Quick answer: what is different for babies
Baby passport photo requirements use the same 2 x 2 inch (51 x 51 mm) U.S. photo size as an adult's, on a plain white or off-white background, taken in the last six months. Three rules bend for infants, and one strict rule never does.
- Bends for babies: Open eyes are preferred but closed eyes are tolerated for newborns. A neutral expression is preferred but not required for infants. The child does not need to face the camera as squarely as an adult would.
- Does not bend: Only the child can appear in the photo. No hands, arms, other people, pacifiers, bottles, toys, or supports of any kind.
- Submission: Anyone under 16 must apply or renew with DS-11 in person at an acceptance facility. Online renewal and DS-82 by mail are not available for minors.
Same size, slightly different rules
A U.S. baby passport photo follows the same outer dimensions as an adult one: 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) on a plain white or off-white background, taken within the last six months. The head must measure between 1 and 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm) from chin to crown — same range as an adult, just in a smaller face.
The State Department allows some flexibility for infants because they cannot pose. The expression rule and the eyes-open rule are relaxed for newborns. Everything else — size, background, no shadows, no filters, no AI editing — applies in full.
Eyes, expression, and the newborn exception
For newborns who cannot yet keep their eyes open, the State Department accepts a passport photo with closed eyes. The face must still be clearly visible and facing the camera. For older infants and toddlers who can keep their eyes open, the open-eyes expectation returns.
The neutral-expression rule is also relaxed for infants. A baby with a small natural smile is fine; what is not fine is a baby mid-cry, with the face contorted or partly obscured by the cry. Take many photos and pick the calmest one.
| Age | Eyes / expression | At-home tip |
|---|---|---|
| Newborn (0–3 months) | Closed eyes tolerated | Lay on a white sheet, shoot from above |
| Older infant (4–12 months) | Open eyes expected | White-covered car seat, support hidden |
| Toddler (1–3 years) | Open eyes, look at camera | Hardest age; take many shots |
| Older child (4–15 years) | Treated like an adult | Neutral, eyes open, face forward (DS-11) |
What cannot appear in the frame
The strict rule the State Department does not bend on is that only the child can appear in the photo. Run through this list before pressing the shutter and again before printing.
- Hands, arms, or any part of another person.
- A pacifier, bottle, toy, or anything held in the baby's mouth or hand.
- The shape of a car seat, bouncer, or support chair if the cover does not fully obscure it.
- Patterns, folds, or shadows in the white sheet behind the head.
- Other children, pets, or background objects.
- Hats, headbands, or accessories that cover or shadow the face.
At-home setups by age
The practical challenge is keeping the baby supported without your hands or arms appearing in the frame. The setup depends on how young the child is.
- Setup 1 — Lay-and-shoot-from-above (newborns, 0–3 months): Lay the baby on their back on a plain white sheet, blanket, or seamless paper on a soft surface. Photograph straight down from directly above, keeping the camera level. The sheet acts as both background and support. Use a chair or stepladder to stabilize the camera.
- Setup 2 — White-covered car seat (older infants, 4–12 months): Cover a car seat, bouncer, or high chair with a plain white sheet so the chair shape is not visible. Place the seat on the floor or a counter, sit the baby in it, and photograph from the front at face level. An adult can support behind the seat without appearing in the frame.
- Setup 3 — Stand-and-look (toddlers, 1–3 years): Have the child stand against a plain white wall. Use a familiar adult behind the camera to draw the child's attention forward. Expect to take many photos — toddlers rarely cooperate on the first try.
Lighting and avoiding shadows
Use soft, even light. Daylight from a window is usually best. Keep the baby a little away from the background so the head does not cast a shadow on the white sheet or wall, and avoid a direct flash that creates a hard shadow or red-eye.
Shadows on the face or behind the head are one of the most common reasons infant photos are rejected. They are far easier to prevent with positioning than to "fix" with editing — and editing is not allowed (see next section).
January 2026: the AI-edit rule applies to baby photos too
As of January 2026 the U.S. State Department explicitly rejects passport photos that were created or edited using AI tools or beautifying filters. This applies to baby photos. The temptation to use baby-cute filters, eye-brightening, skin-smoothing, or AI background cleanup is real — and any of these will trigger the automatic rejection the State Department now checks for at upload time. Cropping and rotating an original camera capture are fine; anything that changes the face, skin, or background is not.
- Allowed for baby photos: Cropping, rotating, and reframing the original camera photo to fit the 2 x 2 inch frame.
- Rejected: Skin-smoothing or "baby filter" features in camera apps.
- Rejected: AI background replacement (synthesized white wall instead of a real one).
- Rejected: Eye-brightening or color-adjustment apps that change the baby's appearance.
- Caution: Some phone "auto-enhance" or HDR modes apply filtering at capture. Turn them off if you can, or shoot in RAW.
How to crop and print with PhotoTools
Once you have a clean, front-facing shot, open the U.S. passport photo maker, crop so the head is centered and sized within the required range without cutting it off. Export a print-ready sheet at 300 DPI and print on photo-quality paper at actual size.
Processing runs in your browser; the photo is not uploaded to a server — useful for an identity photo of a child. Use the tool for crop, size, and layout. Do not use it (or any tool) to change the child's appearance, which is not allowed on identity photos.
What you need at the DS-11 appointment
Children under 16 cannot use online renewal or DS-82 by mail. Every minor's passport application or renewal is a DS-11 in person at an acceptance facility (most large U.S. post offices and many county clerks).
- The completed DS-11 form (do not sign in advance — both parents/guardians sign in front of the acceptance agent).
- The child's original or certified-copy birth certificate as evidence of U.S. citizenship.
- The child's printed passport photo on photo-quality paper.
- Both parents (or one parent with a notarized consent statement from the other) and government photo ID for each parent.
- Application fees — check the State Department site for the current amounts.
Official source to check
Confirm current rules and the in-person appointment requirements before submitting a minor's application.