Is Your Photo Ready but Needs To Be Uploaded? Learn How To Scan a Passport Photo With DoNotPay

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The Complete Guide on How To Scan a Passport Photo

Many processes that require a passport-size photo are now completed online.

While you have to submit passport applications in hard format, you may need your passport photo in digital format for other purposes.

In these cases, you will need to scan your passport photo without losing color, clarity, or resolution.

DoNotPay brings you the ultimate guide on how to scan a passport photo to make sure it complies with the requirements.

What Are the Requirements for a Passport Photo?

The U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs has strict rules about passport photos, as follows:

  1. Photo dimensions
  2. Background
  3. Expression and composition
  4. Clothing and accessories

Photo Dimensions

Your passport photos must measure exactly 2 x 2” (51 mm x 51 mm). Your head needs to be in the center of the photo and should be between 1 and 1 3/8” (2.5 cm and 3.5 cm) when measured vertically.

Background

The photo background must be white and non-textured.

Expression and Composition

You have to look straight into the camera with a neutral expression, making sure that your:

  • Eyes are open
  • Mouth is closed

Style your hair in a way that you expose as much of your face as possible.

Clothing and Accessories

Neutral colors are best, and you are not allowed to wear anything on your head unless it is for:

  • Religious reasons, in which case you need to provide a signed statement explaining your affiliation to a recognized religion
  • Medical grounds, but this must be confirmed in writing by a doctor

Glasses, tinted lenses, and sunglasses are not allowed.

Where Can I Get Passport Photos?

Passport photos must be less than six months old, so you may need to have a new photo taken.

You can get passport photos from many stores and offices, such as the following:

How Much Do Passport Photos Cost?

The cost of getting your photo taken and printed in the above-mentioned places is:

  • Walmart—$7.44
  • Target—$12.99
  • CVS photo—$14.99
  • Walgreens—$14.99
  • UPS stores—$11.99
  • USPS—$15
  • FedEx—$14.95
  • AAA—between $10 and $15, depending on your membership level

As an alternative, you can take your own passport photo at home.

You will need a good cell phone, tablet, or camera, but you will have a ready-made digital photo that you don’t need to scan.

How To Scan a Passport-Size Photo

Once you are certain that your photo meets the requirements above, you can go about the process of scanning it.

The scanner settings you will need are as follows:

Scanner SettingExplanation
EquipmentMake sure the scanner glass is clean and free from any blemishes that might show up on your scan
SoftwareUse either the scanning software provided with your scanner or built-in software such as Windows Fax and Scan
ResolutionSet the scan resolution to 600 dots per inch (DPI) or more
SizeScan the photo at its original size, and select the Preview option. If you are happy that the preview looks acceptable and has captured the whole image, you can complete the scan
SavingSave the scan either as a JPEG or a PNG file to enable you to crop and edit it afterward

Once you have saved your scanned passport photo, you will need to resize it to exactly 2 x 2” (51 mm x 51 mm).

You can resize the scan using Paint, Paint 3D, or an online photo editing tool. All you have to do is:

  1. Open the file in your preferred app
  2. Select Resize
  3. Choose inches or centimeters as the measurement unit (not pixels)
  4. Type in the correct dimensions

Save your file under an easily recognizable name to make sure you don’t choose the wrong one to upload to whichever website needs your passport photo.

If you need to print your photo for your passport application, you can use the saved scan to print onto glossy or matte photo paper.

Do you need to scan a passport photo but don’t want the bother of resizing and cropping it? DoNotPay has the solution!

Our Passport Photos feature will do all the work for you and !

Get Your Digital Passport Photo Easily With DoNotPay

DoNotPay can take all the pain out of cropping, editing, and resizing your scanned passport photo.

To use our service, all you need to do is:

  1. Click on our Passport Photos product
  2. Take a photo and upload it
  3. Indicate whether you want to receive two printed copies sent via mail

We will do the rest! If you need to take a different photo, we will let you know, but otherwise, you will receive your passport photo quickly!

Find your place of residence in the table below to see where you can have your passport photo taken:

San DiegoSacramentoBostonAlbuquerqueRaleigh
HoustonAtlantaPhoenixSan FranciscoDenver
CincinnatiRochesterLos AngelesColumbusScottsdale
HonoluluMinneapolisChicagoTallahasseeKansas City
New York CityPortlandPhiladelphiaAustinRockville
SeattleCharlestonSan JoseSan AntonioCharlotte
HerndonColvilleIndianapolisLas VegasBrooklyn

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