head 64–76 %no glasses
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceHM Passport Office (Home Office), GOV.UK
Verified
Quick answer: A UK passport photo must be 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 |
A UK passport photo follows GOV.UK, and which rules apply depends on how you apply. Online, you give a digital photo — clear, in focus, in colour, unaltered by software, at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall, 50 KB to 10 MB, on a plain light-coloured background in clear contrast — either from a booth or shop with a code, or taken with your own device during the application (head, shoulders and upper body, and the system crops it). On a paper form you give 2 identical printed photos, 45 mm high by 35 mm wide (the standard booth size, not cut down from a larger picture), with the image from crown to chin 29–34 mm, on plain white photographic paper with no border, plain cream or light grey background, without creases or tears and unmarked on both sides unless countersigned. In both cases the photo must be taken in the last month, you face forward with a plain expression and the mouth closed, eyes open and visible, no hair in front of the eyes, no head covering unless for religious or medical reasons, nothing covering the face and no shadows. Do not wear glasses unless you have to; if you must, no sunglasses or tint, and no frames, glare, reflection or shadow over the eyes.
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons UK passport photos get rejected.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules HM Passport Office (Home Office), GOV.UK publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A photo older than one month, or reused from a previous passport | Take a new photograph in the last month. |
| A digital file under 600 × 750 pixels, under 50 KB or over 10 MB | Use a photo of at least 600 × 750 pixels, between 50 KB and 10 MB. |
| A printed photo that is not 45 × 35 mm, is cut down from a larger picture, or has a border | Print 45 mm high by 35 mm wide on plain white photo paper with no border. |
| A head outside 29–34 mm from crown to chin, or a background that is not cream or light grey (printed) | Keep the head 29–34 mm and use a plain cream or light grey background. |
| Glasses with glare or tint, hair over the eyes, shadows, a smile or open mouth | Remove the glasses unless you must wear them; keep a plain expression and the face clear. |
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.
A UK passport is applied for online with a digital photo (from a booth or shop with a code, or taken with your own device) or on a paper form with two identical printed photographs; some printed photos need countersigning.
gov.uk — apply for a passport online or request the paper form
Digital: at least 600 × 750 pixels, 50 KB to 10 MB. Printed: 2 identical, 45 mm high by 35 mm wide.
Authority page| Authority | HM Passport Office (Home Office), GOV.UK |
|---|---|
| Source | GOV.UK printed passport photo requirements |
| Verified |
Questions
Taken in the last month, in colour, clear and unaltered, facing forward with a plain expression and the mouth closed, eyes open and visible, no shadows, no glasses unless you have to. Online: a digital photo of at least 600 × 750 pixels, 50 KB to 10 MB, on a plain light-coloured background. On paper: 2 identical prints 45 mm high by 35 mm wide, head 29–34 mm, plain cream or light grey background.
Printed: 45 mm high by 35 mm wide, with the head from crown to chin 29–34 mm. Digital: at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall, 50 KB to 10 MB.
A plain light-coloured background for the digital photo; a plain cream or light grey background for printed photos — in clear contrast to you either way.
Taken in the last month, and you need a new photo with each new passport, even if your appearance has not changed.
Not unless you have to. If you must, no sunglasses or tinted glasses, and the eyes must not be covered by the frames or any glare, reflection or shadow.
The UK passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The head must occupy 64–76% of the photo height. For digital upload, use 600 × 750 px.
Yes. A phone and a light wall near a window are enough. The rear camera is sharper than the front one, so ask someone to take the photo or use a 3-second timer. The tool crops it to size, fixes the background and checks it against the UK passport photo rules.
We refund the payment in full. Email us within 14 days of purchase with your order number and the rejection notice from the UK authority — the refund policy page has the details.
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: BN(O) passport, driver's license.