UK Passport Photo Size & Requirements
The official size is 35×45mm (1.38×1.77in, 630×810px). Upload a photo, align it to the guide, and download — nothing is ever uploaded to a server.
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Blue band = acceptable head-height range · yellow dashed = eye line · fit your head between the solid lines
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United Kingdom passport photo specification
- Print size
- 35×45mm (1.38×1.77 in)
- Digital output
- 630×810px
- Head height (chin to crown)
- 29–34mm (64–76% of frame)
- Background
- Plain, light-coloured background (cream or light grey) with clear contrast against your face
- ·Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open and visible, looking straight at the camera
- ·Avoid glasses unless it's genuinely unavoidable. No sunglasses or tinted lenses, and your eyes need to be free of frame glare, reflection, or shadow
- ·No head coverings, except for religious or medical reasons
- ·Taken within the last month, and it needs to look like you do now
- ·Photo must be unaltered by computer software (no filters, retouching, or AI enhancement)
- ·Digital upload (online application): JPEG, at least 600x750px, 50KB to 10MB
- ·Paper application: two identical printed photos, 35x45mm, on quality photographic paper, blank on the back
HM Passport Office is fairly blunt about this one: photos have to be "unaltered by computer software." This tool only crops and resizes, so it stays on the right side of that rule by design, not by promise. Source: HM Passport Office, gov.uk/photos-for-passports.
UK passport photo size in every unit
Every UK passport photo, whether you're applying for the first time, renewing, or sorting out a child's passport, has to be the same 35×45mm rectangle. Here's that one measurement converted to the units you're actually likely to be working in:
| Unit | Full photo | Head height (chin to crown) |
|---|---|---|
| Millimeters | 35 × 45 mm | 29 – 34 mm |
| Centimeters | 3.5 × 4.5 cm | 2.9 – 3.4 cm |
| Inches | 1.38 × 1.77 in | 1.14 – 1.34 in |
| Pixels (digital upload) | 750 × 1000 px min | ~64–76% of frame height |
Digital vs. printed UK passport photo requirements
Most applicants now renew or apply online, where HM Passport Office asks for a digital passport photo: a JPEG file at least 750×1000px and under 6MB, uploaded directly or entered as a code from a photo booth like Photo-me or isnaps. If you're filing a paper application instead, the requirement shifts to two identical prints: photo-quality paper, unmounted, cut to exactly 35×45mm, with the back left blank. This tool exports at 630×810px by default, which comfortably clears the digital minimum and prints cleanly at 35×45mm for a paper application too.
How the head-height measurement is checked
The head-height rule (chin to crown) is one of the most common reasons a correctly-sized photo still gets rejected. HM Passport Office measures how much of the 35×45mm frame your head actually occupies — between 29mm and 34mm, or roughly 64–76% of the frame — not just whether the file dimensions are right. The guide in this tool's cropper is built around that same range, so lining your head up with it handles this automatically.
Where to get a UK passport photo taken
If you'd rather not do it yourself, photo booths and in-store photo counters are easy to find on most UK high streets. Boots, Tesco, Max Spielmann, Snappy Snaps, and post office branches all offer a passport photo service, usually for somewhere between £6 and £10 a set. Photo-me and isnaps booths — the kind you'll often spot outside supermarkets or in shopping centres — will print your photos and can also give you a digital code to enter straight onto the online application, which saves you photographing a printed photo yourself.
Every one of these is producing a photo to the exact same 35×45mm specification covered on this page, so there's no accuracy advantage to paying for one over taking it yourself. The free alternative: follow our guide to taking a passport photo at home with just a phone camera and a plain wall, then upload the result to the cropper above. It checks the size, background, and head-height rules for you and exports a file ready for the online application or for printing.
Related UK photo requirements
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.
Want the full picture across every country? See all passport photo requirements for 2026, read how to take a passport photo at home, or check what to wear and expression rules.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a UK passport photo?
A UK passport photo needs to be 35x45mm, with the head height (chin to crown) landing somewhere between 29mm and 34mm.
What are the UK passport photo requirements?
A recent photo (taken in the last month), in colour, against a plain light-coloured background, neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes open and visible, looking straight ahead. No head coverings unless worn for religious or medical reasons, glasses should be avoided if you can manage it, and the photo can't be digitally altered or filtered. For an online application the file itself needs to be a JPEG at least 600x750px, between 50KB and 10MB.
What is the UK passport photo size in inches, cm, and pixels?
In inches that's roughly 1.38 x 1.77in, or 3.5 x 4.5cm in metric. This tool exports the digital file at 630x810 pixels, which keeps the exact 35:45 ratio so it prints at the right physical size rather than a slightly stretched one.
Can you smile in a UK passport photo?
No, and HM Passport Office is fairly strict about this one: mouth closed, no grinning, no visible teeth. A slight, relaxed look is fine as long as you are not actively smiling, and it is one of the more frequent reasons a submitted photo gets sent back for a retake. Our guide to smiling in a passport photo is worth a quick read before you upload.
Can you wear glasses or makeup in a UK passport photo?
Glasses should be avoided unless it's genuinely unavoidable for you — if you do wear them, there can be no glare, reflection, or shadow across your eyes, and tinted or sunglasses lenses aren't allowed at all. Everyday makeup is fine; there's no rule against it, as long as your natural skin tone and features are still recognisable.
What background does a UK passport photo need?
Something plain and light-coloured. Cream or light grey both work well, as long as there's clear contrast against your face. Skip patterns, shadows, and anything else (or anyone else) in frame.
Is AI photo enhancement or editing allowed?
No. UK guidance is specific that the photo must be unaltered by computer software. This tool won't retouch, beautify, or generate any part of your photo. It only crops and resizes what you give it.
Who can sign or countersign a UK passport photo?
If you're applying online, you generally won't need anyone to countersign your photo at all — it's checked electronically instead. For a paper application, the countersignatory has to have known you personally for at least two years, hold a British or Irish passport (or belong to a small list of recognised professions), and can't be a relative, partner, or someone who lives at your address. They sign the back of one printed photo to confirm it's a true likeness of you.
Where can I get a UK passport photo taken?
Photo booths and photo counters are everywhere: Boots, Tesco, Max Spielmann, Snappy Snaps, Photo-me booths, and post office branches all offer a UK passport photo service, typically £6–£10. Most photo booths now hand you a code (Photo-me and isnaps both work this way) that you enter directly on the online application instead of uploading a file yourself. All of them are producing a photo to the same 35x45mm spec covered on this page, so there's no accuracy advantage to paying for one over doing it yourself.
Can I take my own UK passport photo at home?
Yes — a phone camera, a plain light-coloured wall, and even daylight get you most of the way there. You then need to crop the result to the exact 35x45mm spec, which is what the tool on this page does for free. Full walkthrough here: how to take a passport photo at home.
Can I take a UK passport photo on my phone or iPhone?
Yes, and most people do. An iPhone or Android camera is sharp enough — the main things to get right are even lighting with no harsh shadows, a plain light-coloured wall behind you, and holding the phone straight at eye level rather than tilted up or down. Once you've got a shot you're happy with, upload it to the cropper above to have it aligned and resized to 35x45mm automatically.
How much does a UK passport photo cost?
A printed set from a shop or photo booth (Boots, Tesco, Max Spielmann, Snappy Snaps, Photo-me) generally runs £6–£10. Taking your own with a phone and cropping it with the tool on this page costs nothing.
What is a Photo-me or isnaps code, and how do I use it?
When you get your photo taken at a Photo-me or isnaps booth, it prints your photos and also gives you a short reference code on the receipt. On the online passport application, instead of uploading a file you can enter that code directly and HM Passport Office pulls the digital photo from the booth's system. If you'd rather not queue for a booth, uploading your own cropped photo works exactly the same way.
Can you wear a headscarf, hijab, or turban in a UK passport photo?
Yes. Head coverings worn for religious reasons are allowed, on the condition that your full face is visible from the bottom of your chin to the top of your forehead, with nothing casting a shadow across it. The same exception applies to head coverings worn for a medical condition.
Why do UK passport photos get rejected, and how do I avoid it?
The most common reasons are a background that isn't plain and light enough, a head that's too small, too large, or off-centre in the frame, shadows or glare across the face, and a non-neutral expression like a smile or open mouth. This tool's guide handles the sizing and positioning for you; for the full list of what gets flagged and why, see our guide to common passport photo rejections.
Is a UK passport photo the same size as a UK driving licence or visa photo?
They're close but not identical, and each is checked against its own spec by a different authority, so a photo approved for one isn't automatically valid for another. If you need a photo for a visa application rather than a passport, see our passport photo vs. visa photo comparison to see exactly where the requirements diverge.
Are the requirements different for a baby, newborn, or infant UK passport photo?
The size and background rules are the same, but a baby obviously can't hold a neutral, forward-facing pose on their own. HM Passport Office allows for this — a baby can be lying down on a plain light-coloured sheet, or have a hand supporting them from behind as long as it isn't visible in the final photo. See our newborn and infant passport photo guide for exactly how that works.
Does this tool upload my photo anywhere?
No. Nothing about this leaves your device at any point: the whole crop and resize happens locally using your browser's built-in canvas element, which is also why it keeps working even if your connection drops partway through.