Can you wear makeup in a passport photo?

What the rules say

The State Department’s photo page doesn’t mention makeup at all. It does say that your face must be clearly visible, with your eyes open, and that you must not change the photo with software, phone apps or filters.

Jewelry and facial piercings are fine as long as they don’t hide your face.

Tips for the photo

These are tips, not rules:

• Look like you do day to day: the photo is used to recognise you
• Matte products photograph better than very shiny or glittery ones, which can reflect light
• Use soft, even light from a window, so there are no shadows on your face

Filters and beauty modes

Turn off beauty, portrait and smoothing modes on your phone before you take the photo. A filtered or retouched photo can be rejected. See what counts as editing.

The rules that do affect makeup

No rule bans makeup. But several photo rules shape how your face should look:

• True skin tones: the photo must reproduce your skin tones accurately, with uniform lighting on your face
• No reflections: the Foreign Affairs Manual says the lighting should be uniform, with no reflections on the face
• Visible eyes: both eyes open, with the colored parts clearly visible
• Right exposure: a photo that is too bright or too dim can be rejected
• No red-eye: the red-eye effect is not acceptable in passport photos

The passport page shows a blue-tinted photo and a purple skin filter as unacceptable examples.

Tattoos, face paint and decorations

You don’t need to hide tattoos. The Foreign Affairs Manual says tattoos and body modifications don’t need to be covered with clothing or makeup. They are permanent.

Temporary decorations are different. One-time facial decorations, such as a team logo painted on at a sporting event, are not acceptable.

Adding or removing many large facial piercings or tattoos counts as a big change in appearance. If that happens after your passport is issued, you may need a new passport.

Red-eye and retouching

The State Department’s visa photo FAQ says you can use your camera’s red-eye reduction when you take the photo. You can’t use editing tools to remove red-eye afterwards.

For online renewal, the State Department says not to use any filter or retouching tool to change your appearance. It checks all photos to make sure they were not digitally enhanced or altered.

PassportOwl never retouches your photo. It only crops and sizes the original.

Match how you look now

Your photo must be taken in the last 6 months and reflect your current appearance.

Everyday changes don’t mean you need a new passport. The State Department lists coloring your hair, growing a beard and normal aging as small changes.

Significant facial surgery or trauma, or significant weight loss or gain, are big changes. Then you may need to apply for a new passport.

Makeup in visa and DV lottery photos

The US visa photo page doesn’t mention makeup either. It does ban any digital edit that changes how you look.

The DV lottery is strict about edits. The DV-2026 instructions say photos that have been manipulated in any way can make you ineligible.

So one approach works for every US photo. Wear the makeup you normally wear, and don’t edit the photo afterwards.

Colored contacts and eye makeup

If your look includes colored contacts, the staff manual allows tinted and novelty lenses. They must not make your iris look larger or smaller. List your natural eye color on your form.

Your eyes must be open, with the colored parts clearly visible. Practical tip: keep heavy lashes and liner from hiding your eyes, and check the photo up close.

Questions