passport-boothI’ve recommended websites, apps and even stores (Costco and AAA) in the past for cheap passport photos, but Passport Booth might take the cake. The ratings are high, reviews are raving and a reader recommended it to me. What else can one ask for?

Passport Booth is a free app that provides passport and visa photos cheap, and in some cases, free (if you have the right printer and paper). Otherwise, you can print cheaply at a local drugstore or pharmacy ($0.50 or less) or get professional prints shipped for only $5.96. Orders are usually delivered 7-9 business days or less (United States only).

Passport Booth disables the flash to help prevent shadows, which is one of the most common problems people have taking these photos. All you need is an iPhone or Android (5.0 or later). They have instructions to help guide you and a silhouette shows you where to place your face and eyes. There’s also a timer that can be turned on or off to help you get ready for your photo and reduce camera shake.

It also works great for baby and child photos since you can re-take as many pics as you need for free. In fact, you can use the app for:

  • United States passports & passport cards
  • Foreign tourist visas for any country
  • Immigration cards, green cards, citizenship, naturalization applications
  • Baby and child passport photos and visa photos
  • Work permits/visas (H1B, F1, J1 + more)
  • ID photo
  • Government ID
  • Student ID
  • School/study abroad applications

Their tips for the best results are below:

  • Use a plain white background (a whiteboard works great!).
  • Does your photo have shadows? Take 1 step AWAY from the wall. Avoid bright lights directly in front of you.
  • Ask a friend to take your photo using the back camera (selfies are often lower in quality).
  • No glasses! Glasses must be removed for your passport photo.
  • Look straight and do not smile (a neutral expression is best).

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