1. Overview of Passport Photo Requirements
2. What to Know Before Taking a Passport Photo
3. Getting a CVS Passport Photo
Perhaps the biggest hurdle to turning in your passport application (or renewal) is getting the required passport photos. It’s not something you do every day. In fact, you really only have to do it once a decade. Moreover, there are a lot of rules to remember.
Instead of asking a friend to take a photo (and hoping it’s right) or attempting a passport photo selfie, opt instead for a professional photo taken at a pharmacy. This service is widely available at pharmacy chains, including CVS. CVS’s passport photo service involves taking your photo, ensuring it meets State Department regulations, and printing the required two copies, all for a total cost of $16.99.
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What to Know Before Taking a Passport Photo
All applicants for new or renewed United States passports must provide a photo. Even newborns are required to submit photos.
The rules regarding the size, color, and composition of the photo—as well as your personal appearance in the photo—are strict and almost always non-negotiable. The State Department requests two 2-x-2 inch color copies on glossy or matte photo-quality paper.
No uniforms of any kind are allowed in the photo. However, you are encouraged to wear whatever clothes you find normal and comfortable. Additionally, headgear, whether a head covering or glasses, is generally forbidden unless you wear them for religious or health reasons.
If you fall into an excepted category, you must bring a signed statement attesting to your spiritual practices or from a doctor confirming the necessity of your medical accessories.
Your face must be front and center. Neither grimace nor grin: your facial expression should be neutral, and if you choose to smile, that smile must appear “natural.” It is essential to submit a photo taken within six months of your passport application.
Passport holders need not update their photo until it’s time to renew, which occurs a decade after issuance. Whether or not you have shaved your head, grown a mustache, pierced your nose, or just aged, as long as your photo still looks like you, you are set. Consequently, even photos of newborns in passports remain valid.
However, there are exceptions for passport holders who have transitioned, experienced significant weight changes, undergone major plastic surgery, or acquired extensive facial tattoos or piercings.
Getting a CVS Passport Photo
Thousands of CVS pharmacies across the nation can quickly take and print passport photos for your convenience. The base fee for two photos is $16.99, with coupons frequently available for additional savings.
Travelers do not need to make appointments for passport photos at CVS but should call their local pharmacy in advance to confirm the service is available.
All photo technicians, according to CVS, are trained to provide professional pictures that meet U.S. State Department requirements for passport, visa, and ID card photos.
