Can I use a passport or visa photo I already have?

Do you need a print or a digital file?

DS-160 and the Thailand e-Visa need a digital file. If you only have a print, you still need a digital file for these forms. Use the print only where the application accepts paper photos.

What size does your application require?

Check the dimensions and the head size separately. Divide your head height (chin to top of hair) by the photo height, then multiply by 100 to get the percentage.

US visa (DS-160): square colour JPEG, 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 px, 240 KB or less; head 50–69% of the image height.

US passport (paper): 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm); head 1 to 1 3/8 in (25–35 mm) from chin to top of head; colour photo taken in the last 6 months.

Schengen visa: 35 × 45 mm; face (chin to crown) 70–80% of the photo, or 32–36 mm.

Thailand e-Visa: JPG up to 3 MB, at least 160 px tall; head 70–80% of the photo; plain light-coloured background.

China visa: paper photo 33 × 48 mm with the head 28–33 mm from chin to crown; digital photo 354×472 to 420×560 px, JPEG, 40–120 KB.

What if your photo is cropped too tightly?

Go back to the original, wider photo if your head exceeds the limit. A head measuring 73% of the image height is above DS-160's 69% maximum. Head-size limits differ: the Thailand e-Visa wants 70–80% of the photo, DS-160 wants 50–69% of the image height.

Where can you check your photo for free?

pixtidy checks head size, eye line, background, lighting, focus and file size, and you see the result before payment. It crops, straightens and resizes in your browser; your photo is never uploaded. It never adds space or replaces the background.

Passing the checker does not guarantee acceptance. If an official rejects a photo the checker passed, you receive a full refund.

Common questions

Can I use a printed passport photo for DS-160? No. DS-160 needs a digital file. Keep the print for an application that accepts paper photos.

Is a 600 × 600 px JPEG enough for DS-160? It meets the minimum dimensions, but the file must also be in colour, be 240 KB or less, and show your head at 50–69% of the image height.