Australia Passport Photo — at home in 60 seconds
Australian Passport
Take it with your phone against a plain, light wall. We crop it to the exact size (35×45 mm) and check the head size, position and background against the published rules.
Free to try. From $3.99, paid once, only if you like your photo.
Limited time offer then $6.99 from Jan 1, 2027
Your exact local price is shown before you take your photo. Processed on your device. Never uploaded to our servers.
Quick answer
An Australia Passport Photo must be 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in), with the head 32–36 mm from chin to top of head, on a white or light grey background, taken within the last 6 months. A photo you take yourself is accepted when it meets these rules.
- Printed photo
- 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in)
Verified October 3, 2026 from passports.gov.au (DFAT, Australian Passport Office).
Photo requirements
Summarised from the official sources below.
- Printed photo
- 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in)
- Head size (chin to top of head)
- 32–36 mm (71.1–80 % of the photo height)
- Background
- White, light grey. Plain white or light grey, contrasting with face; no shadows or reflections.
- Expression
- Anyone over 3 years: face camera straight on, eyes open, neutral expression (smiling shown as unacceptable)
- Glasses
- Not allowed unless they cannot be removed for medical reasons (vision impairment alone not accepted); then frames must not obscure eyes and no lens reflection.
- Head covering
- Religious head coverings only, plain without any pattern, entire face visible from bottom of chin to top of forehead and both face edges.
- Babies and children
- Children under 3 may have mouth open; no one else visible (no parent's hands); babies otherwise same rules.
- Photo age
- Taken within the last 6 months
More rules (11)
- 2 photos required
- good-quality colour prints produced by dye sublimation - NOT inkjet
- heavy-weight glossy paper, min 200 gsm
- no retouching (moles, wrinkles, scars), no skin smoothing, no edited background
- no shadows, no head tilt, hair must not obscure face edges
- jewellery/piercings must not obscure face; no reflection from rings/studs
- hearing aids OK; AirPods/wireless earbuds must be removed
- paper new application: guarantor signs back of one photo in black pen: 'This is a true photo of [full name]'
- renewal: write your full name on back of one photo in black pen; no guarantor/referee needed
- online form route uses a referee (signs nothing) but printed photos are still lodged
- professional passport photo provider recommended (not mandatory); 'We do not recommend using an online passport photo service or a mobile app' (identity-fraud risk)
Print at a photo lab or kiosk
Home-printed photos are not accepted for this document. Print your sheet at a photo lab or kiosk on photo paper.
Why: The Australian Passport Office accepts lab-printed photos only.
How to take it at home
- Stand about half a metre in front of a plain, light wall, facing a window.
- Hold the phone at arm’s length or ask someone to help. The live guide checks distance, light and head position.
- Get your digital file and print sheet. Print at 100% or upload the file.
Price
Free to try. From $3.99, paid once, only if you like your photo.
Limited time offer then $6.99 from Jan 1, 2027
Your exact local price is shown before you take your photo.
Photo Acceptance Guarantee — rejected for a technical reason we check? We refund you.
Why people choose Ovalight
Made for the moment you need a photo that just works.
- Money back if it’s rejected Rejected for a technical reason we check? We refund you.
- Free to try Take and check your photo for free. You pay once, only when you like the result.
- Your photo stays on your phone Processed on your device. Never uploaded to our servers.
- Checked against the official rules Every rule comes from the issuing authority’s own website, last verified on October 3, 2026.
- Free retakes for 24 hours Not happy with it? Retake the same document up to 3 times within 24 hours.
- Secure payment, no subscription Pay once through Stripe. We never see your card details.
Official sources
Verified on October 3, 2026
- Passport photos (Help centre) — passports.gov.au (DFAT, Australian Passport Office)
- Adult passport — passports.gov.au
- Guarantors, referees and witnesses — passports.gov.au
- Applying outside Australia — passports.gov.au
- Understanding passport photo guidelines (news, 16 Feb 2026) — passports.gov.au
Questions
What size is a Australia Passport Photo?
Printed: 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in).
Can I take my Australia Passport Photo at home?
Yes. The photo is not taken at the office and no registered photographer is required, so a photo you take yourself is accepted when it meets the rules on this page.
What background is required?
White, light grey. Plain white or light grey, contrasting with face; no shadows or reflections.
Can I smile?
Anyone over 3 years: face camera straight on, eyes open, neutral expression (smiling shown as unacceptable)
Can I wear glasses?
Not allowed unless they cannot be removed for medical reasons (vision impairment alone not accepted); then frames must not obscure eyes and no lens reflection.
Can I wear a head covering?
Religious head coverings only, plain without any pattern, entire face visible from bottom of chin to top of forehead and both face edges.
How recent must the photo be?
Taken within the last 6 months.
What about babies and children?
Children under 3 may have mouth open; no one else visible (no parent's hands); babies otherwise same rules.
Can I print the photo at home?
No. Home-printed photos are not accepted for this document. Print the sheet at a photo lab or kiosk.
More Australia documents
Other documents that use 35×45 mm
Ovalight is an independent service. Only the authority that issues your document decides whether to accept a photo.