A4 is the standard paper size used in UK offices and homes — 210mm wide by 297mm tall. It fits perfectly in every inkjet and laser printer sold in the UK, and it is the ideal surface for printing multiple passport photos in a single sheet. This guide explains exactly how to do it, from taking the photo to cutting the finished prints.
Why A4 is the right choice for UK home printing
A4 is the default paper size loaded in virtually every UK home and office printer. Unlike photo paper (which is often sold in smaller sizes and costs significantly more per sheet), standard 80 gsm A4 bond paper is accepted by HMPO and DVLA for passport and driving licence photos. It is available everywhere, costs pennies per sheet, and produces sharp prints when used at "Best" quality on modern inkjet and laser printers.
The alternative — short bond (8.5 × 11 inches) — is an American paper size that is less commonly stocked in the UK. If you have it, it works equally well. A4 is the right default for UK homes.
How many passport photos fit on an A4 sheet?
A standard UK passport photo is 35mm wide × 45mm tall. On an A4 sheet (210 × 297mm), you can fit a significant number per sheet:
- UK Passport (35 × 45mm): Approximately 15–16 photos per A4 sheet, depending on spacing and margin requirements.
- US Passport (51 × 51mm / 2 × 2 in): Approximately 9–12 photos per A4 sheet.
- Small square ID (25.4 × 25.4mm / 1 × 1 in): Up to 24 photos per A4 sheet.
A layout tool calculates this automatically. Our free photo tool uses a shelf-packing algorithm to fit the maximum number of photos on the sheet, minimising wasted space.
Setting up the correct layout
The critical thing about a passport photo layout is that each photo must print at exactly the right physical dimensions. The layout must be set to 100% scale (not "fit to page"), and the photo dimensions in the file must be correct. Do not simply resize a photo in a word processor or photo editing app and guess at the dimensions — the result will almost certainly be wrong.
The reliable approach is to use a dedicated ID photo tool that:
- Knows the correct dimensions for the photo type you need
- Generates a PDF at 300 DPI (not screen resolution, which produces blurry prints)
- Includes L-shaped crop marks so you can cut accurately
- Calculates an optimal layout for the paper size
Upload your photo to our editor, select UK Passport size, choose A4 paper, and download the PDF. The whole process takes under a minute.
Printer settings that matter
Getting the printer settings right is as important as getting the photo right. The three settings that affect the output most are:
- Page scaling: must be "Actual size" or 100%.Never use "Fit to page" — it scales the PDF to fill the page and makes the photos the wrong physical size. This is the most common mistake when printing passport photos at home and causes the photos to be rejected for incorrect dimensions.
- Print quality: Best or Photo. Using Draft or Normal quality reduces ink density, which can make the photo look washed out or grainy. Use the highest quality setting your printer offers.
- Paper type: Plain paper.Most printers have a paper type setting. Select "Plain paper" or "Plain" for standard bond paper. Do not select "Photo paper" or "Glossy" unless you are actually using photo paper — the wrong setting causes the printer to adjust ink levels incorrectly.
Paper choice
Standard 80 gsm white A4 bond paper is the right choice for passport photos in the UK. HMPO accepts photos on "plain white photographic or matte-coated paper" — standard bond paper qualifies as matte-coated for this purpose, and submissions on standard bond are routinely accepted.
You do not need glossy photo paper. Glossy paper costs significantly more, is not stocked in most homes, can cause ink to smear if handled before it has fully dried, and is not required by HMPO guidance. If you happen to have photo paper and want to use it, it works — but it is not necessary.
Cutting the photos
The PDF includes L-shaped crop marks at all four corners of each photo. These marks show exactly where to cut. The most accurate method is:
- Lay the sheet flat on a cutting mat or a piece of cardboard to protect the surface underneath.
- Use a metal ruler aligned with the L marks on one side of a row of photos.
- Run a sharp craft knife or scissors along the ruler edge in a single, smooth stroke.
- Repeat for each line, moving across the sheet.
If you do not have a craft knife, scissors work fine. Cut one side of the sheet at a time, using the L marks to align the scissors correctly. The L-shaped marks (rather than cross-hair marks) make it possible to align on two sides at once, which produces more accurate cuts.
You can stack two or three sheets and cut through them simultaneously if you are printing multiple sets — this saves time and usually produces equally clean cuts if you use a sharp blade.
Cost breakdown
A single A4 sheet of standard bond paper costs approximately 1–2p in the UK, depending on where you buy it in bulk. Ink cost for a full-page print at Best quality is typically 3–8p depending on the printer and cartridge cost per page. Total cost per A4 sheet of passport photos: around 5–10p.
With 15–16 UK passport photos per sheet, that is under 1p per photo — compared to £6–9 for a set of six from a high-street photo booth. See the cost comparison guide for a more detailed breakdown.