The short version
- SelfieToPassport: a 1430 x 1902 px Passport Online JPEG from a phone photo, free preview, $6.95.
- Make the photo at least 715 pixels wide and 951 pixels high.
- Save it as a JPEG of 9 MB or less, with no visible compression artefacts.
- Have someone else take it: selfies are not accepted.
- Frame yourself from the head down to mid torso.
- Stand in front of a plain light grey, white or cream background, with no objects behind you.
- Use a colour photo from the last six months, not digitally enhanced or changed.
- Clear glasses are fine if there is no glare; dark glasses are not.
The file rules for the Passport Online photo
Every online application for a Passport Book or Passport Card, adult renewals included, uses a digital photo. The file has to be a JPEG, at least 715 x 951 pixels and no larger than 9 MB.
Start from the original camera file: the photo must not show compression loss or artefacts, so avoid screenshots and heavily compressed copies.
The rules
- Renewing an adult Irish passport through Passport Online calls for a digital photo that meets the Department of Foreign Affairs photo guidelines. ireland.ie
- Any online application for an Irish Passport Book or Passport Card is made with a digital photo. ireland.ie
- The digital photo for an Irish passport has to be at least 715 pixels wide and 951 pixels high. ireland.ie
- An Irish passport photo file uploaded online can be no larger than 9 MB. ireland.ie
- Passport Online accepts the photo only as a JPEG file. ireland.ie
- The Irish passport photo file must be free of compression loss and compression artefacts. ireland.ie
Who can take the photo
Someone else has to take it, because selfies are not accepted. A participating photo booth can also give you a code that adds the photo to the application.
The photo must be in colour and from the last six months, even though the passport prints it in black and white.
The rules
- Selfies are not accepted for an Irish passport application online, so another person has to take the picture. ireland.ie
- A participating photo booth can hand an Irish passport applicant a code that pulls the photo into the online application. ireland.ie
- The Irish Passport Service requires a photo taken within the last six months, citing the International Civil Aviation Organisation. ireland.ie
- Ireland asks for a colour photo even though the passport prints it in black and white: the conversion happens during the application. ireland.ie
Framing, background, glasses and clothing
Frame from the head to mid torso, in front of a completely plain light grey, white or cream background with no door panels, plants or other objects.
Glasses can stay if the frames leave the eyes clear and there is no glare. Head coverings are for religious or medical reasons only, and uniforms or clothing with insignia are out.
The rules
- An Irish passport photo frames the applicant from the head down to the middle of the torso. ireland.ie
- The Irish Passport Service wants a completely plain background in light grey, white or cream, with enough contrast against the applicant. ireland.ie
- Door panels, plants and other objects must not show behind an Irish passport applicant. ireland.ie
- Glasses may stay on in an Irish passport photo if the frames leave the eyes uncovered and the lenses show no glare; dark glasses are refused. ireland.ie
- Irish passport photos allow a head covering only for religious or medical reasons, with the full face visible, and no other head accessories. ireland.ie
- Civil or military uniforms and clothing with insignia are not permitted in an Irish passport photo. ireland.ie
- An Irish passport photo may not be digitally enhanced or changed in any way. ireland.ie
The review after upload, and photos of babies
Passing the upload is not the last check. Passport Service staff review the photo once the system accepts it and contact you if it does not meet the guidelines.
A baby who cannot sit up is photographed lying on a plain white surface, with no soother in the mouth.
The rules
- Passport Service staff review the photo once the online system has accepted it, and contact the applicant if it falls short of the guidelines. ireland.ie
- An infant who cannot sit up is photographed lying on a plain white surface for an Irish passport. ireland.ie
- A soother or pacifier has to come out of a child’s mouth for the Irish passport photo, because it can hide facial features. ireland.ie
How to fix the photo
SelfieToPassport crops and resizes the photo in your browser and saves it as a JPEG. It does not retouch the face or change the background, and you see the result in a free preview before you pay $6.95.
- Retake the photo with someone else holding the camera, against a plain light grey, white or cream wall.
- Frame from the head down to mid torso, with no objects behind you.
- Resize to 1430 x 1902 pixels, above the 715 x 951 minimum, and save as a JPEG.
- Check that the file is 9 MB or less.
- Upload it in Passport Online.
FAQ
What size is the Irish passport photo for Passport Online?
At least 715 pixels wide and 951 pixels high, as a JPEG of 9 MB or less. Source: official page "Photo Guidelines For Passports", checked on Nov 3, 2026.
Can I take a selfie for my Irish passport application online?
No. Selfies are not accepted. Someone else has to take the photo, or you can use a participating photo booth that gives you a code for the application. Source: official page "Photo Guidelines For Passports", checked on Nov 3, 2026.
Should my Irish passport photo be in black and white?
No. Upload a colour photo; it is converted to black and white during the application. Source: official page "Photo Guidelines For Passports", checked on Nov 3, 2026.
What happens after Passport Online accepts my photo?
Passport Service staff review it, and if it does not meet the guidelines they contact you. Source: official page "Photo Guidelines For Passports", checked on Nov 3, 2026.
Where this information comes from
Every rule on this page comes from a page published by the U.S. Department of State and the companies named, read on the date shown. We rewrite each rule in plain words and link to the page it came from. Each rule has a review deadline; one that passes it without a new check comes off the page.
- Renew Or Replace Your Adult Passport ireland.ie · checked Nov 3, 2026
- Photo Guidelines For Passports ireland.ie · checked Nov 3, 2026
Something here out of date? Tell us and we will check it against the official page.