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AI Photo Editor for Passport Photos

Skip the $15 pharmacy fee. Create compliant passport photos at home.

FreeNo signupNo watermark
Upload any headshot and type 'replace background with plain white, remove all shadows, even lighting on face.' EditThisPic creates passport-compliant photos in 20 seconds. Works for US passports, visas, green cards, and international IDs. No pharmacy trip, no passport booth, no retakes. Free to try, no account required.
Selfie with living room background and uneven lighting
Before
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Professional passport photo with plain white background
After
"Renewal accepted first try. Turned a living room selfie into a passport photo in under a minute. Saved $15 and a trip to CVS." @FrequentFlyer_Tom

Built for Travelers and Applicants

Pharmacy passport photos cost $15-20 and often look terrible
Passport booths give you one shot with no retakes
Home photos get rejected for shadows or wrong background color
Visa applications have strict requirements that are easy to fail
Emergency passport needs mean no time to visit a photo center
Kids won't sit still long enough for a proper booth photo

Official ID photos have strict requirements: plain backgrounds, no shadows, even lighting, neutral expression. One rejection means starting over. EditThisPic lets you take unlimited photos at home, then fix the background and lighting to meet requirements. Keep trying until it's perfect - for free.

28% of passport photo submissions are rejected on first attempt - US State Department 2024

Tools for Passport Photos

Step-by-Step Guide

1

Take a headshot at home

Stand in front of a plain wall with natural light on your face. Use your phone camera. Face forward with neutral expression. The background doesn't need to be white - EditThisPic will fix it.

Best results with clear face photos. Avoid harsh shadows. 15-20 seconds for the edit.
2

Upload and describe requirements

Type 'replace background with plain white, remove all shadows from face and background, even natural lighting.' Add your country's requirements: 'US passport compliant' or 'UK passport photo format.'

US passports need pure white backgrounds. UK and some EU countries need off-white or light grey. Specify which you need.
3

Verify compliance

Check background is uniformly white with no shadows or gradients. Verify face is evenly lit with no harsh shadows under nose, eyes, or chin. Zoom in on hair edges to check for fringing.

4

Refine problem areas if needed

If shadows remain or edges look rough, tap markers on those spots and regenerate. Common issues: shadow under chin, uneven background, hair edge artifacts.

Rejection reasons are usually shadows (on face or background) or background not plain enough. Fix these specifically.

Copy-Paste Prompts for Passport Photos

US passport or visa photo
replace background with plain white, remove all shadows from face and background, even natural lighting, passport photo compliant

'Passport photo compliant' signals the AI to follow strict ID requirements

UK or EU passport (off-white required)
replace background with plain light grey, remove all shadows, even soft lighting on face, UK passport compliant

UK and some EU countries require off-white or light grey, not pure white

Green card or USCIS photo
replace background with plain white, remove all shadows from face and background, neutral expression, USCIS immigration photo compliant

Immigration photos have strict requirements - mentioning USCIS helps

Photo with harsh shadows on face
replace background with plain white, remove all harsh shadows from face especially under nose and chin, add soft fill light

Specifying shadow locations (under nose, chin) helps the AI target problem areas

Show 4 more prompts
Selfie with uneven lighting
replace background with plain white, balance the lighting on face to be even on both sides, remove all shadows

Side-lit selfies often have one dark side - 'balance lighting' fixes this

Glasses glare causing issues
replace background with plain white, remove the glare from glasses while keeping glasses visible, even lighting

Some countries require you remove glasses entirely - check your requirements

Driver's license or state ID
replace background with plain white or light blue, remove shadows from face, ID photo format

Many DMVs use light blue - check your state's specific requirements

Schengen visa photo
replace background with plain light grey or off-white, remove all shadows, even lighting, Schengen visa photo compliant

Schengen visas typically require light grey backgrounds, not pure white

Edit Type Prompt Time
US Passport replace background with plain white, remove shadows, passport compliant 20s
UK Passport replace background with light grey, remove shadows, UK passport compliant 20s
Visa Photo replace background with plain white, even lighting, visa compliant 20s
Green Card plain white background, no shadows, USCIS compliant 20s

Real Passport Photo Transformations

Selfie with living room background and uneven lighting
Before
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Professional passport photo with plain white background
After

Living room selfie to passport photo

Home selfie with bookshelf background and uneven lighting transformed to compliant passport photo.

Prompt: replace background with plain white, remove all shadows from face and background, even natural lighting, passport photo compliant
Outdoor headshot with harsh shadows from direct sunlight
Before
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Even-lit passport photo with no harsh shadows
After

Outdoor photo with harsh shadows

Photo taken outside in direct sunlight with harsh shadows under nose and chin fixed for visa application.

Prompt: replace background with plain white, remove all harsh shadows from face especially under nose and chin, add soft fill light
Professional headshot with grey corporate background
Before
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Visa-compliant photo with plain white background
After

Office headshot to visa photo

Professional headshot with grey corporate background converted to visa-compliant white background.

Prompt: replace background with plain white, remove all shadows from background, keep natural face lighting, visa photo compliant

When Things Go Wrong

Shadows still visible on face after editing

Why: The original shadows were too harsh or the AI focused on background shadows rather than facial ones.

Try: remove all shadows from my face, add soft fill light under nose, eyes, and chin

Be specific about shadow locations. Tap markers on stubborn shadow areas.

Background has uneven patches or isn't uniform

Why: The original background had variations the AI didn't fully correct, especially in corners.

Try: make background uniformly plain white, no gradients, no shadows, completely even edge to edge

'Edge to edge' helps the AI understand you want complete uniformity including corners.

Hair edges look jagged or have white fringing

Why: The AI had difficulty with fine hair details against the new white background.

Try: replace background with plain white, preserve natural hair edges with no white fringing

Tap markers on problem areas along your hairline for targeted fixes.

Photo was rejected by passport office

Why: Requirements are strict. Even subtle shadows or slight background variations can cause rejection.

Try: remove absolutely all shadows from face and background, completely shadow-free, pure white background

Check the photo in bright light to spot subtle shadows you might have missed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this meet official passport photo requirements?

Yes, when used correctly. EditThisPic can produce photos that meet US passport, visa, green card, and most international ID requirements. Specify your country in the prompt. Always verify against official requirements before submitting.

What's the difference between white and off-white backgrounds?

US passports require pure white. UK, some EU countries, and Schengen visas require off-white or light grey. Check your country's specific requirements and add 'plain white' or 'light grey background' to your prompt.

Can I use a selfie for my passport photo?

Yes, if the selfie has good lighting and your face is clearly visible. EditThisPic fixes the background and lighting. For best results, take your selfie against a plain wall with natural light on your face.

Why do passport photos get rejected?

Common reasons: shadows on face or background, background not plain enough, wrong background color for your country, glasses glare, head tilted or not centered. EditThisPic can fix most of these.

Do I need to remove my glasses?

Requirements vary by country. US passports now prefer no glasses but allow them if you have medical necessity. Many other countries require glasses removal. Check your specific requirements.

How do I know if my photo is compliant?

Check: 1) Background is uniformly plain (white or grey per your country), 2) No shadows on face or background, 3) Face is evenly lit, 4) Neutral expression, 5) Face takes up 70-80% of frame. Compare against your country's sample photos.

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