United States reentry permit and Form I-131 travel documents photo requirements
The 2 × 2 in photo rules set by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for the United States reentry permit and Form I-131 travel documents, with the official wording and sources.
Quick answer
What size is the United States reentry permit and Form I-131 travel documents photo?
Form I-131 asks for two identical colour 2 x 2 inch photos with an Advance Parole Document or TPS travel authorization request filed in the United States, and with a refugee travel document filed from outside the United States. Reentry permits, and refugee travel documents filed in the United States, list no photos; applicants aged 14 to 79 may be called for biometrics instead.
These rules come from the USCIS instructions for Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records (edition 01/20/25). At a biometric services appointment, USCIS takes fingerprints, a photograph and a signature, so there is nothing to print.
For a reentry permit you must be physically present in the United States when you file and when you complete the biometrics requirement. You can ask for the permit to be sent to a U.S. embassy, consulate or USCIS office abroad for pickup, but only if you request it when you file.
United States reentry permit and Form I-131 travel documents photo size and specifications
The requirements as published by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):[1]
| Print size | 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) |
|---|---|
| Digital size | Digital prints must come from a camera with at least 3.5 megapixels |
| Head height | 1 to 1 3/8 inches, from the top of the hair to the bottom of the chin |
| Eye line | 1 1/8 to 1 3/8 inches above the bottom of the photo |
| Background | White to off-white |
| Colour | Colour |
| Photo age | Taken recently (no age limit stated in the I-131 instructions) |
| Print quality | Thin paper with a glossy finish, unmounted and unretouched |
| Pixels when printed | 600 × 600 px at 300 dpi · 1200 × 1200 px at 600 dpi (calculated) |
Key requirements
- Reentry permit (green card holders)
No photos listed. File while you are in the United States and complete biometrics at your local Application Support Center.
- Refugee travel document
Filed in the U.S.: no photos listed; if USCIS requires biometrics, attend before you leave the country. Filed from outside the U.S.: two identical photos, and you may also need to give biometrics at a U.S. embassy, consulate or USCIS international office.
- Advance parole and TPS travel
Two identical photos when filed in the U.S. Military parole in place also lists two identical photos in its evidence.
- Initial parole from abroad, re-parole, other parole in place
No photos listed in the photo section. Applicants aged 14 to 79 must give biometrics.
- Biometrics ages
For refugee travel documents, re-parole, parole in place and reentry permits, applicants aged 14 to 79 may need to give biometrics; for initial parole from abroad, re-parole and parole in place, applicants in that age range must. USCIS writes to tell you the time and place.
- Labelling
Lightly print your name and A-Number (if any) on the back in pencil or felt pen.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Provide two identical colour passport-style photos where photos are required.
- Use a white to off-white background and a full-face frontal view.
- Print on thin glossy photo paper from a camera image of at least 3.5 megapixels, unmounted.
- Label the back with your name and A-Number (if any).
Don't
- Do not retouch or mount the photos.
- Do not wear a head covering unless it is required by your religious denomination.
Sample photos
How a United States reentry permit and Form I-131 travel documents photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 2 × 2 in and background colour.
Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.
Glasses
The I-131 instructions do not mention glasses.
Headwear and religious dress
Head bare, unless you wear headwear required by your religious denomination.
Babies and children
Biometrics age ranges apply (14 to 79); the instructions give no separate child photo rules.
Printed and digital photos
Two printed photos on thin glossy paper. Digital prints are accepted if from a camera of at least 3.5 megapixels, because of the USCIS scanning process. If filing online (TPS travel authorization and certain advance parole categories), follow the evidence prompts in your USCIS account; reentry permits and refugee travel documents must be filed on paper.
Where to submit the photo
File Form I-131 with USCIS on paper (reentry permits and refugee travel documents) or online for TPS travel authorization and certain advance parole categories. For refugee travel documents, check the filing addresses carefully, as misfiled applications are delayed and may be rejected or denied.
How to get your United States reentry permit and Form I-131 travel documents photo
- Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the United States reentry permit and Form I-131 travel documents: 2 × 2 in print, white to off-white background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
- Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: reentry permit (green card holders); refugee travel document; advance parole and TPS travel; initial parole from abroad, re-parole, other parole in place.
- Prepare a print or digital file. Two printed photos on thin glossy paper. Digital prints are accepted if from a camera of at least 3.5 megapixels, because of the USCIS scanning process.
- Submit the photo with your application. File Form I-131 with USCIS on paper (reentry permits and refugee travel documents) or online for TPS travel authorization and certain advance parole categories.
United States reentry permit and Form I-131 travel documents photo FAQ
No photos are listed for reentry permits in the Form I-131 instructions. You must be in the United States when you file and complete the biometrics requirement: USCIS tells you in writing when to go to your local Application Support Center.
Only if you file from outside the United States. If you apply from inside the country, as the instructions advise, no photos are listed; instead, you may be called for biometrics, and you must attend before you leave.
Yes. If you are in the United States and file Form I-131 for an Advance Parole Document, send two identical colour passport-style photos, 2 x 2 inches. The same applies to TPS travel authorization.
The instructions say applicants aged 14 to 79 for a refugee travel document, re-parole, parole in place or a reentry permit may need to give biometrics, and applicants aged 14 to 79 for initial parole from abroad, re-parole or parole in place must. USCIS or the State Department tells you where to go.
Yes, with a condition. Because of USCIS's scanning process, a digital photo must come from a camera with at least 3.5 megapixels of resolution.
For some document types. USCIS lists TPS travel authorization and certain advance parole categories as available online, while reentry permits and refugee travel documents must be filed on paper.
Related photo specifications
Other United States documents
- Passport photo 2 × 2 in
- U.S. passport card photo 2 × 2 in
- DV lottery photo 2 × 2 in
- Visa photo 2 × 2 in
- REAL ID driver's licence or ID card photo
- Employment authorization photo 2 × 2 in
- Green card photo 2 × 2 in
- Citizenship photo 2 × 2 in
- Global entry and TSA PreCheck photo
- NY MTA MetroCard for seniors photo 1.5 × 2 in
- New york pistol licence photo 1.5 × 1.5 in
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- All United States photo specifications
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- Photo specifications in North America
Official sources
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Form I-131 Instructions (photographs and biometrics) uscis.gov. Checked 29 October 2026.
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Form I-131, Application for Travel Documents, Parole Documents, and Arrival/Departure Records uscis.gov. Checked 29 October 2026.
Requirements can change, so always confirm with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.
Cite this page
"United States reentry permit and Form I-131 travel documents photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/united-states/reentry-permit-photo