U.S. Passport Photo Checklist: What to Wear and Bring in Staten Island

Check the format before your visit

For a paper U.S. passport application, the Department of State’s DS-11 instructions require one color photograph, 2 by 2 inches, taken within the last six months. The image must show your full face directly facing the camera against a plain white or off-white background. The head, measured from the bottom of the chin to the top, must be between 1 and 1⅜ inches high.

Tell the photographer exactly what the photo is for. Do not assume a U.S. passport print is the correct size for a foreign visa, immigration document, or another agency’s ID. Bring that agency’s photo instructions if your application is not for a U.S. passport.

If you are renewing online, check the application’s digital-photo requirements first. A printed photo and a digital file are different products; ask what format can be provided rather than assuming both are included.

What should you wear?

Wear clothing you normally wear daily. The DS-11 instructions prohibit uniforms, clothing resembling a uniform, and camouflage attire. Plan to remove your glasses for the photograph rather than relying on an older photo in which you wore them.

Head coverings and eyewear have limited religious or medical exceptions with supporting statements:

• Religious head covering: the instructions require a signed statement explaining that the covering is part of recognized, traditional religious attire customarily or continuously worn in public.
• Medical head covering: a signed doctor’s statement must verify its daily medical use.
• Glasses that cannot be removed for medical reasons: the instructions require a signed doctor’s statement explaining why removal is not possible, such as recovery from eye surgery.

Check the Department of State’s instructions for your situation before your visit. The pharmacy taking a photograph does not decide whether an exception or an application will be accepted.

Do not reuse an unsuitable older photograph

The six-month requirement still matters even if an older photo looks similar to you. A previous passport photo is not automatically reusable. Have a new photo taken if your available image is too old, the size is wrong, or the composition does not meet the application’s requirements.

For paper applications, the instructions call for matte or glossy photo-quality paper. A photograph printed at home on ordinary document paper is not an equivalent substitute.

Arrange the photo separately from the passport application

Eltingville Pharmacy’s passport photo service is at 3948 Richmond Ave, Staten Island, NY 10312. Call (718) 356-1789 to confirm current pricing, service availability, and the format needed for your application.

Having a passport photo taken is not the same as submitting a passport application. Check the application instructions for where to apply, required documents, fees, and whether an appointment is needed. Do not assume that a photo provider is also a passport acceptance facility or that its photo fee includes government application fees.

Official source

• U.S. Department of State: DS-11 application and instructions, especially the photograph requirements on instruction page 2. Use the current instructions for your application type if they differ.