How to take a passport photo at home
A phone camera, a plain wall, and decent lighting are all you need. Here's the step-by-step process, then crop the result to your exact country spec for free.
- 1
Find a plain, evenly lit background
Stand about 2 feet in front of a plain white or light-coloured wall, with no patterns, doors, or furniture in frame. Face a window for soft, even daylight, or use two lamps angled from either side to avoid shadows on your face or the wall behind you.
- 2
Set up the camera at eye level
Prop your phone at roughly eye height, about 4 to 5 feet away, and use the timer or have someone else take it. This avoids the distortion and awkward angle you get from an arm's-length selfie.
- 3
Remove glasses and head coverings
Take off glasses unless you have a documented medical reason to keep them on. Remove hats and head coverings too, unless they're worn for religious reasons, in which case just make sure your hairline, forehead, and both edges of your face stay visible.
- 4
Use a neutral expression
Look straight at the camera with a neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes open. Most countries reject visible smiling or tilted heads.
- 5
Take several shots
Take 5–10 photos with slightly different framing and expression. You only need one good one, and it's much faster to pick from several than to re-do the whole setup.
- 6
Crop it to your country's exact spec
Upload your best shot to this site's free cropper, pick your country, and line it up with the head-height guide. It crops and exports at the exact pixel size your country requires, and nothing ever gets uploaded to a server.
Crop your photo now
Common rejection reasons
Background isn’t plain or uniform
Shadows, patterns, furniture, or other people in frame are among the most common reasons photos get bounced back. Use a plain wall and even, shadow-free lighting.
Head size or position is off
Too zoomed in, too zoomed out, or off-center. Each country specifies an exact head-height range and crown position, and that's exactly what the crop guide in this tool aligns to.
Glasses, glare, or head coverings
Most countries now disallow glasses entirely (or require them glare-free with no frame over the eyes), and disallow non-religious head coverings that hide the hairline or face.
Photo is filtered, retouched, or AI-enhanced
Beauty filters, background blur, skin smoothing, and AI-generated backgrounds are explicitly rejected by several passport authorities, including the UK’s HM Passport Office.
Photo is outdated
Most countries require a photo taken within the last 6 months (the UK requires within the last month). An old photo, even a good one, can be rejected on this basis alone.
Expression or eye contact issues
Closed eyes, mouth open, smiling with teeth showing, or not looking straight at the camera are all common rejection triggers. A neutral, closed-mouth expression is the safe default.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best lighting for a DIY passport photo?
Indirect daylight from a window, facing you, is the easiest way to get even lighting without harsh shadows. Avoid direct sun (too harsh) and avoid a single lamp from one side (creates shadow on the other side of your face).
Can I use any phone camera for a passport photo?
Yes. Modern phone cameras are more than sharp enough for this. What matters far more is the background, lighting, and framing, all of which you control regardless of which phone you're holding.
Do I need a tripod?
No, but propping your phone against something stable (books, a stand) helps keep the shot level and lets you use the self-timer instead of holding the phone yourself, which usually produces a straighter, more centered result.
How do I know if my background is "plain enough"?
Check the photo at full zoom for shadows, texture, or color variation. A plain painted wall usually works; brick, patterned wallpaper, and doors with visible panel lines usually don't.