UK passport photo rules at a glance
These are HM Passport Office’s rules as published on GOV.UK, checked on 28 October 2026.
| Rule | Paper application | Online application |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 45 mm high × 35 mm wide | At least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall |
| Head | 29–34 mm from chin to crown | Shown with head, shoulders and upper body; do not crop |
| File | 2 identical printed photos | 50 KB to 10 MB, in colour |
| Background | Plain cream or light grey, clear contrast | Plain light-coloured, clear contrast |
| Age of photo | Taken in the last month | Taken in the last month |
| Glasses | Only if you have to; no sunglasses or tinted lenses | Same |
| Editing | Not a cut-down version of a larger picture | Unaltered by computer software |
Sources: GOV.UK photo requirements and rules for digital photos.
Paper forms: how the tool makes your print
The frame above is exactly 35 × 45 mm. The solid line marks the top of your head and the shaded band shows where your chin may sit so that your head is between 29 and 34 mm tall. The downloaded photo is 413 × 531 pixels tagged at 300 DPI, so it prints at exactly 35 × 45 mm.
For printing, download the 4 × 6 in sheet (several copies with thin cut lines) and order a standard 6 × 4 inch photo print from a high-street or online photo service, or print the A4 sheet on photo paper at home. Always print at 100% or “actual size”, never “fit to page”, then measure one photo with a ruler: it should be 35 mm wide.
GOV.UK also says photos must not be a cut-down version of a larger picture. In practice that means the print should look like a normal passport photo taken at the right distance, not a heavily zoomed crop of a group photo. Take a new, close photo for the best chance of acceptance.
Online applications: do not crop
The online passport service crops your photo itself. GOV.UK asks for a photo that shows your head, shoulders and upper body, taken against a plain light background, at least 600 × 750 pixels and between 50 KB and 10 MB. A normal phone photo meets the pixel and file size rules easily (a 12-megapixel photo is about 3024 × 4032 pixels and 2–5 MB).
So for an online application, use the check below the tool on your original photo rather than the cropped 35 × 45 mm version. If the check says the file is over 10 MB (some phones save very large files), make it smaller with Compress Image to KB using a 5 MB target. Do not use filters, beauty modes or background replacement for online photos, because the photo must be unaltered.
Taking the photo
- Background: plain cream or light grey wall, with you standing about half a metre in front of it so there is no shadow behind you.
- Light: even light from the front, for example facing a window. No shadows on your face.
- Camera: held by someone else at eye level, about 1.5 metres away. Selfies distort the face and often show an arm.
- You: facing forward, plain expression, mouth closed, eyes open and visible, hair away from your eyes, nothing covering your face. Head coverings only for religious or medical reasons.
- Children: must be alone in the photo. Babies under 1 do not need their eyes open, and children under 6 do not need to look at the camera or have a plain expression.
Worked example
A traveller renewing on paper takes a photo against a light grey hallway wall with a phone (3024 × 4032 pixels).
- They choose the photo and zoom so the crown touches the top line and the chin sits in the band. The head is now about 32 mm tall, in the middle of the 29–34 mm range.
- They download the 4 × 6 in sheet: it holds several copies.
- They order a 6 × 4 print, cut out two photos along the grey lines, and attach them to the form.
More photo tools
Travelling to Europe or the US as well? Schengen Visa Photo uses the same 35 × 45 mm size with a slightly larger head (32–36 mm), and US Visa Photo makes the square 2 × 2 inch photo. For other countries, use Passport Photo Maker. Everything runs in your browser: your photo is never uploaded.