Kids' Passport Photo at Home (2026): Rules by Age and Tips That Work

A child passport photo for a US passport follows the same rules as an adult's: one color photo, 2×2 inches, taken in the last six months, with the head measuring 1 to 1 3/8 inches from chin to top of head, a plain white or off-white background, eyes open, no glasses and no hats or bows. The relaxed rules (closed eyes, head tilt, a supported head) are for infants; from toddler age on, expect a normal front-facing photo, though a natural, unexaggerated smile is acceptable. You can take it at home with a phone, a white wall and some patience.

This guide covers children from about 2 to 15. If your child is still a baby who cannot sit up, our Baby & Infant Passport Photo at Home guide covers the lying-down and car seat methods instead.

What are the US passport photo rules for children?

The U.S. Department of State does not publish a separate rulebook for children. The Form DS-11 instructions and the Foreign Affairs Manual (8 FAM 402.1, the guidance passport staff use to review photos) apply the same standards to every applicant, with a short list of exceptions for infants. For a child, that means:

• Size: 2×2 inches overall, with the head 1 to 1 3/8 inches tall, measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head (not the hairline).
• Background: plain white or off-white, with no large shadows, reflections or objects.
• Pose: a centered, full-frontal view, head not tilted, both eyes visible and open.
• Expression: natural. 8 FAM 402.1-5 says normal, unexaggerated smiles are acceptable, but unusual expressions and squinting are not.
• Glasses: not accepted unless a doctor signs a statement explaining why they cannot be removed.
• Head coverings: hats, wide headbands, scarves and bows are not accepted unless worn for religious or medical reasons. Flat hair clips and thin headbands are fine if they do not cover the face or hairline.
• Hair: must not cover the eyes.
• Clothing: everyday clothes. The DS-11 instructions say no uniforms, clothing that looks like a uniform, or camouflage.
• Quality: in color, sharp, evenly lit, no red-eye, no filters or retouching, printed on matte or glossy photo paper.

The infant exceptions in 8 FAM 402.1 are specific: closed eyes are acceptable for an infant, especially a newborn, the head may be discreetly supported, head tilt is acceptable, and a parent's face cannot appear. None of these exceptions is extended to toddlers or older children, so plan for open eyes and a straight head from age 2 onward.

Can kids smile in a passport photo?

Yes, within limits. The Foreign Affairs Manual says the applicant's expression should be natural and that normal, unexaggerated smiles are acceptable. A wide grin with squinting eyes, a laugh with the mouth wide open, or a pulled face is likely to be rejected. In practice, a relaxed, closed-mouth face is the safest target, and a gentle smile is fine if the eyes stay fully open. Our guide Can You Smile in a Passport Photo? covers the adult side of this rule.

Who has to appear in person for a child's passport?

Children under 16 always apply in person with Form DS-11. The DS-11 instructions say the child must appear in person with their parent(s) or legal guardian(s), who bring evidence of the relationship (such as a birth certificate listing the parents) and their own government-issued photo ID with a front-and-back photocopy.

If only one parent can attend, the form lists alternatives, including the other parent's notarized statement of consent or Form DS-3053 (no more than three months old, with a copy of that parent's ID), evidence of sole authority such as a court order, or a death certificate. For applicants aged 16 and 17, the rules change: at least one parent or guardian must be aware of the application. Bring one 2×2 photo per child, and do not staple it to the form, because the acceptance agent reviews and attaches it.

What works best at each age?

The rules are the same from 2 to 15. What changes is how much cooperation you can expect. This table sums up what is allowed and what tends to work.

Ages 2–4: toddlers

• Time it right: after a nap and a snack, not at the end of the day.
• Use a seat, not your lap. A high chair or booster pushed close to a white wall keeps them still without your hands in the frame.
• Put the helper directly behind the camera so their eyes look straight at the lens, not off to the side.
• Hide the pacifier, cup and toy just before each burst. They can come back between attempts.

Ages 5–10: school-age kids

• Ask for 'lips together, eyes wide, look at the dot' (point to the camera lens).
• Avoid jokes right before the shot; a laugh tends to close the eyes.
• Remove glasses, headbands wider than a thin band, and bows. Flat clips are fine.
• Choose a plain top in a color that contrasts with a white wall, and avoid camouflage prints.

Ages 11–15: young teens

• Turn off beauty filters and portrait effects in the camera app. The FAM says filters from social media and mobile apps are not acceptable.
• Have them sit or stand up straight with shoulders level and chin neither raised nor tucked.
• Check for hair across the eyes, and take off headphones or earbuds, which the FAM says must not be worn.

How do you set up a kids' passport photo at home?

1. Pick a plain white or off-white wall, or tape a smooth white sheet or poster board flat behind your child.
2. Seat your child about 1 to 2 feet in front of the wall so their shadow falls behind them, not on the background.
3. Face a window for soft, even light on the face. Avoid overhead lighting that throws shadows under the eyes and nose.
4. Hold the phone at the child's eye level, a few feet back rather than at arm's length. The FAM notes that a face shot too close can show fish-eye distortion, with the nose exaggerated.
5. Leave room above the head and below the chin so the photo can be cropped to 2×2 with the head between 1 and 1 3/8 inches.
6. Take several bursts, then choose a photo where both eyes are open, the face is straight and nothing but your child and the background is visible.
7. Crop to 2×2, check it, and print on photo paper. Six 2×2 copies fit on one 4×6 print.

For the general home setup, lighting and phone settings, see our guide How to Take a Passport Photo at Home.

Why do kids' passport photos get rejected?

These problems map to the standards in 8 FAM 402.1 and the DS-11 instructions:

1. Head too small: shooting from far away and not cropping tightly enough leaves a small head, which makes identification difficult.
2. Eyes closed or squinting: allowed only for infants.
3. Exaggerated expression: a big laugh or open-mouth grin.
4. Head tilted or turned: common with toddlers looking at a helper beside the camera.
5. Someone else in the frame: a parent's hand, arm or shoulder.
6. Shadows on the background or face, or red-eye from flash.
7. Glasses, hats, bows or wide headbands.
8. Hair covering the eyes.
9. A photo older than six months, or filters, retouching or a blurry print.

What about children's photos for UK and Canadian passports?

UK: GOV.UK says children must be on their own in the picture. Children under 6 do not have to look directly at the camera or have a plain expression, and children under 1 do not have to have their eyes open. Babies must not hold toys or use dummies. From age 6, the adult rules apply: plain expression, mouth closed, eyes open and visible. Printed UK photos are 45 mm high by 35 mm wide, and online applications need a digital photo of at least 600 by 750 pixels.

Canada: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) asks you to go to a commercial photographer or photo studio for a child's photo, so a home photo is not accepted for a Canadian passport. Photos are 50 mm wide by 70 mm high, with the child's face between 31 and 36 mm tall, on a plain white or light-coloured background. IRCC expects a neutral expression (eyes open, mouth closed, not smiling or frowning) and makes allowances only for newborns. Glasses are allowed if the eyes are clearly visible with no glare, and the photo must not show your hands or your child's hands.

Free tools that can help

Once you have a shot you like, the free Passport Photo Checker at /passport-photo-checker runs basic checks on size and framing before you print, and the free Print Sheet Maker at /passport-photo-print-sheet puts six 2×2 copies on one 4×6 photo for a cheap pharmacy print. If you also need a UK or other size, the Passport Photo Size Converter at /passport-photo-size-converter helps, and /free-tools lists everything else. They cannot promise acceptance; the State Department makes the final call.