USCIS Citizenship Photo

USCIS citizenship photo requirements

USCIS citizenship photos follow the US 2×2 inch (51×51 mm) standard. The background is plain white, the head measures 25-35 mm from crown to chin, and the eyes are level and on the lens. The photo goes with the N-400 packet, so prepare a print: the naturalization interview works from paper copies and does not use phone screens.

Eye position and headroom

This document also has an eye-height band. Measured from the top of the eyes to the bottom edge of the photo, the eyes should sit in the lower two-thirds of the square. They should not be at the very bottom or near the crown. A small amount of headroom above the hair places the eyes where reviewers expect them.

Photo capture and printing

Use a plain white wall and stand half a metre back. Hold the phone at eye level with the camera horizontal, and use daylight from the front. Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed, and take off glasses. Print on proper photo paper at 300 dpi. A laser print on office paper can pass at home and fail at the field office.

Tool output and checks

The tool crops to the exact 51×51 mm square, replaces the wall with even white, and checks size, head position and background before download. Retouching is not allowed for this document, so the file goes out as shot.

Reasons photos are returned

Photos are returned when the square is off 2×2 inches, the head is outside 25-35 mm, or the eyes sit outside their band. Officers measure against a template at intake, before the interview starts.

Background and print quality

Off-white walls, shadows and gradients fail the background check. A washed-out or streaky print fails the quality check even when the underlying photo is fine. Reshoot facing a window, print on photo paper, and hand the officer a clean copy.

Retouching rule

Retouching is unacceptable for this class. Smoothed skin, removed blemishes and a brightened face all count. The photo must be the original capture and show the face as it is.