What to Wear for a Passport Photo (2026) — Clothes, Glasses, Jewelry & Hair

For a US passport photo, wear normal everyday clothes in a solid, medium or dark color that clearly stands out from the white or off-white background. Do not wear a uniform, camouflage or military-style clothing, glasses, a hat, or headphones. Jewelry, makeup and religious or medical head coverings are fine as long as nothing covers your face.

The rules below come from the U.S. Department of State, which publishes its photo requirements on travel.state.gov and its detailed adjudication guidance in the Foreign Affairs Manual (8 FAM 402.1). Where other countries differ, we note it.

What should you wear for a passport photo?

There is no dress code. The State Department does not require formal clothes, a collar, or a particular color. What matters is that your clothing does not look like a uniform, does not cover your face, and does not blend into the background. A plain T-shirt, sweater, blouse or button-down shirt is perfectly acceptable.

Because the photo is cropped at the upper chest, only your neckline and shoulders will show. Pick something you would be comfortable seeing in your passport for the next ten years, and avoid anything with large logos, busy patterns or text, which can distract from your face.

What color should you not wear for a passport photo?

Avoid white and very light colors such as cream, pale grey or light beige. The U.S. Department of State requires a plain white or off-white background, so a white shirt can make your shoulders seem to disappear into it. That alone is not listed as a reason for rejection in the US, but the State Department does require a background without shadows or objects, and a clear outline of your head and shoulders makes the photo easier to check.

Canada is more explicit. The Government of Canada advises applicants to avoid wearing light-coloured clothing because it can blend into the background and may result in the photo being rejected. The UK passport service asks for a photo that is in clear contrast to the background. Medium and dark solid colors such as navy, black, charcoal, burgundy, forest green or deep blue work well everywhere.

Can you wear a uniform or camouflage in a passport photo?

No. According to the U.S. Department of State, you cannot wear a uniform, clothing that looks like a uniform, or camouflage clothing in your passport photo. The Foreign Affairs Manual explains that this covers uniforms of the U.S. Uniformed Services and military or law-enforcement-style clothing, and that the policy is meant to protect travelers from people who might target U.S. citizens because of a real or perceived link to the military or police.

The same guidance allows a few limited exceptions at the adjudicator's discretion, such as young children and civilian uniforms that help with identification (the example given is a commercial airline pilot who travels abroad in uniform). If you are not sure whether an outfit counts, simply change into plain everyday clothes. Note that U.S. Uniformed Services rules do not permit uniforms in special-issuance (official or diplomatic) passport photos either.

Can you wear glasses in a passport photo?

Not in the US. The U.S. Department of State stopped accepting glasses in passport photos, and the Foreign Affairs Manual says eyeglasses are not acceptable unless they cannot be removed for medical reasons, such as after eye surgery. In that rare case you need a signed statement from a medical professional, the frames must not cover your eyes, and there must be no glare or shadow over them. Clear contact lenses are fine, and so are colored contacts that do not change the apparent size of the iris.

Other countries are less strict. The UK passport service allows glasses if both eyes are clearly visible with no glare or reflection, but tells applicants not to wear them unless they have to and never to wear sunglasses or tinted lenses. Canada also accepts regular glasses with no glare, but not sunglasses or tinted lenses. If you are applying for a non-US passport, check that country's official rules.

Can you wear jewelry or piercings in a passport photo?

Yes. The State Department's guidance says a hearing device, wig, or facial piercing jewelry may be worn as long as it does not partially or completely cover the face. Earrings, necklaces and nose studs are fine. Avoid very large or reflective pieces that throw glare or hide part of your face or jawline.

Can you wear makeup in a passport photo?

Yes, everyday makeup is fine. The rules focus on the photo itself: the U.S. Department of State does not accept digitally retouched photos or photos edited with beauty filters from social media apps. Keep makeup close to how you usually look so the photo is a true likeness, and skip heavy shimmer that can reflect the flash. One-time face decorations, such as a team logo painted on for a game, are not acceptable. Permanent tattoos do not need to be covered.

How should you wear your hair?

Any hairstyle is allowed, up or down, as long as no hair covers your eyes. The State Department accepts flat hair accessories such as hair clips, bobby pins or thin headbands if they lie flat and do not hide any part of the face or hairline. Wide headbands, scarves and bows count as head coverings and are not allowed unless worn for religious or medical reasons. Canada adds that hair should be off the face so the edges of the face are visible.

Can you wear a hat or head covering in a passport photo?

Only for religious or medical reasons. According to the U.S. Department of State, hats and head coverings are not allowed except for religious or medical purposes. If you wear one for religious reasons, submit a signed statement that it is religious attire worn daily in public. If you wear one for medical reasons, submit a signed doctor's statement. Either way, your full face must be visible and the covering must not cast shadows on your face.

The Foreign Affairs Manual adds that a permitted head covering should be a uniform color with no pattern and no visible perforations, and must not obscure your chin or jawline. Baseball caps and other everyday hats are not accepted. The UK and Canada follow a similar approach: head coverings are allowed only for religious or medical reasons, with the whole face visible.

Can you wear headphones or earbuds?

No. The U.S. Department of State does not allow headphones or wireless hands-free devices in or on your ears, and the Foreign Affairs Manual extends this to Bluetooth and similar electronic devices. Take out AirPods or other earbuds before the photo. Medical hearing devices are different: they may be worn if they do not cover the face.

Quick checklist before you take the photo

• Solid, medium or dark top that contrasts with a white background
• No uniform, camouflage, or military or police-style clothing
• Glasses off (US), no sunglasses or tinted lenses anywhere
• No hat, cap, wide headband or scarf unless worn for religious or medical reasons
• Earbuds and headphones out
• Hair off your eyes; flat clips and thin headbands only
• Jewelry and piercings fine if nothing covers your face
• No beauty filters, retouching or face paint

What about UK and Schengen passport photos?

The core rules are similar across countries because most passport photo standards follow the ICAO guidelines for machine-readable travel documents. The UK passport service asks for a plain, light-coloured background with no texture or pattern, a plain expression with your mouth closed, nothing covering your face, and no head covering unless it is for religious or medical reasons. It does not ban camouflage the way the US does, but plain clothing is still the safest choice.

Schengen countries issue their own national passports and visas, so the exact rules, including the preferred background shade and glasses policy, depend on the country. Wearing a solid, darker top and removing glasses and hats will satisfy almost every country's requirements, but always confirm with the official government or consulate page for the country you are applying to.

Checking your photo before you submit

If you already have a photo, you can run it through our free passport photo checker to spot common problems such as the wrong size, a background that is not plain, or a head that is too large or small. Our AI passport photo generator can also replace the background with plain white and crop to the correct US 2×2 inch size. It cannot change your clothing, remove glasses or take off a hat, so dress for the photo first. You can preview the result free with a watermark and pay $2.99 only if you want the final file.