Photos

Please note that applicants for a U.S. passport have to submit one passport photo. There is a photo booth inside the Consular Section waiting area, which produces US passport photos the required size and format, and may be used by applicants with passport appointments. The cost is 30 lei for a set of six photos. Please bring the exact amount. The machine does not give change and the consular staff cannot break a large bill for you. If you wish to use a different photo service, please note that the following minimum requirements must be met or your application will not be processed.

Your photos must be:

Printed on matte or glossy photo quality paper.
Size of photo
- 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) in size
- Size of head must be between 1 -1 3/8 inches (25 – 35 mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head.
- View the Photo Composition Template for more size requirement details.
Recent, taken in the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance.
Background must be plain white or off-white.
Head must be directly facing the camera with your full face in view.
Taken with a neutral facial expression or a natural smile, with both eyes open.
In color.
Taken in clothing that you normally wear on a daily basis.
No hats or head coverings, unless you wear it daily for religious purposes. Your full face must be visible and your head covering cannot cast shadows on your face.
No headphones or wireless hands-free devices.
You may wear glasses if you have a medical issue such as recent surgery requiring eyeglasses to protect your eyes. If you must wear eye glasses for medical reasons, you’ll need to obtain and submit a signed statement with your application from a medical professional or health practitioner (such as a surgeon or ophthalmologist) in these cases. If you are wearing eyeglasses in the passport photo for medical reasons:
- The frames of the eyeglasses must not cover the eye(s).
- There must not be glare on eyeglasses that obscures the eye(s).
- There must not be shadows or refraction from the eyeglasses that obscures the eye(s).

Review the Photo Examples to see examples of acceptable and unacceptable photos. Photos copied or digitally scanned from driver’s licenses or other official documents are not acceptable. In addition, snapshots, magazine photos, low quality vending machine or mobile phone photos, and full-length photographs are not acceptable. There must not be any glare.