You don’t even have to leave the house to update your passport photo. Turns out, it’s super easy and cheap to take your new passport photo yourself and have it delivered straight to your house. Find out how you can get a new passport photo without ever leaving home.
How To Get A New Passport Photo Without Leaving Home
Want to apply for a new passport but don’t want to make an appointment to get a new photo taken?
Turns out, updating your passport photo from home is actually super easy. You can use iVisa to take and order photos that meet all the complicated criteria. Then, your new passport photos will be delivered to your home within a few days.
How iVisa Works
The online iVisa platform makes taking passport photos at home easier and cheaper than going to a store or photo booth. Anyone can easily take their photo themselves following the guidelines.
Uploading Your Own Photo
Uploading your own photo to iVisa online takes just a few easy steps.
1. Select your photo type and country. iVisa provides guidelines for passport photos as well as other documents like visas, green cards, work permits, and more. Be sure to select “Passport” for a passport photo and enter your country of residence.
2. Choose your delivery method. You can order a Digital Download of your photo for $5.39 and print it yourself at home (just be sure to have photo paper ready in the printer). Or you can order printed copies with free shipping for $9.99 for one photo, $12.99 for two photos, $16.99 for four photos, or $17.49 for twelve photos. You’ll likely only need one or two photos.
3. Upload your photo. Photos are accepted in JPG, GIF, PNG, or PDF format. Check their guidelines and video tutorial to ensure your photo is compliant with government regulations. I’ve also outlined plenty of tips below.
4. Select if you want an expert to manually review your photo. Your image will already be reviewed using AI technology, but you can have a human manually review the photo for added assurance. This service is an extra $6.89.
5. Enter your contact info and your delivery method. Home delivery is free and takes about 2-4 days. In the U.S., you can also get next day pickup at your local CVS or Walgreens within 4 hours at a fee of $0.50 per photo.
6. Review your order and submit. You’ll simply review your order details and submit your order. Your passport photos will be on their way to your shortly!
How To Take Your Own Passport Photo At Home
If you decide to take your own passport photos at home, you need to make sure that the photo meets all of the requirements. For the U.S., your passport photo must adhere to the following:
- Passport photos must be in color
- Photos must be 2″ x 2″
- Your head must be centered and sized between 1″ and 1.4″
- Your photo must be current, taken within the last 6 months
- Photos must be taken in front of a plain white or off-white background
- Your face must be fully and directly facing the camera
- You must have a neutral facial expression and open eyes
- You should be wearing clothes you would normally wear on a daily basis
- Your picture shouldn’t include a hat, headphones, glasses (unless they cannot be removed for medical reasons), or a head covering that obscures the hairline (unless worn daily for religious purposes)
Follow These Tips For Taking Your Own Passport Photo
- Make sure your head is upright and not tilted.
- Make sure your picture includes both your head and shoulders.
- Use a plain, white background. This could be a wall or a plain white poster board.
- Face a source of light, natural daylight if possible.
- Tuck your hair behind your ears so it doesn’t obscure your face.
- Have a family member or friend take the picture for you, or use a tripod.
- When using a smartphone, the camera on the back provides a better picture than the frontal “selfie” camera.
Read next: 14 Ways to Protect Your Home While You Travel
Ready to take a vacation? Plan your trip with these tips.
- Update your passport photo: Use iVisa to get updated passport photos delivered right to your home.
- Find cheap accommodation: Use my tips for finding cheap accommodation for travel every time.
- Book your flight: Find the cheapest flights using Skyscanner, my favorite flight search engine.
- Pack for your vacation: Make sure you’ve packed everything you need by checking out my packing list resources.
Cheers!
Paige
Have you taken your own passport photo from home? Let me know in the comments!
