The One Color You Should Never Wear in a Passport Photo

"The issue comes down to the United States Department of State's for passport photos to have a white or off-white background. "Because the background must be white or off-white, wearing a white shirt can make you appear to blend into the background and make it hard to see your outline," says David Alwadish, founder and CEO of ItsEasy.com Passport & Visa Services. Alwadish explains that non-compliant photos are the top reason passport applications are suspended or put on hold by the Department of State."

"Instead of white, choose darker, solid colors that create a strong contrast against the light background. Travel + Leisure A-List advisor Laura Asilis recommends going for jewel tones or midrange colors as they tend to photograph best. Beyond avoiding white, it's recommended to steer clear of busy patterns entirely. While they're not explicitly banned by the State Department, stripes, prints, or graphics can create visual distractions and may interfere with photo processing systems."

Passport photos must have a white or off-white background, so wearing white can make subjects blend into the background and hide outlines. Non‑compliant photos are a leading cause of suspended passport applications and can extend processing times by weeks. Clear contrast between the subject and background supports customs officers and facial‑recognition systems at border crossings. Applicants should wear darker, solid colors—jewel tones or midrange colors photograph well—and avoid busy patterns, stripes, prints, or graphics that can distract or interfere with processing. Uniforms and camouflage are prohibited unless traveling on official government business. Excessive accessories should also be avoided.

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