Can You Smile in a Passport Photo? Rules That Apply in 2026
Yes, you can smile in a passport photo if your mouth stays closed. Here's what the State Department requires for expression, clothing, glasses and background.
The short answer
You can smile in a passport photo, as long as it’s natural and unexaggerated, both eyes stay open, and your mouth stays closed. Glasses are not allowed unless a signed medical statement documents that they can’t be removed. The background must be plain white or off-white with no shadows, and clothing should avoid white, camouflage patterns, and uniforms.
Passport photo guides contradict each other within a page or two of searching. Smile in some, don’t in others. No glasses under any circumstance, except sometimes you can, if you know which form to file first.
Most of that confusion traces back to the same thing: guides built from an older version of the rule, or from a retailer’s marketing copy rather than the State Department’s own standard.
This walks through what the current federal photo requirement actually says about expression, clothing, glasses, headwear, background and exact sizing. It also covers where to get a compliant photo taken and what happens if one gets rejected.
What you need before you take the photo
- A plain white or off-white wall, sheet, or backdrop, or a retail photo counter that already has one set up
- Clothing you’d wear on an ordinary day, in a color other than white
- No glasses, unless a signed medical statement documents that they can’t be removed
- A camera or phone with any beauty or portrait filter turned off
- Even, natural light with no harsh shadow across the face or background
Can you smile in a passport photo?
Yes. The State Department’s own instructions require a neutral expression, both eyes open and visible, and the mouth closed, but a normal, unexaggerated smile is explicitly listed as acceptable within that standard. What isn’t acceptable is an unusual or exaggerated expression, or squinting.
In practice, that means a slight, closed-mouth smile passes. A wide, teeth-showing grin risks being read as an exaggerated expression and sent back for a retake. Frowning, smirking, and any expression that isn’t close to neutral fall under the same “unusual expression” rule and get rejected the same way.
Both eyes have to be open and visible in the frame. The only exceptions are documented medical conditions and infants, where an open-eyes photo genuinely isn’t possible.
What to wear for a passport photo
Regular, daily clothing is the standard the instructions actually describe, not formalwear. A few things are ruled out entirely, not just discouraged:
- Camouflage-pattern clothing is barred outright, regardless of color, because it reads as military or law-enforcement attire.
- A uniform of a U.S. uniformed service is not acceptable, with a narrow exception for children age 15 and under. A civilian uniform that aids identification, an airline pilot’s, for instance, is fine.
- All-white clothing isn’t an official rule, but it’s worth avoiding anyway: a white top blends into the required white or off-white background and can make the photo unusable.
- Patterned or novelty clothing that could be mistaken for camouflage is treated the same as camouflage itself, even a whimsical print.
A solid, darker-colored top with no pattern is the safest default, and it’s what most compliant photos actually show.
Can you wear glasses in a passport photo?
No, not by default. Eyeglasses are not acceptable in a passport photo unless they can’t be removed for a documented medical reason. Recent eye surgery is the example the instructions give, and a signed statement from a medical professional has to accompany the application.
Note: if glasses are accepted for a medical reason, the frames can’t cover the eyes, and there can’t be glare, shadow, or refraction from the lenses obscuring them. Tinted lenses are only allowed if the medical statement specifically says they’re required.
This rule tightened over the past decade; earlier passport photos commonly showed applicants wearing their regular glasses. It no longer works that way. Take glasses off for the photo unless a doctor has put the medical necessity in writing.
What background does a passport photo need?
A plain white, off-white, or light-colored background, with no shadows, reflections, patterns, texture, or objects visible behind the subject. A patterned wall, a visible doorway, or another person in the frame all disqualify the photo.
One exception exists: medical equipment that a person relies on, a wheelchair, or a neck, head, or back support, doesn’t have to be hidden or edited out. A medical statement may be requested if the equipment’s purpose isn’t obvious from the photo itself.
Passport photo size and specs, exactly
| Spec | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Overall print size | 2 x 2 inches (about 51 x 51 mm) |
| Head size | Top of head (not hairline) to bottom of chin: 1 to 1 3/8 inches (25-35 mm) |
| Color | Full color, accurate skin tone, no over- or under-exposure |
| Age of photo | Taken within the last 6 months |
| Framing | Centered, facing the camera directly, head not excessively tilted |
| Editing | No digital retouching, no beauty or social-media filters, no red-eye |
| Print quality | Photo-quality paper, no creases, holes, or smudges over the face |
A photo can be technically in focus and still fail on head size, measured too small, too large, or off-center. That’s one of the more common rejection reasons, even when expression, clothing and background all pass.
Headwear: the religious and medical exception
Hats, headbands, scarves, turbans, and other head coverings aren’t acceptable in a passport photo. The one exception is headwear worn continuously in public for a sincerely held religious belief, or for a documented medical reason, including hair loss from treatment.
In ambiguous cases, where an applicant’s other ID doesn’t already show the headwear, a signed statement may be requested. It has to explain the religious or medical basis and confirm the headwear is worn continuously in public.
Permitted religious or medical headwear still can’t obscure the face or cast a shadow across it. It has to be a uniform color with no pattern or visible perforations.
Where to get a passport photo taken
There’s no standalone State Department photo app for the general public. The only official compliance check built by the government sits inside the online passport renewal tool, and it’s only available to applicants who are eligible to renew online in the first place.
Everyone else uses a retail counter or takes the photo themselves against a compliant background. It’s worth knowing upfront: the State Department does not endorse, certify, or recommend any commercial photographer or retail chain. A photo a retailer prints as “compliant” can still be rejected at adjudication if it misses one of the requirements above.
Passport photo options compared
| Where | Typical price | Appointment | Digital copy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Walgreens | $16.99 for two prints | No, walk in | Included free with purchase |
| CVS | Around $17.99 for two prints | No, walk in | $3.99 add-on |
| The UPS Store | Roughly $12-14 for two prints, varies by store | Usually, call ahead | Not typically included |
| USPS | Around $15 for two prints | Yes, select post offices only | Not included |
| AAA | Varies by regional club: free for some members, up to about $20 for non-members | Varies by club | Varies by club |
| Costco | Discontinued passport photo service in 2021 | Not offered | Not offered |
Prices and availability are as checked in September 2026 and vary by location, especially at franchised stores like The UPS Store and AAA’s regional clubs. Call ahead to confirm price and hours before a trip specifically to get one taken.
What happens if a passport photo gets rejected
A rejected photo doesn’t cancel the application, but it does pause it. The applicant is notified of the specific reason and has to resubmit a compliant photo before processing continues.
For a mailed renewal on Form DS-82 or a correction on DS-5504, that means a second trip through the mail, adding real time to what was otherwise a faster path.
For an in-person DS-11 appointment, it usually means retaking the photo on the spot if the facility offers photo service, or returning with a corrected one.
The instructions’ own worked examples point to four repeat causes: glasses without a medical statement, a shadowed or patterned background, a head measured outside the size range, and headwear that obscures the face or jawline. None of these are matters of degree, a photo either meets the spec or it doesn’t.
Your photo got rejected: what to do next
- Read the rejection notice first. It states the specific reason, rather than guessing which requirement was missed.
- Retake the background if the reason was a shadow, pattern, or object behind you. A plain wall in daylight, away from direct sun, fixes most of these.
- Remove the glasses, unless a medical statement was already filed with the application. This is the single most common fix.
- Recheck the print size. Confirm it’s 2 x 2 inches with the head measuring 1 to 1 3/8 inches from chin to the top of the head, not the hairline.
- Use a retail counter that checks against the spec before printing, rather than printing a phone photo at home, if the same reason has come up twice.
- Call the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778 if the rejection reason isn’t clear from the notice, weekdays 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern, weekends 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern.
Frequently asked questions
In short
A smile is allowed in a passport photo as long as it’s natural, closed-mouth, and both eyes stay open. Squinting and exaggerated expressions are what actually get rejected, not smiling itself.
Glasses need a documented medical reason to stay on. The background has to be plain white or off-white with no shadows, and clothing should avoid white, camouflage, and uniforms. The size and head-measurement specs are exact, and no retailer’s compliance claim overrides the State Department’s own adjudication.
Rules change without much notice. This was checked against the State Department’s Foreign Affairs Manual and its published photo requirements in September 2026. If something here no longer matches what you were told at the counter, tell us and we will correct it.
Getting the photo right is one part of the application. Which passport form to use covers the paperwork side, and how much a passport actually costs covers the full fee breakdown.
If a rejected photo has put a trip deadline at risk, expedited passport turnaround covers the real wait times.
For an infant’s application, where the both-eyes-open rule has its own exception, see how to get a baby a passport. And passport office near me covers where an in-person DS-11 appointment happens if a photo needs retaking there.
