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USCIS forms including I-485, N-400, I-765 and I-131 use the 2 by 2 inch passport-style photo. The rule that catches applicants is timing: the photo must have been taken within 30 days of filing, not six months.
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Photo format
USCIS photo50.8 x 50.8 mmHead height 25.4-34.9 mm
Background: White or off-white
Glasses: must be removed
Background
Compliance
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Read the full requirement checklistThe published rules for a 50.8 x 50.8 mm United States immigration photo.
Everything about the USCIS photo matches the US passport specification except the timing. Passport photos may be up to six months old; USCIS wants photos taken within 30 days of filing. Applicants who prepared a photo early in a long process routinely fall foul of this, and a rejected photo on an I-485 or N-400 can add weeks to a case.
Most photo-bearing USCIS forms ask for two identical colour photos, but the count varies and the instructions are authoritative. Downloading a print sheet gives you several spares at no extra cost, which is worth doing because a request for evidence over a photo is a slow way to lose time.
Where the instructions ask for it, print your name and A-number lightly on the back of each photo. Use a pencil or a soft felt pen and avoid pressing hard, since an indentation shows through on the printed side and can render the photo unusable.
Concurrent filings, such as an I-485 with an I-765 and an I-131, each carry their own photo requirement. Rather than taking a separate photo for each, take one compliant photo and print enough copies from a single sheet. The 30-day window applies to when the photo was taken, not when it was printed.
Accepted vs refused
One compliant photo, five of the faults that cause most rejections.
Read the requirements guideCommon faults to watch for
Neutral expression, even lighting, plain background, head correctly sized and centred.
A side light or overhead lamp leaves one side of the face dark. Face a window instead.
A textured, coloured or shadowed wall. Turn on background replacement to fix this.
Reflections hide the eyes. Most countries want glasses removed entirely.
The head must be square to the camera. Use the straighten slider to correct small tilts.
The crown is cut off and the head exceeds the allowed millimetre range.
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