U.S. Visa (DS-160)

U.S. Visa Photos (DS-160) in Washington, DC

DS-160 U.S. visa photos in Washington, DC. 2x2 in / 600–1200 px digital under 240 kB, shot to the State Department standard and checked before you leave.

Reserve a time · $200 Call (202) 831-8101 Directions

Ready in about 15 minutes Checked against the spec before you leave 1401 Florida Ave NW, Washington DC

Reserved appointment

$200plus tax · held time, both formats

Held for you: the one way to know we’ll be here when you arrive
Digital file and printed set, always both
Reshot free if the consulate rejects it

Reserve this time

Walk-in

$100plus tax · digital or prints · $150 both

Call first to check availability: the walk-in window is only around the day’s booked sessions
Some days there is no window at all. Reserving a time is the sure way in

Call to check walk-in availability

The specification

What a U.S. Visa (DS-160) photo has to be

Every figure below is quoted from the issuing authority, and the source is linked at the bottom of this section. Where the official sources do not agree, we say so instead of picking one.

Photo size	51 x 51 mm · 2 x 2 in
Head height	Print: 25–35 mm (1 – 1 3/8 in). Digital: head is 50%–69% of total image height.
Eye position	Print: eye height 28–35 mm (1 1/8 – 1 3/8 in) from the bottom of the photo. Digital: eyes at 56%–69% of image height.
Background	Plain white or off-white
Glasses	Not allowed since 1 November 2016, except in rare documented medical circumstances.
Expression	Neutral, both eyes open. "Photos with unusual expressions and squinting will not be accepted."
How recent	Taken within 6 months and reflecting your current appearance
Digital file	JPEG only. 600x600 px minimum, 1200x1200 px maximum. 240 kB or less. 24 bits per pixel, sRGB, compression ratio 20:1 or better.
Copies needed	Immigrant visa / DV selectees: two identical photos. DS-160 nonimmigrant: digital upload, some posts also request one print.

The official sources disagreeTwo official State pages disagree on head height: the main Photos page says 22–35 mm, while the FAQ and the Photo Composition Template both say 25–35 mm. We shoot to 25–35 mm, which is stated twice and matches the U.S. passport standard.

Note on the sizeSquare aspect ratio, print and digital.

Sources

What gets photos rejected

The things that actually fail

Not general advice, just the specific traps in this document’s own rules.

The 240 kB ceiling is the usual failure: a straight camera JPEG at 1200x1200 is several times too large, and over-compressing to fit visibly destroys the image.
A new photo is only required if your appearance changed significantly. State says growing a beard or coloring your hair does not count.

Reserve a time

Hold a time, and it’s yours.

Live availability straight from our studio calendar. A reserved appointment is $200 and always includes both the digital file and your prints. Same-day times show here when we have them.

Also shot here

Get it right the first time.

We shoot it, check it against U.S. Visa (DS-160)’s own specification, and you leave with a photo that passes. If it is ever rejected, we reshoot it free.