Free Passport Photo Checker — ICAO 9303 Compliance Test
Upload your photo and get a free ICAO 9303 compliance report — multiple ICAO 9303 metrics, pass/fail per check. Runs in your browser, nothing uploaded.
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How it works
- 1Crop & size: frame the photo so the head fills 70–80% of the height (ICAO 9303). Use a 35×45 mm aspect for most countries; 2×2 inch (51×51 mm) for the US.
- 2Background: use a plain, uniform, light-coloured wall (white or pale grey). No patterns, no shadows, no other people or objects in frame.
- 3Head position: face the camera squarely, head straight (no tilt, no turn). Eyes on the same horizontal line; centred between the frame edges.
Why passport photos get rejected — top 7 reasons
- Wrong head size — the head must fill 70–80% of the frame height (varies by country).
- Eye line off-target — eyes must sit 55–70% from the bottom of the frame.
- Background not uniform — even slight gradients or shadows are detected.
- Lighting unevenness — shadows on one side of the face cause rejection.
- Glasses glare or reflective lenses obscuring the eyes.
- Smile, open mouth, or any non-neutral expression.
- Photo too old (>6 months) or too low resolution (<600×600 px).
Country-specific specs — when ICAO 9303 isn't enough
United States requires 2×2 inches (51×51 mm), head 50–69% of frame height, pure white background, no glasses. US passport spec.
Schengen visa photo is 35×45 mm, head 70–80%, light grey or off-white background, glasses with no glare allowed. Schengen visa spec.
United Kingdom wants 35×45 mm digital, head height 29–34 mm, light grey or cream background, neutral expression. UK passport spec.
Germany Reisepass: 35×45 mm, head 32–36 mm tall, light grey neutral background, no smile. German passport spec.
Frequently asked
Which countries does this checker work for?
Every country that issues ICAO-compliant biometric documents — that's effectively all 193 UN member states. The default thresholds match ICAO 9303 (the universal baseline); pick your specific document to load the country's exact head-height / eye-line bands.
What does ICAO 9303 mean?
ICAO 9303 is the International Civil Aviation Organization's specification for machine-readable travel documents — passports, visas and ID cards. It defines exact requirements for the photo: head height proportion, eye line position, background colour, lighting evenness, expression neutrality. Most countries adopt ICAO 9303 directly or with local additions. Compliance with this baseline means your photo will likely be accepted by the majority of authorities worldwide. It's the closest thing to a universal passport-photo standard.
If it passes here, will the embassy accept the photo?
Geometry and quality, yes — those are deterministic measurements against ICAO 9303 thresholds. But many authorities also check editorial details we can't measure (recent date, no edit history, neutral background even when uniform). Our score is a strong signal, not an official approval.
Need a fully compliant photo, not just a check?
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