A1 PASSPORT & VISA EXPRESS CAN DO ALL TYPES OF PASSPORT AND VISA PHOTOS FOR YOU, INCLUDING INTERNATIONAL PICTURES RIGHT HERE IN DC.
Standard 2×2 in Photos
Standard 2×2 in (51 x 51 mm) U.S. style photos are acceptable for U.S. passports and U.S. visas. They are also acceptable as visa photos for all the countries A1 is able to process visas for. These standard photos are also excellent for resumes, the International Driver Permit, press releases, advertisements, immigration documents, or social media icons. The photos come in a set of two originals and are printed on high quality glossy photo paper at 600 pixels per inch. 2×2 pictures are done on a walk-in basis, no need to call first!
International Photos
Photos that fall outside of the above range are special requirement photos and require an appointment as the head size must be more carefully measured and the photo must be cut at the exact specifications. Examples include passport or visas photos for the UK and Ireland (45×35 mm), or Canadian (50×70 mm) passport photos.These pictures are generally taken three days per week, when the photographer is in. Please call the office to set up an appointment and inquire about prices.
Getting to Us
We are close to the corner of 14th. and K Street, a short block to McPherson Square metro station. There are plenty of street parking and garages. Sign in at the front desk and take the elevator to the 6th. floor.
Photo Requirements
- Your photo needs to be taken in color
- 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) in size
- It needs to be printed on high quality glossy or matte photo paper
- The head must be between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches (between 25 and 35 mm) from the top of the head to the bottom of the chin.
- To reflect your appearance, it must be taken within the last 6 months
- Taken in front of an off-white or plain white background
- Taken in full-face view directly facing the camera (no “selfies” or headshots)
- Taken with a neutral facial expression (or a slight natural smile), with both eyes open
- Wear clothing that you normally wear on a daily basis
- Uniforms, clothing that looks like a uniform, and camouflage attire are unacceptable except in the case of religious attire that is worn daily.
- Only wear a hat or head covering if it is worn daily for religious purposes. Your full face must be visible and your head covering cannot obscure your hairline or cast shadows on your face.
- Headphones, wireless hands-free devices or similar items are not acceptable in your photo.
- Eyeglasses must not be worn – Effective November 1st, 2016
- The U.S. Department of State provides photo examples here
- Without eyeglasses
How to Make a Digital Copy of Your Photo
We are unable to offer digital copies. Regrettably, the special equipment we use sends the master directly to the passport photo printer via Bluetooth. We provide customers with two masters in a set at 600 DPI / 600 PPI. That is well above the standard resolution (300) needed for digital copies. For instance, the U.S. Department of State requires a resolution of 300.
Luckily it is very easy to make a digital copy of your photo yourself.
- Scan your photo at 300 DPI (dots per inch) or 300 PPI (pixels per inch) or higher in jpg format. This is generally default setting for most scanners.
- Use the photo tool provided by the U.S. Department of State. Choose “Crop photo” and then “Save photo.”
Due to network security issues and customer privacy our office scanner is not available for public use. FedEx and most libraries offer scanning services.
Non-U.S. Photos
It is best to check with the consular services section of your government’s website if you are unsure of the current photo requirements. It is best to bring your requirements to our office with you if it is a country we do not take pictures for often as this will help when we measure the head size and trim the photo. Below are some of the most common special photos we take.