The UK's His Majesty's Passport Office (HMPO) publishes detailed requirements for passport photos, and getting even one point wrong means your application is returned. That adds weeks to processing time — which matters if you have travel booked. This guide covers every requirement so you can get it right first time.

It is worth noting that HMPO does not merely "prefer" certain things — the requirements are checklist items. A reviewer will work through them one by one. A photo that fails on any single point is rejected, regardless of how well it meets all the others.

Exact dimensions

UK passport photos must be 45mm tall and 35mm wide— portrait orientation. This is the standard size used across most of Europe and is sometimes called the "standard international passport photo size".

At 300 DPI — the resolution at which ID photos should be printed — this translates to 413 pixels wide and 531 pixels tall. If you are submitting a digital photo through the GOV.UK online portal, the system will verify that the file contains enough pixels. If you are printing at home, your PDF must be set to 100% scale (not "fit to page") or the physical dimensions will be wrong.

Head size within the frame

Getting the overall photo size right is not enough — the head itself must occupy a specific portion of the frame. HMPO requires the head (measured from the chin to the top of the head, not including hair) to be between 29mm and 34mm tall within the 45mm photo. That puts the face at roughly 65–75% of the photo height.

In practice, this means you should not photograph yourself from several feet away and crop later — the result tends to give too small a head. Aim to frame the shot so your chin sits close to the bottom quarter of the frame and the top of your head sits close to the top, with a little space above.

Background colour

This is the requirement that catches most people out. HMPO specifies that the background must be plain cream or light grey. It does not say white. A pure white background is technically incorrect, although in practice applications are sometimes accepted if the overall photo quality is high. To be safe, aim for a very light grey or cream rather than stark white.

The background must be entirely uniform — no texture, no pattern, no gradient. There must be no shadows behind the head or on the shoulders. If you are using AI background removal software, ensure the replacement colour is a light neutral grey rather than #ffffff white.

Expression and pose

You must face directly forward, square to the camera. The photo must not be taken at an angle. Do not tilt your head or turn to either side. Your shoulders should be level and both should be visible in the frame.

Your expression must be neutral— HMPO specifies "a plain expression" with the mouth closed. Do not smile broadly. A very slight, relaxed expression is generally acceptable, but an exaggerated grin, squinting eyes, or a frown will result in rejection. Think of the expression you might use when concentrating on something, rather than posing for a family photo.

Your eyes must be open, clearly visible, and looking directly at the camera. No hair should fall across or obscure the eyes.

Glasses

Since 2018, HMPO has strongly discouraged glasses in biometric passport photos, and in practice the vast majority of applications submitted with glasses are either rejected or queried. The official guidance now states that glasses should not be worn unless you have a medical reason you cannot remove them, in which case you must provide a signed letter from a doctor or optician.

If you normally wear glasses, remove them for your passport photo. If you cannot remove them due to a medical condition, contact HMPO before submitting to understand the process for obtaining a medical exemption.

Lighting quality

The photo must be evenly lit with no shadows on the face or background. Harsh overhead lighting creates shadows under the eyes, nose, and chin, which are common rejection points. Side lighting from a single window can also cause one side of the face to be significantly darker than the other.

The best approach for home photos is to position yourself facing a large window with diffused daylight. Overcast days work better than direct sunshine, which creates hard shadows. If you have a second light source — even a white wall reflecting light on the other side — use it to fill in any shadow areas.

Do not use on-camera flash directly in front of you. It causes red-eye, which is an automatic rejection. If you must use flash, bounce it off the ceiling or a reflector rather than pointing it directly at your face.

Photo recency

The photo must have been taken within the last month. HMPO uses this requirement to verify that the photo is a current likeness. Even if you look exactly the same as you did two months ago, a photo older than one month can be rejected. If your application is delayed and the photo becomes too old, you will need to take a new one before submitting.

Printed photo requirements

If you are submitting a printed photo (for postal applications, countersigned applications, or child passports where a guardian countersignature is required), the print itself must meet additional criteria:

  • Printed on plain white photographic paper or matte-coated paper
  • No border around the photo
  • Free from creases, damage, or marks
  • Clear and sharp — not blurry, grainy, or pixelated
  • Printed in colour, not black and white

Do not bend the photos when posting them. Do not put rubber bands around them. Do not write on the front. If you need to label the photo, you may write lightly in pencil on the back.

Standard 80 gsm bond paper is widely accepted for home-printed passport photos. You do not need glossy photo paper. Print at "Best" or "Photo" quality setting on your printer, and ensure the print dialog is set to "Actual size" rather than "Fit to page".

Digital photo submissions

If you are renewing your passport online through the GOV.UK service, you submit a digital photo rather than a printed one. The same requirements apply — background colour, head size, expression, no glasses — but you provide a JPEG or PNG file. The GOV.UK online checker gives immediate feedback if the photo does not meet requirements before you submit.

For digital submissions, the minimum file size accepted is around 50 KB and the minimum image dimensions should be at least 600 × 750 pixels. There is no benefit to submitting an extremely large file — a clear, well-lit photo at 1200 × 1500 pixels is more than sufficient.

Common mistakes

Checklist before you submit: Background is cream or light grey (not white) · No glasses · Expression neutral, mouth closed · Eyes open, no hair across eyes · Head 29–34mm from chin to crown · No shadows · Photo taken within the last month · Printed at actual size (not scaled)

The most common rejection causes are: glasses present, shadows on the face or background, background too dark or with texture, head too small (taken from too far away), and incorrect print scaling meaning the physical dimensions are wrong.

Our free photo toolhandles the sizing automatically and generates a 300 DPI PDF that prints at the correct 45 × 35mm dimensions when you use "Actual size" in your print dialog. Use the home photo guide for help with lighting, background, and camera setup.