standard requirements for the Green Card photo. You cannot be in the photo holding them, but you can:

• Place the baby on a white sheet if they cannot stand on their own so they face directly the camera.
• Grab their attention with a toy to make them look straight at the camera and keep their eyes open. It’s okay if they have a soft smile, but they must not be laughing because an open mouth is not allowed in the picture

Although, the same requirements apply for toddlers and babies, the rigidity of the requirements is somewhat more relaxed compared to photos of adults.

Also read: Photo requirments for babies

Should I Print Out the Pictures?

Should I Retake a Photo for Green Card if I Already Have One?

You’ll need to take a new photo if your current photo is older than six months, or:

• You have gained or lost a considerable amount of weight.
• You have undergone surgery because you:
  • Experienced facial trauma
  • Changed your gender
  • Removed numerous tattoos
  • Removed numerous piercings

Keep in mind that even if your photo is not more than 6 months old, the embassy or consulate may ask you to submit a new one if it doesn’t represent your current look. Minor changes such as growing a beard or coloring your hair won’t require a new photo submission as long as you can still be identified from the photo in your application.

Passport Photo Requirements

If you are applying for passport, you should check the United States passport photo requirements.