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UK passport photo requirements

UK passport photo: size and rules

As of October 25, 2026, a printed UK passport photo is 45 mm high by 35 mm wide with a 29 to 34 mm head; digital ones need at least 600 x 750 pixels. Both must be under a month old (per gov.uk, checked on Oct 25, 2026).

The online rules of HM Passport Office call for a digital passport photo in color, without effects or filters, and unedited.

HM Passport Office lists two ways to get a digital passport photo: a code from a photo booth or shop, or a photo taken on the applicant’s own device during the application.

Updated Rules checked against gov.ukHow we check

Measured drawing: UK passport photo35 mm45 mm34 mm29 mmchin31.5 mm, our target
UK passport photo. Printed size 35 x 45 mm. Head 29 to 34 mm, measured from the chin to the top of the head. The coral dot is where our tool places the top of the head (70% of the height).

UK passport photo at a glance

Printed size
35 x 45 mmgov.uk
Head height
29–34 mmgov.uk
Digital size
At least 600 x 750 pxgov.uk
Digital photo file
50 KB to 10 MBgov.uk
Background
Plain cream or light gray (printed); plain light color (digital)gov.uk
Glasses
Only if needed; no tint, no glaregov.uk
Taken within
The last monthgov.uk
Prints needed
2 identical photosgov.uk

Questions people ask

What size is a UK passport photo?

A printed UK passport photo is 45 mm high and 35 mm wide, the size UK photo booths produce, and it cannot be trimmed from a larger picture. From the crown to the chin, the head must measure 29 to 34 mm.

HM Passport Office’s guidance for photographers puts the crown at the top of the head, not the top of the hair. A digital photo is measured in pixels instead: at least 600 wide and 750 tall.

Sources: gov.uk (pages 1, 2, 3)

What are the rules for a digital UK passport photo?

At least 600 x 750 pixels and 50 KB to 10 MB, in color, in focus, unaltered by software and taken in the last month.

Get it with a code from a photo booth or shop, or take it on your own device during the online application with someone helping. On your own device, include your head, shoulders and upper body and leave it uncropped: the passport service crops it for you.

Source: gov.uk

What background does a UK passport photo need?

Printed photos: plain cream or light gray, in clear contrast to you. Digital photos: any plain light color, with no texture, patterns, objects or shadows behind you.

HM Passport Office examiners accept shades of white such as cream, ivory or vanilla, and light gray. Standing about 50 cm (1.5 feet) from the wall helps keep shadows off the background.

Sources: gov.uk (pages 1, 2) · passport.service.gov.uk (pages 1, 2)

Can you edit a UK passport photo?

The rule applicants read is no: the photo must be unaltered by computer software, with no effects or filters, and HM Passport Office says a passport photo cannot be “corrected.”

The examiners’ guidance leaves a little room: a background edited only to remove shadows or marks can pass if the person’s image is untouched. Retouched faces, hairlines or blemishes, and mirror-image photos, are rejected.

Sources: passport.service.gov.uk · gov.uk (pages 1, 2)

What are the rules for a baby’s UK passport photo?

The child must be alone, with no toys and no pacifier. Under 6, the child does not need to look straight at the camera or keep a plain expression; under one, the eyes may be closed.

Lay a baby on a plain light-colored sheet and shoot from above. A hand can support the head, but it must stay out of the photo.

Sources: gov.uk (pages 1, 2)

Common reasons a photo is turned down

  1. HM Passport Office warns that a passport application is delayed when the photos break the rules. gov.uk
  2. HM Passport Office names an accidental smile as a common mistake, along with hair in the way, shadows on the face, glasses covering the eyes, glare on glasses and blurry photos. passport.service.gov.uk
  3. Photos that are blurry, too dark or too light do not give HM Passport Office a clear image of the applicant and are rejected. gov.uk

Every rule, with its source

Size and head position

  • HM Passport Office requires printed UK passport photos that measure 45 mm high by 35 mm wide, the standard size of UK photo booths. gov.uk
  • In a printed UK passport photo, the image of the head must be 29 to 34 mm tall from the crown to the chin. gov.uk
  • HM Passport Office does not take a printed passport photo that is a cut-down version of a larger picture. gov.uk
  • The HM Passport Office guidance for photographers places the crown at the top of the head, not the top of the hair, when the 29 to 34 mm face size is checked. gov.uk
  • For a digital UK passport photo taken at home, HM Passport Office suggests standing 50 cm (1.5 feet) from the background, with the photographer 1.5 m (5 feet) away. passport.service.gov.uk

Background

  • Printed UK passport photos need a plain cream or light gray background that contrasts clearly with the applicant. gov.uk
  • For digital UK passport photos, HM Passport Office asks for a plain light-colored background with no texture, pattern, objects or shadows behind the applicant. passport.service.gov.uk
  • HM Passport Office examiners accept any plain light background color, including shades of white such as cream, ivory or vanilla, and light gray. gov.uk

Glasses, head coverings and clothing

  • In a UK passport photo the applicant faces forward and looks straight at the camera, with a plain expression, closed mouth and open eyes. gov.uk
  • HM Passport Office asks applicants to skip glasses unless they must wear them; sunglasses and tinted lenses are refused, and frames, glare, reflections or shadows must not cover the eyes. gov.uk
  • A head covering is allowed in a UK passport photo only for religious or medical reasons. gov.uk
  • HM Passport Office examiners turn down head coverings worn for cultural reasons, such as a fez, keffiyeh, headdress or cowboy hat. gov.uk
  • Earphones, earbuds and over-the-head headphones get a UK passport photo rejected, while visible hearing aids are fine. gov.uk
  • HM Passport Office treats bare shoulders and military or school uniforms as acceptable in a passport photo. gov.uk

How recent

  • A UK passport photo must have been taken in the last month, and a new passport calls for a new photo even if the applicant looks the same. gov.uk

Editing and filters

  • The online rules of HM Passport Office call for a digital passport photo in color, without effects or filters, and unedited. passport.service.gov.uk
  • HM Passport Office examiners may accept a photo whose background was edited only to remove shadows or marks, as long as the image of the applicant is not affected. gov.uk
  • Facial retouching, such as changing the hairline, removing blemishes or resizing features, leads HM Passport Office examiners to reject a photo. gov.uk
  • HM Passport Office does not accept mirror-image passport photos, flipped left to right, because they can cause trouble at border control. gov.uk

Digital file

  • A digital UK passport photo must be at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall, with a file size from 50 KB to 10 MB. gov.uk
  • HM Passport Office wants the digital passport photo to be clear, in focus, in color and unaltered by computer software. gov.uk
  • A UK passport photo taken on the applicant’s own device should include the head, shoulders and upper body and stay uncropped, because the passport service crops it. gov.uk
  • Photo booths and shops that issue a UK passport photo code host a JPEG of 50 KB to 10 MB, ideally 3 MB, for HM Passport Office to retrieve. passport.service.gov.uk

Printed photo

  • A paper UK passport application needs 2 identical printed photos. gov.uk
  • Printed UK passport photos must be professionally printed, in color on plain white photographic paper with no border, and free of creases or tears. gov.uk
  • HM Passport Office examiners refuse passport photos printed on glossy or textured paper, which can cause haze and glare on screen. gov.uk
  • When a countersignature is needed, only one of the two UK passport photos is signed on the back and the other stays blank. gov.uk
  • Photos mailed with a UK passport application go in separated and loose, not attached to the form. gov.uk
  • HM Passport Office does not accept black and white passport photos, digital or printed. gov.uk

Babies and children

  • Children must be alone in a UK passport photo, and babies cannot hold toys or use pacifiers. gov.uk
  • Children under 6 do not have to look straight at the camera or keep a plain expression in a UK passport photo. gov.uk
  • For babies under one, HM Passport Office does not require open eyes, and a parent’s hand may support the head as long as it does not show. gov.uk
  • HM Passport Office suggests laying a baby under one on a plain light-colored sheet and taking the digital photo from above. gov.uk

Where photos come from

  • HM Passport Office lists two ways to get a digital passport photo: a code from a photo booth or shop, or a photo taken on the applicant’s own device during the application. gov.uk
  • According to HM Passport Office, photos from a booth or shop are more likely to be approved than photos taken on the applicant’s own device. gov.uk
  • Taking a digital UK passport photo during the online application requires a second person to help. gov.uk
  • HM Passport Office examiners can accept a selfie, such as a photo taken with a phone held at arm’s length, if it meets the other photo standards. gov.uk

Who reviews the photo

  • HM Passport Office checks every photo it receives, including those retrieved with a photo code, against the rules for UK passports. passport.service.gov.uk
  • Applicants who cannot meet the UK passport photo rules for a religious or medical reason can still use the photo and explain the circumstances when they submit it. passport.service.gov.uk
  • An HM Passport Office examiner makes the call to accept or reject a passport photo flagged for a quality check. gov.uk

FAQ

How many photos do I need for a UK passport?

Two identical printed photos when you apply with a paper form. When you apply online, you need a digital photo instead, either from a booth or shop with a photo code or taken on your own device. Source: official pages "Get a passport photo: Printed photos" and "Get a passport photo: Digital photos", checked on Oct 25, 2026.

Can I smile in a UK passport photo?

No. HM Passport Office asks for a plain expression with the mouth closed. Children under 6 are the exception and do not need a plain expression. Source: official pages "Get a passport photo: Printed photos" and "Rules for digital passport photos", checked on Oct 25, 2026.

Can I take my UK passport photo at home?

Yes, for an online application, with someone taking it for you against a plain light wall and without cropping it. HM Passport Office notes that photos from a booth or shop are more likely to be approved. Source: official pages "Get a passport photo: Digital photos" and "How to take a digital passport photo", checked on Oct 25, 2026.

Is SelfieToPassport HM Passport Office?

No. SelfieToPassport is not affiliated with HM Passport Office or any other government agency. HM Passport Office publishes the photo rules for free at gov.uk; this page links to each one.

Does SelfieToPassport replace the background of a UK passport photo?

We crop and resize your original photo and never replace or repaint the background. If the wall does not pass the check, the tool asks for a new photo and tells you how to fix the light or the wall.

Ready? Free preview with the measurements drawn on your photo; $6.95 for the digital file and both print sheets.

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Where this information comes from

Every rule on this page comes from a page published by HM Passport Office, 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.

Something here out of date? Tell us and we will check it against the official page.