Photo sizes · centimetres
Convert passport photo sizes between cm, mm and inches. See why 2 inches is exactly 5.08 cm and prepare a custom print at the correct size.
Print at 2 × 2 inches (50.8 × 50.8 mm exact). Keep your real appearance and original background. The official page also describes this as 51 × 51 mm.
Open This Application RouteExact size conversion
Original millimetre or inch values stay unchanged when switching units. Editing a dimension creates a custom print size; digital and original-file rules stay separate.
5.08 × 5.08 cm
50.8 × 50.8 mm · 2 × 2 in
600 × 600 px at 300 DPI
Keeps this document and application rule. Original-only routes stay unedited.
| Application | Physical size | Digital file | Next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| US passport · paper | 2 × 2 in / 5.08 × 5.08 cm | 600 × 600 px at 300 DPI | Prepare print |
| US visa · DS-160 | Digital application | 600–1200 px square JPEG | Check digital |
| US online renewal | Original digital photo | Original JPEG, PNG, HEIC/HEIF | Check original |
| DV entry | Digital application | 600 × 600 px JPEG | Read DV rules |
| Canada passport | 50 × 70 mm | Professional capture & printing | Guidance only |
| Custom print | 35 × 45 mm example | 413 × 531 px at 300 DPI | Use custom |
01 · Know the requirement
One inch is exactly 2.54 cm. The US authority also describes its 2 inch photo as 51 mm; that is its rounded descriptive value. The print tool retains the original 2 inch dimension rather than repeatedly rounding it.
02 · Choose your next step
Multiply centimetres by 10 for millimetres. Divide centimetres by 2.54 for inches. A 35 × 45 mm custom size is 3.5 × 4.5 cm, or about 1.378 × 1.772 inches. It is not the same as a 2 × 2 inch photo.
Official sources · checked 2026-11-06
Requirements can change. The authority’s current instructions and final review take precedence.
Questions about this task
No. A 5 cm side is 50 mm, while a 2 inch side is 50.8 mm. Use the source unit specified for your application.
Divide by 10. A 35 mm width is 3.5 cm; a 45 mm height is 4.5 cm.
No. It is a common photo dimension, but you must verify the country, document and channel. Custom mode makes no acceptance claim.
A printer or lab may have enlarged the file. Select Actual Size / 100%, disable Fit to Page and borderless enlargement, then measure a test print.
At 300 DPI it is about 413 pixels: 3.5 ÷ 2.54 × 300, rounded to a whole pixel. Changing DPI changes that print pixel requirement.
Not automatically. Online renewal may require the original unedited file. Switch to the matching application route before preparing anything.
