Green Card Photo Size & Requirements: Two 2 × 2 Inch Photos for Forms I-485, I-765 and I-131

Official rules: 2 × 2 inch print, background: white to off-white. Source: uscis.gov, checked 20 Oct 2026.

US Green Card photo size at a glance

The US Green Card photo is a printed photo, 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm), on a white to off-white background.

Printed size2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm)
In other units (a conversion)50.8 × 50.8 mm · 5.08 × 5.08 cm · 2 × 2 in · 600 × 600 px at 300 DPI · 1200 × 1200 px at 600 DPI · ratio 1:1 (square)
Pixels (official rule)Print only (2 × 2 inch photo)
File sizeNo file: the rules ask for printed photos
BackgroundWhite to off-white
Head size50% to 69% of the photo height, chin to top of head
Sourceuscis.gov
Checked20 Oct 2026
Size diagram of the US Green Card photo: 2 × 2 inches, with the head 50% to 69% of the photo height
The US Green Card photo, drawn to its shape: 2 × 2 inches, with the head 50% to 69% of the photo height. From the official rules (uscis.gov, checked 20 Oct 2026).

What the official pages say about the US Green Card photo

Filing Form I-485, I-765 or I-131 can lead to a biometric services appointment at an Application Support Center, where machines record your fingerprints, photograph and digital signature. With that signature you swear that everything in the application is complete, true and correct. If you cannot confirm this in good faith on the day, USCIS sends you back another time. Children under 14 do not have to sign. If you are abroad, the notice tells you to contact a US embassy, consulate or USCIS office.

Skipping the appointment can make USCIS treat the application as abandoned and deny it. For a disability or health reason, USCIS may offer mobile biometric services, and a person who cannot give fingerprints may qualify for a waiver. The printed photos are a separate step. The I-765 wants two identical colour photos, bare-headed unless your religion requires headwear, plus a copy of your last work permit or another photo ID. The I-131 asks for them with advance parole, TPS travel, military parole in place or a refugee travel document filed from abroad, and says a digital photo must come from a camera of at least 3.5 megapixels.

Sources, checked 25 Oct 2026: Preparing for Your Biometric Services Appointment (USCIS, updated 30 April 2026), USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 1, Part C, Chapter 2: Biometrics Collection and Security Checks, Instructions for Form I-485 (USCIS, edition 09/18/26), Instructions for Form I-765 (USCIS, edition 08/21/25) and Instructions for Form I-131 (USCIS, edition 01/20/25).

How to make your US Green Card photo

  1. Stand about an arm's length from the camera in front of a plain wall (white to off-white). Face a window for soft, even light.
  2. Add the photo on this page. It stays on your device.
  3. Drag and zoom until your face fills the green oval: top of the head on the top line, chin on the bottom line.
  4. Download the 4 × 6 inch print sheet and print it at actual size (100%).
  5. Cut out the photos along the grey lines.

Questions and answers

What size is the US Green Card photo?

The photo is 2 × 2 inches. The official rule: Print only (2 × 2 inch photo). This document takes printed photos, so there is no file to upload. SafeResize makes a 4 × 6 inch print sheet with several copies at exactly this size.

What is the US Green Card photo size in cm, inches and pixels?

2 × 2 inches is 50.8 × 50.8 mm or 5.08 × 5.08 cm, a square. Printed at 300 DPI it is 600 × 600 pixels, and at 600 DPI 1200 × 1200 pixels. These are conversions of the official size, not extra rules.

What background colour does the US Green Card photo need?

White to off-white. Stand in front of a plain wall with no pattern, and face a window so there are no shadows behind you. The official rules do not allow edited photos, so SafeResize does not change the background for this document: a plain wall is the way.

How big should my head be in the US Green Card photo?

From the chin to the top of the head, your head should fill 50% to 69% of the photo height. The face guide in the tool shows both lines.

What happens if I miss my USCIS biometrics appointment?

USCIS says it may consider your application abandoned, and it may be denied. Its biometrics page says rescheduling in your online account must be requested at least 12 hours ahead; after that, or once you have missed it, you call the USCIS Contact Center.

Can I use a digital photo for Form I-131?

Yes, as a print. The I-131 instructions say a digital photo must be produced by a high-resolution camera of at least 3.5 megapixels, because of USCIS scanning. It must still be a 2 by 2 inch print on thin glossy paper with a white to off-white background.

Do children give biometrics for a US travel document?

The I-131 instructions say applicants aged 14 to 79 may need biometrics for a refugee travel document, re-parole, parole in place or a reentry permit. USCIS's biometrics page adds that children under 14 need not sign, and a parent or legal guardian may sign instead.

Can USCIS take my biometrics at home if I am ill or disabled?

USCIS's biometrics page says that if a serious ongoing medical condition keeps you at home or in hospital, you may request a mobile or homebound appointment. The Policy Manual adds that someone unable to give fingerprints because of a medical condition may qualify for a waiver, and a refused waiver cannot be appealed.

What else do the US Green Card photo rules say?

Two identical colour photos taken in the last 30 days (the USCIS Policy Manual says 30 days; the form instructions say 'recently'), sent with your form. Head 1 to 1 3/8 inch (top of hair to chin); eyes 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 inch from the bottom. Thin glossy paper, not mounted or retouched. Bare head unless covered for religion. Lightly write your name and A-Number (if any) on the back in pencil or felt pen. Forms I-765 and I-131 ask for the same photos (I-131 only for advance parole or TPS travel from inside the US, military parole in place, or a refugee travel document from abroad; not for a re-entry permit). Spouse petitions (I-130) and fiancé(e) petitions (I-129F) also need photos taken within 30 days of filing.

Can I take this photo at home?

Yes. A photo you take yourself can be used for the two printed photos you send with your form, if it follows the rules above. The instructions do not say who must take them. USCIS does not put these photos on your Green Card: it takes a new photo of you at your biometrics appointment. USCIS policy alert PA-2025-29 says USCIS 'will not use or reuse self-submitted photographs', which is about the photo on the card or document it issues (a shop photo is self-submitted too). The form instructions (edition 09/18/26) still ask for the two printed photos. Download the 4 × 6 inch print sheet and print it at 100% (actual size) at a photo shop or on photo paper, then cut along the lines.

Is my photo uploaded to SafeResize?

No. The photo is processed inside your browser and never leaves your phone or computer.

Please note: For forms filed on or after 12 Dec 2025 (USCIS policy alert PA-2025-29), USCIS does not put the photos you send on the card or document it issues. For Forms I-485, I-90, N-400 and N-600, it takes a new photo of you at your biometrics appointment. For other forms, such as I-765 and I-131, it may reuse a photo taken at a biometrics appointment no more than 3 years before you file, or take a new one. The form instructions still ask for the printed photos, so send them.

Source: uscis.gov, checked 20 Oct 2026. Rules can change, so confirm on the official page before you apply.

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