Baby photo rules · USCIS / Green Card · United States
Green card photo for your baby.
A green card photo is 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm), with the head 25.5–35 mm from chin to crown, on a plain white or off-white background. No exceptions for babies are published: eyes open, looking at the camera, a neutral expression, and mouth closed at every age. It can be uploaded online or handed in as a print. Official source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).
What this document requires
- Print size
- 51×51 mm
- Background
- White recommended
- Off-white
- Submission
- Upload or print
We don't replace the background — shoot on one of these.
Each row links to the authority's own page. TotShot is independent of every authority listed.
Rules for babies and children
No exceptions for babies or children are published — every rule applies from birth.
At every age
- Eyes open
- Looking straight at the camera
- Neutral expression
- Mouth closed
- Head 25.5–35 mm from chin to crown
- The same head size applies to babies — the official rules say so in writing. On a newborn it's the hardest rule to meet.
- Alone in the photo
- No hands, arms or supports in the frame
- No dummy, bottle or toys
- Taken in the last 6 months
A frame in the document's proportions, with the eye line where the rules put it and the head outline at typical proportions. The eye line for this document, with the head drawn at typical proportions.
Any photo of your child, straight on. It is resized on your device, measured on our servers, and not kept.
What we check here
- Head height, crown to chin
- Eye line
- Head turned, tilted or leaning
- Eyes, mouth and gaze, by the age rules for this document
- Face centred in the frame
- Even light on the face
- Too dark or too bright
- Sharpness
- Background: colour, shadows, creases
What we don't check here
- Other objects in the frame
- Print format
The app checks these when you shoot.
How to take a green card photo at home
- Spread a smooth, plain white or off-white sheet on the floor or a firm bed, close to a window with soft daylight — no flash, no overhead light.
- Lay your baby on their back and shoot from directly above, phone parallel to the floor, so the photo reads as a straight-on portrait with no shadow on the sheet. Keep every hand out of the frame.
- Check the photo before you print: TotShot measures the head, eye line, pose and background against the green card rules.
Questions parents ask
Can my baby's eyes be closed in a green card photo?
No. Closed eyes are not accepted at any age, even for a newborn. Shoot when your baby is fed, rested and awake — mornings often work best.
What size is a green card photo?
2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm), with the head 25.5–35 mm from chin to crown. A baby's head has to fill the same share of the photo as an adult's — the hardest part of a baby photo to get right.
Can I take a green card photo of my baby at home?
Yes. A photo you take yourself is accepted as long as it meets every rule — the final decision is always the authority's. It can be uploaded online or handed in as a print.
Can I hold my baby for the photo?
Not in the frame — no hands, arms or supports may show. Lay your baby on a plain sheet and shoot from above instead: holding a baby up pushes the shoulders up and tilts the head, and a hand that slips into the frame gets the photo refused.
Does my baby have to look at the camera?
Yes, at every age. A baby's glance lasts about half a second, which is why TotShot plays a sound to catch it and takes the shot itself.
What background does a green card photo need?
Plain white or off-white, evenly lit, with no shadows, creases or pattern. White is the safest choice. TotShot doesn't replace backgrounds — authorities refuse a photo whose background was replaced — so shoot on a sheet of the right colour.
Final acceptance is always the authority's decision.