US Passport Photo Attire and Devices — Uniforms, Earphones and AI Editing
A US passport photo has clothing and device rules that go beyond the usual: no uniform or camouflage, no headphones or wireless hands-free devices, and a flat ban on changing your photo with software, apps, filters or artificial intelligence. This guide sets out what you may and may not wear or do. Verified against travel.state.gov, September 2026 (official pages retrieved via Wayback snapshot).
The 15-second answer
- No uniforms: no uniform, uniform-like clothing, or camouflage.
- No devices: no headphones or wireless hands-free devices.
- Jewellery and piercings: allowed, if they do not hide your face.
- Face visible: remove any face covering or medical mask.
- No AI editing: do not change your photo with software, apps, filters or artificial intelligence.
Clothing: no uniform, no camouflage
The clothing rule is specific: “You cannot wear a uniform, clothing that looks like a uniform, or camouflage clothing.” That rules out military, police, security or work uniforms, clothing that merely resembles one, and camouflage patterns of any kind. The broader principles of dress for a photo are collected in the dress code guide.
Devices: earphones and hands-free gear are out
Wearables are banned from the photo: “You cannot wear headphones or wireless hands-free devices.” Bluetooth earbuds, headsets and similar devices must come off. Jewellery is treated differently: “You can wear jewelry and keep on your facial piercings as long as they do not hide your face.” And the face itself must be shown — “take off any face covering or medical mask so your full face is visible.” For head coverings worn for religious or medical reasons, see the head coverings guide; for glasses, see the glasses guide.
No software, no AI
The editing ban is categorical: “Do not change your photo using computer software, phone apps or filters, or artificial intelligence.” The online renewal guidance repeats it: “Do not use any kind of filter or retouching tools to change your appearance”, and “if your photo is unnaturally edited or filtered, we will not accept it. Do not use a photo you created or edited using artificial intelligence or other digital tools.” What this means in practice is narrow: the photo must show the real you, unmodified. For the underlying principle, see the image metadata guide.
Where to get the photo taken
There is no single required source. The guidance allows three routes: “An acceptance facility that will take a photo when you apply for your passport / Any company which offers photo services / A friend or family member, and print your own photo on matte or glossy paper.” A home photo is therefore acceptable if it meets the rules; the channels are compared in the channel comparison.
Online renewal file rules
For online renewal, the file itself has limits: it must “be a JPG, JPEG, or HEIF file” and “the file size should be between 54 kilobytes and 10 megabytes.” Visa photos follow a separate set of requirements, covered in the US visa photo requirements.
60-second US check
- ☐ No uniform, uniform-like clothing or camouflage
- ☐ No headphones or wireless hands-free devices
- ☐ Jewellery / facial piercings OK if they do not hide your face
- ☐ No face covering or medical mask — full face visible
- ☐ No software, app, filter or AI editing
- ☐ Online renewal: JPG/JPEG/HEIF, 54 KB–10 MB
Official source: travel.state.gov — “Photos” and “Online renewal photo” (US Department of State), retrieved 2026-09-27 via Wayback Machine snapshots (travel.state.gov returned HTTP 403 to direct access). Confidence A (official pages).
Frequently asked questions
Can I wear a uniform in a US passport photo?
No. You cannot wear a uniform, clothing that looks like a uniform, or camouflage clothing.
Can I wear headphones in a US passport photo?
No. You cannot wear headphones or wireless hands-free devices.
Can I wear jewellery or facial piercings in a US passport photo?
Yes. You can wear jewelry and keep on your facial piercings, as long as they do not hide your face.
Can I use AI or filters to edit my US passport photo?
No. Do not change your photo using computer software, phone apps or filters, or artificial intelligence. Photos that are unnaturally edited or filtered are not accepted.
Where can I get my US passport photo taken?
Three routes are allowed: an acceptance facility when you apply, any company that offers photo services, or a friend or family member with a home print on matte or glossy paper.
What file type and size for US online passport renewal?
The file must be a JPG, JPEG or HEIF, and the file size should be between 54 kilobytes and 10 megabytes.
Do I need to remove a face mask for a US passport photo?
Yes. Take off any face covering or medical mask so your full face is visible in the photo.
The dress rules are expanded in the dress code guide; head coverings and glasses have their own pages (head coverings, glasses). The unaltered-photo principle is in image metadata, visa photos differ in US visa photo requirements, and the photo sources are compared in channel comparison.