UK passport photo
35 × 45 mm printed photo and a digital file sized for the online form. Cropped and checked in your browser.
Your photo is processed in your browser and never uploaded. You can also drop a photo here.
Photo rules for the UK passport
- 35 × 45 mm
- At least 600 × 750 px, 50 KB to 10 MB
- Not stated (we use JPEG)
- 933 × 1200 px, JPEG
- 29–34 mm, chin to crown (printed photo)
- Printed: plain cream or light grey. Digital: plain, light-colored (we offer: light grey, cream)
- Only if you have to. No tinted glasses; no glare or frames over the eyes.
- 1 month
- For online applications, GOV.UK asks for an uncropped photo with head and upper body, taken by someone else. The service crops it.
- Printed photos: two identical photos, printed on plain white photo paper without a border.
- Photos must not be altered by software.
How to take a UK passport photo at home
- Stand about half a metre in front of a plain light wall. Face a window or a soft light. The UK passport needs a light grey or cream background; the tool can lighten or replace it if your wall is darker.
- Ask someone to take the photo from about 1.5 metres at eye level, or use the camera of your laptop. Look straight into the camera with a neutral expression and your mouth closed.
- If you can, take your glasses off. This avoids glare and reflections.
- Upload the photo above. The tool crops it so that the head size matches the rule (29–34 mm, chin to crown (printed photo)) and then checks the photo quality.
Digital file
For the online application you upload a JPEG of 933 × 1200 px, between 50 KB and 10 MB. The tool shows the file size before you download.
Printed photos
The print sheet holds several 35 × 45 mm photos on 4 × 6 in or 10 × 15 cm photo paper. Print it at 100% at home or at a photo shop and check the size with a ruler before you cut.
Questions about the UK passport photo
- What size is a UK passport photo?
- The printed photo is 35 × 45 mm. Head size: 29–34 mm, chin to crown (printed photo).
- What are the rules for the digital UK passport photo?
- At least 600 × 750 px, 50 KB to 10 MB. Our file is 933 × 1200 px in JPEG, and we keep the file size between 50 KB and 10 MB.
- Which background colour is needed?
- Printed: plain cream or light grey. Digital: plain, light-colored. The tool offers light grey or cream.
- Can I wear glasses?
- Only if you have to. No tinted glasses; no glare or frames over the eyes.
- How recent must the photo be?
- It must have been taken within the last 1 month.
- What does it cost?
- The tool and a preview with a watermark are free. The digital file and the print sheets without watermark cost $5.99, paid once.
- Will the authority accept my photo?
- The authority that issues your document decides. The tool checks the published rules, but it cannot see everything an officer checks. If the authority rejects your application with a photo you bought from us, we refund the full price. Ask within 90 days of the purchase. The exceptions are listed in our refund policy.