Mexican Passport Photo: Do You Need to Bring One to the Consulate?

The Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE) issues Mexican passports with a photo captured during your appointment. Passport offices and most consulates take a digital photo on site and print that image in the passport, so the photo you bring from home is usually not used.

The Consulate of Mexico in New York, for example, says no photos are required for a passport, and several other consulates abroad say the same. That is why PhotoForPass does not sell a Mexican passport photo. Paying for a photo that the consulate will not use is a waste of money.

What you can control is how you look on the day. The consulate photo follows the same basic rules a printed photo would: front-facing, no glasses, and your face fully uncovered.

A few offices have asked applicants to bring a printed photo. The clearest published spec we found is on the passport application form of the Consulate of Mexico in San Diego, shown below.

Treat this as a guide, not a rule for every consulate. It comes from a single consulate form and may be out of date, so confirm with your consulate before you print anything. For children under 7, some consulates have accepted a pediatrician's letter with a stamped photo, which is another detail to confirm locally.

Mexican passport services at US consulates are by appointment only. Consulates book them through MiConsulado, the SRE appointment system, which costs nothing to use. You can reach it online at citas.sre.gob.mx or by phone or WhatsApp.

What to bring

Requirements vary a little by consulate, so read your consulate's passport page before the appointment. Most lists include:

• Proof of Mexican nationality, such as an original Mexican birth certificate.
• A valid official photo ID. One consulate lists examples such as a foreign passport, a driver's license or a permanent resident card.
• Your previous Mexican passport if you are renewing. One consulate notes it must not be damaged or expired for more than 10 years.
• Payment of the fee, in the form your consulate accepts.

Minors have extra requirements, such as consent from parents or guardians, so check the list for children. Consulates also note that having an appointment does not guarantee you will receive a passport if documents are missing or not legible.

Since the photo is taken at the consulate, dress for it before you leave home. The official rules are short: face the camera, no glasses, and keep your head and face uncovered. The rest of these tips are practical habits that make a clean photo on a white background.

• Choose a darker top. A white or very pale top can blend into a white background. Navy, black, gray or a solid color works well.
• Leave glasses at home or in your bag. Glasses are not allowed in the photo.
• Keep your face clear. No hats, caps, headbands or hair over your eyes. Pull long hair back from your face.
• Keep it simple. Small jewelry is usually fine. Skip anything large or reflective near your face.
• Neutral expression. Look straight at the camera with your mouth closed.

A short check the week before saves a second trip. Work through these points once your MiConsulado appointment is confirmed.

1. Confirm the details. Check the date, time and consulate address in your appointment confirmation. Each person needs their own appointment.
2. Read your consulate's passport page. Look for its document list and for any note about photos. If it says nothing about photos, the photo is almost always taken on site.
3. Gather originals. Proof of Mexican nationality, a valid photo ID and your previous passport if you are renewing. Make sure names match across documents.
4. Check the fee. Find the current amount for the validity you want and the payment methods the consulate accepts.
5. Plan your outfit. A darker solid top, no glasses, and nothing on your head.
6. Children. Read the requirements for minors, including who must attend and what consent is needed.

Mexican passport fees are set by the Mexican government and posted in US dollars by each consulate. The amount depends on how many years of validity you choose, and the figures are updated from time to time.

Check your consulate's passport page for the current table before your appointment, and confirm which payment methods it accepts. We do not list amounts here because they change, and an outdated number could leave you short on the day.

Many Mexican nationals in the US also file US immigration forms, and those always need a photo you supply yourself: 2 x 2 inches on a white background. PhotoForPass makes these from a phone photo in about a minute, checked against the official US rules.

See the green card photo page for Form I-485 and other green card filings, the USCIS photo hub for naturalization and work permit forms, and the U.S. visa photo page for a DS-160. If you are a US citizen applying for a US passport, start at the U.S. passport photo page. For any other 2 x 2 need, use the 2x2 photo tool.