Digital Passport Photo for MyTravelGov

Renewing your passport online? Here's exactly what you need to know about digital photo requirements—and why your iPhone photo might get rejected.

Quick Answer

MyTravelGov requires a square JPEG (600-1200px), 54KB-10MB, in sRGB color profile. iPhone photos use Display P3 by default, which often causes upload failures.

Digital, Electronic, or Online Passport Photo?

You might see different terms used—digital passport photo, electronic passport photo, or online passport photo. They all mean the same thing: a photo file you upload to MyTravelGov for online passport renewal, rather than a printed photo you submit in person.

The key difference from a printed photo? The file must meet specific technical requirements (format, dimensions, color profile) that many smartphone photos don't meet out of the box.

Who Needs a Digital Passport Photo?

Online Renewal (Digital Photo)

You need a digital photo if:

  • Renewing via MyTravelGov online portal
  • Your current passport is less than 15 years old
  • You were 16+ when your current passport was issued

In-Person Application (Printed Photo)

You need printed photos if:

  • Applying for first passport
  • Your passport was lost or stolen
  • Applying at a passport acceptance facility

MyTravelGov Photo Requirements

Requirement Value
File Format JPEG (.jpg or .jpeg)
File Size 54 KB to 10 MB
Dimensions 600×600 to 1200×1200 pixels
Color Profile sRGB
Aspect Ratio 1:1 (square)

Source: U.S. Department of State — Passport Photos

The iPhone Color Profile Problem

Why iPhone Photos Often Fail

iPhones capture photos in Display P3 color profile by default. MyTravelGov requires sRGB. This mismatch causes the cryptic "image could not be processed" error—even if your photo looks perfect.

What is Display P3?

Display P3 is a wider color gamut used by Apple devices. It captures more vibrant colors than standard sRGB, but many government systems don't support it—causing upload failures.

The Fix

You need to convert your photo from Display P3 to sRGB. Our tool does this automatically—no manual conversion needed.

Convert your photo now →

Common Upload Errors and How to Fix Them

"Image could not be processed"

Cause: Wrong color profile (Display P3 instead of sRGB)

How we help: Automatically converts to sRGB color profile

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"File format not supported"

Cause: HEIC/HEIF format from iPhone

How we help: Outputs compliant JPEG format

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"Image dimensions invalid"

Cause: Photo is not square or outside 600-1200px range

How we help: Crops to exact 1200×1200 pixels (within required range)

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"File size too large/small"

Cause: Outside 54KB-10MB range

How we help: Optimizes file size automatically

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"Photo does not meet requirements"

Cause: Background, head size, or other compliance issue

How we help: Validates against all official requirements

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Why Our Tool Works for MyTravelGov

We specifically designed our output to meet MyTravelGov's technical requirements:

  • sRGB color profile—automatically converted from Display P3
  • 1200×1200 pixel output—high resolution within required range
  • JPEG format—optimized file size within limits
  • Background removal—clean white background
Create Your Digital Photo — $1

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