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.

What if my photo fails some checks?

Each failed metric tells you exactly what to fix — head too low means move closer to the camera, background too noisy means use a plain wall, tilt too high means straighten your head. Most failures are fixable in a retake with the same camera. If you can't fix it yourself — bad lighting at home, messy room, no plain wall — Anfas.Pro's paid generator (€4.99) automatically corrects framing, lighting and background while preserving your face. The free checker shows what's wrong; the paid tool fixes it for you.

Whose standards does this checker use, and how accurate are they?

We measure your photo against the ICAO 9303 specification (the international machine-readable travel document standard adopted by 193 UN member states) and, for US applications, the State Department's photo rules under 22 CFR 51.27. Geometric checks — head height, eye line, tilt, centering — are deterministic against published numeric thresholds, so a green result means your photo meets the public criteria. Final acceptance still rests with the issuing authority's reviewer, since some editorial checks (recent date, post-processing history) can't be measured automatically. Your photo is analysed locally in your browser — nothing is uploaded.

Can I wear glasses or a head covering?

For most countries, glasses are allowed if the eyes are clearly visible without glare (US passport rules since November 2016 forbid glasses entirely; UK and Schengen still allow them as long as there are no reflections on the lenses). Religious head coverings are permitted in virtually all countries provided the face from forehead to chin is fully visible. This checker measures the face geometry — it doesn't enforce country-specific clothing rules. See your destination's official requirements for the final say on accessories.