Passport photo vs. visa photo: what's the difference?
Sometimes they're identical, sometimes they're not. Here's how to tell which one applies to you.
A passport photo is the photo required on your own country's passport application. The government agency that issues your passport sets this spec (the U.S. Department of State, for a US passport).
A visa photo is required by whichever country or program you're applying to a visa for. That may or may not be the same authority, and it may or may not use the same photo spec as a passport from that country.
When they line up
US visa applications (DS-160) and US immigration photos (green card, etc.) use the identical 2×2in (51×51mm) spec as a US passport photo: same size, same background rule, same head-height range. If you've already cropped a compliant US passport photo, it works for these too. See the US visa photo page for details.
When they don't match
Other visa programs set their own spec, independent of the destination or issuing country's passport photo rules. Schengen visas and Chinese visas, for instance, have historically used different size and background conventions than a US or UK passport photo. Don't assume a photo is interchangeable across programs without checking that specific program's current requirements page first.
Rule of thumb
Always check the requirements of the specific application you're submitting, even if you already have a "passport photo" on hand. A photo that's the wrong size or background for that particular program is one of the more common reasons applications get sent back for correction.
Crop a passport photo now
Frequently asked questions
Is a passport photo the same as a visa photo?
Often, but not always. A US visa photo (DS-160), for instance, uses the exact same 2x2in spec as a US passport photo. But other countries' visa programs, Schengen or China visas especially, can call for a different size or background rule than that same country's own passport photo.
Can I reuse my passport photo for a visa application?
Only if the size and background rules actually match for the specific visa program you're applying to. Check that program's own photo requirements page rather than assuming it lines up just because both are "ID photos."
What's the difference between a passport photo and an ID/badge photo?
ID and employee badge photos are set by whatever organization issues the badge, not a government agency, so sizes and backgrounds vary widely. They're just not standardized the way passport and visa photos are.