Home photo OK

UK Passport Photo — at home in 60 seconds

UK (British) passport — online application (digital) and paper form (2 printed photos)

Take it with your phone against a plain, light wall. For the online application the authority crops the photo itself, so we give you an uncropped, unedited photo; for printed photos we prepare the exact size (35×45 mm). Either way we check head size, position and background against the published rules.

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35×45 mm · off-white backgroundExample (AI-generated model)

Head too small
Busy background

Quick answer

A UK Passport Photo must be 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in) when printed, or a digital file of 50 KB – 10 MB, with the head 29–34 mm from chin to top of head, with a background that is cream, light grey, or plain light-coloured (digital), taken within the last month. A photo you take yourself is accepted when it meets these rules.

Printed photo: 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in)
Digital file: 50 KB – 10 MB

Verified October 3, 2026 from GOV.UK (HM Passport Office).

Photo requirements

Summarised from the official sources below.

Printed photo: 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in)
Digital file: 50 KB – 10 MB
Head size (chin to top of head): 29–34 mm (64.4–75.6 % of the photo height)
Background: Cream, light grey, plain light-coloured (digital). Printed: plain cream or light grey, in clear contrast to you. Digital: plain light-coloured background in clear contrast. No shadows on face or behind you. NOT white-specified.
Expression: Plain expression, mouth closed, facing forwards looking straight at the camera, eyes open and visible.
Glasses: Do not wear unless you have to; no sunglasses/tinted; eyes not covered by frames, glare, reflection or shadow.
Head covering: Not allowed unless for religious or medical reasons; nothing covering the face.
Babies and children: Child alone in picture; babies no toys/dummies. Under 6: need not look directly at camera or have plain expression. Under 1: eyes need not be open; head may be supported by a hand that is not visible; lie on plain light-coloured sheet, photo taken from above.
Photo age: Taken within the last 1 month
Online application: Apply/renew online (GOV.UK) — digital photo either via a 'photo code' from a photo booth/shop or taken with your own device during the application (someone else should take it)

More rules (7)

photo must have been taken in the last month (both digital and printed)
new photo required for every new passport even if appearance unchanged
digital: at least 600 px wide x 750 px tall, 50 KB–10 MB, clear, in focus, colour, unaltered by computer software
digital own-device photo: include head, shoulders and upper body — 'Do not crop your photo - it will be done for you'
printed: 2 identical photos, 45 mm high x 35 mm wide, not cut down from a larger picture, printed to a professional standard, plain white photographic paper, no border, no creases, unmarked (except countersigned one), unaltered by computer software
printed: close-up of full head and upper shoulders; no other objects/people; no red-eye
paper first-adult applications: one photo signed/dated by countersignatory (online: countersignatory confirms identity online)

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: GOV.UK asks for printed photos of professional quality. For the online application GOV.UK crops the photo itself, so we give you an uncropped, unedited photo.

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

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Limited time offer then $6.99 from Jan 1, 2027

Your exact local price is shown before you take your photo.

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Checked against the official rules Every rule comes from the issuing authority’s own website, last verified on October 3, 2026.
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Official sources

Verified on October 3, 2026

Get a passport photo (Digital photos; Printed photos) — updated 2026-09-09 — GOV.UK (HM Passport Office)
Apply for your first adult passport — GOV.UK

Questions

What size is a UK Passport Photo?

Printed: 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in). Digital: 50 KB – 10 MB.

Can I take my UK 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?

Cream, light grey, plain light-coloured (digital). Printed: plain cream or light grey, in clear contrast to you. Digital: plain light-coloured background in clear contrast. No shadows on face or behind you. NOT white-specified.

Can I smile?

Plain expression, mouth closed, facing forwards looking straight at the camera, eyes open and visible.

Can I wear glasses?

Do not wear unless you have to; no sunglasses/tinted; eyes not covered by frames, glare, reflection or shadow.

Can I wear a head covering?

Not allowed unless for religious or medical reasons; nothing covering the face.

How recent must the photo be?

Taken within the last 1 month.

What about babies and children?

Child alone in picture; babies no toys/dummies. Under 6: need not look directly at camera or have plain expression. Under 1: eyes need not be open; head may be supported by a hand that is not visible; lie on plain light-coloured sheet, photo taken from above.

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.