head 64–76 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceUK Visas and Immigration
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended UK residence permit photo size is 35 × 45 mm. Plain neutral background with good contrast to the face. Head occupies 64–76% of photo height (29–34 mm chin to crown). Neutral expression, clear lenses only, no glare. 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 neutral background with good contrast to the face. |
| Pose | Face strictly straight; entire head visible; no other people or objects in the frame. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Eyes must be fully visible; no tinted lenses or strong reflections. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Photo must be well-lit, sharp, and without digital alterations. |
| Digital resolution | 600 × 750 px |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| File size | min 50 KB · max 6 MB Compress photo to 2 MB — UK residence permit → |
| 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 residence permit photos are administered by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) / Home Office. Critical transition: physical Biometric Residence Permits (BRPs) have been discontinued — the Home Office stopped issuing new BRPs in November 2024, replacing them with the digital eVisa system.
As of 1 June 2025, BRPs can no longer be used for international travel. As of 1 April 2025, BRP services are no longer available at Post Office branches.
New residence applicants now receive an eVisa accessed via a UKVI online account; photos + fingerprints are captured at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services Centre (UKVCAS) abroad or self-captured via the UK Immigration ID Check app.
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons UK residence permit photos get rejected.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules UK Visas and Immigration publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Submitting BRP renewal request (BRPs discontinued post-Nov 2024) | Apply for eVisa via UKVI online account |
| BRP used for travel after 1 June 2025 | Use eVisa share code with carrier instead |
| Self-captured photo via app fails biometric scan | Retake in well-lit area per app guidance, or attend UKVCAS |
| Background not plain | Re-shoot against neutral backdrop |
How to take it
Background: plain neutral
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.
Clear lenses only, no glare
If you wear glasses, check the shot: no glare on the lenses, eyes clearly visible.
Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open
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 glare on glassesStand so that no light reflects in the lenses.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.
UK residence permit applications are administered by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). The physical BRP (Biometric Residence Permit) was discontinued in October 2024 — current applicants receive an eVisa.
gov.uk + UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services
Photo + fingerprints captured at UKVCAS center. Successful applicants receive an eVisa via UKVI account — no physical BRP card issued since November 2024.
Authority pagegov.uk/evisa
Existing BRP holders should transition to eVisa before BRP expires. Use the UK Immigration: ID Check app for identity verification.
Authority page| Authority | UK Visas and Immigration |
|---|---|
| Source | UK permission digital photo guidance |
| Verified |
Questions
The recommended size for the UK residence permit photo is 35 × 45 mm. The head occupies 64–76% of the photo height. For digital upload, use 600 × 750 px.
Usually no older than six months; some immigration offices ask for a more recent one. Take a new photo that looks like you on the day you apply.
Plain neutral background with good contrast to the face. A plain, evenly lit wall without shadows or pattern is enough — the tool sets the required background colour.
Only if the size and rules are the same and the photo is still recent. Otherwise take a new one: the same selfie can be turned into photos for both documents.
Take a new photo: it should show how you look now — hairstyle, beard, glasses.
We refund the payment in full. Email us within 14 days of purchase with your order number and the rejection notice from the UK immigration office.
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.
Yes. The same 35 × 45 mm format and head size apply to: biometric residence permit (BRP), refugee travel document.