head 64–76 %no glasses
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceHM Passport Office
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended UK BN(O) passport photo size is 35 × 45 mm. Plain light background in cream or grey tone without patterns. Head occupies 64–76% of photo height (29–34 mm chin to crown). Neutral expression, better without glasses. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 64–76% of photo heightICAO 9303: 70–80% |
| Head height (mm) | 29–34 mm chin to crownICAO 9303: 32–36 mm |
| Background | Plain light background in cream or grey tone without patterns. |
| Pose | Full face, filling as much of the frame as possible without cropping. |
| Expression | Neutral expression; the applicant must be recognisable. |
| Glasses | No reflections or tinting; remove glasses if there is a risk of reflections. See full rules → |
| Lighting | No digital enhancements, shadows, or print artefacts. |
| Head covering | Religious or medical reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Neutral clothing without uniform or distracting accessories. |
| Digital resolution | 600 × 750 px |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| Millimetres | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 3.5 × 4.5 cm |
| Inches | 1.38 × 1.77″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 413 × 531 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 827 × 1063 px |
UK passport photos go through two sequential checks. First, a human reviewer confirms physical dimensions, background and general composition. Second, an automated biometric face-match system compares the submitted image against the ICAO 9303 template — the international standard used in chip-based passports worldwide. The automated layer catches what human eyes often miss: head tilts below five degrees, eye-line offsets of a few pixels, and uneven shoulder positioning that throws off the centring algorithm.
The passport photo is embedded digitally into the travel document and stays bound to it for the full validity period — typically five or ten years depending on the applicant's age. A photo that barely passes at submission tends to produce poor biometric match scores during border-control checks years later, leading to secondary screening. Submission routes that print directly into the booklet require higher digital resolution than routes that scan a printed copy, because no interpolation can recover detail that was never captured.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for UK BN(O) passport applications. These are the differences that most often determine whether a document photo is accepted.
How to take it
Background: cream or light grey
The tool puts in the required background. Stand half a metre from a plain light wall, face a window and shoot without flash — then there are no shadows on your face or on the wall.
Head: 64–76 % of the photo height (29–34 mm)
Camera at eye level, about a metre away; head and shoulders in the shot. The tool crops it to 35 × 45 mm.
Better without glasses
Take them off before the shot.
Neutral expression; the applicant must be recognisable
Look straight into the lens with your head level; keep hair away from your eyes and eyebrows.
An ordinary selfie will do: we fix the background, light and framing ourselves — to this document's rules. The preview is free.
Head straightHold the phone at eye level and your head straightens by itself.
Face uncoveredMove your hair away so your eyes and eyebrows show.
No glassesTake your glasses off — this document's rules require it.Printing and submission
| 10 × 15 cm · 4 × 6″ | 8 (4 × 2) |
|---|---|
| A4 · 21 × 29.7 cm | 36 (6 × 6) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
| Authority | HM Passport Office |
|---|---|
| Source | GOV.UK printed passport photo requirements |
| Verified |
Questions
The recommended size for the UK BN(O) passport photo is 35 × 45 mm. The head occupies 64–76% of the photo height. For digital upload, use 600 × 750 px.
Plain light background in cream or grey tone without patterns. No gradients, textures, shadows or objects behind the subject are permitted. The tool removes background shadows automatically, but starting with a flat, evenly lit wall gives the best result.
Yes. Stand in front of a flat, plain wall in good natural light, face the light source and use the rear camera of your phone with a 3-second timer. The tool handles the crop, background normalisation and compliance check against the UK biometric standard.
Most passport authorities require the photo to be taken within the last six months. Do not reuse an older portrait even if your appearance has not changed.
Anfas.Pro provides a 14-day full refund if the photo is rejected by the UK authority and you supply the official rejection notice. See the refund policy page for the exact process.
No reflections or tinting; remove glasses if there is a risk of reflections. In practice, the biometric scanner at submission points flags even minor lens glare that looks fine to the naked eye. Removing glasses before shooting is the only option that eliminates the risk entirely.
35 × 45 mm = 3.5 × 4.5 cm = 1.38 × 1.77 inches. At 300 dpi that is 413 × 531 pixels; at 600 dpi, 827 × 1063 pixels.
Religious or medical reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. The face must stay fully visible from chin to forehead and on both sides, with no shadow across it.
Yes. The same 35 × 45 mm format and head size apply to: driver's license, passport.