I had headshots taken by a professional photographer and wanted to use them for passport photos.?

Question

Do you think I could crop the photo to the right dimensions and digitally alter the background and use them for my passport?

Answer 1

You probably can, but there are a whole bunch of requirements in order to use them. According to the government, your photographs must be:

    * 2x2 inches in size

    * Identical

    * Taken within the past 6 months, showing current appearance

    * Color

    * Full face, front view with a plain white or off-white background

    * Between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head

    * Taken in normal street attire

          o Uniforms should not be worn in photographs except religious attire that is worn daily.

          o Do not wear a hat or headgear that obscures the hair or hairline.

          o If you normally wear prescription glasses, a hearing device, wig or similar articles, they should be worn for your picture.

          o Dark glasses or nonprescription glasses with tinted lenses are not acceptable unless you need them for medical reasons. A medical certificate may be required.

And the photographs taken have to fit certain requiremets (composition, quality, etc.). Check this site: http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/g...

You might be better off just going to get it done at the post office or something; just sounds easier.

Answer 2

Well, you could, but I think that it would much easier to go to Walgreens or the post office and have them do it for you.  Also, headshots tend to have you at some sort of angle, and passport photos need to be full-face, straight ahead.  

Here's the criteria:

# 2x2 inches in size

# Taken within the past 6 months, showing current appearance

# Color

# Full face, front view with a plain white or off-white background

# Between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head

# Taken in normal street attire