Home Print Kit

UK passport photo: size, rules and printable photos

Make printed 45 × 35 mm UK passport photos with the right head size, ready to order as a normal 4 × 6 photo print, and check the rules for online applications. Free, and nothing is uploaded.

  • 100% free, no watermark
  • No sign-up
  • Your photos never leave your device
  • Works on phone and computer
Or try:

Loading the passport photo maker…

Your photo never leaves your device. It is cropped right here in your browser, so nothing is uploaded or stored.

Online application: do not crop the photo

Most UK passports are now applied for online. For an online application GOV.UK asks for a digital photo of at least 600 × 750 pixels and between 50 KB and 10 MB, and it asks you not to crop it: take the photo with your head, shoulders and upper body showing, and the service crops it for you. You can also get a photo code from a photo booth or shop.

So for an online application, use this page for the rules and the tips, and upload the original photo from your camera.

Paper form: two printed photos

For a paper application you need 2 identical printed photos that:

  • measure 45 mm high by 35 mm wide, with the head 29 mm to 34 mm from the chin to the crown;
  • were taken in the last month, against a plain cream or light grey background that contrasts with you;
  • show you facing forward with a plain expression, mouth closed and eyes open, with no hair across your eyes;
  • are printed to a professional standard, in colour, on plain white photographic paper with no border, and not altered by computer software.

Choose "United Kingdom" in the tool, line your head up with the guides and download the 4 × 6 print. It has 8 photos; order it from a photo lab or a shop photo kiosk on photographic paper, then cut out two photos along the grey lines so they have no border. Leave them loose, not attached to the form.

Some applications also need a countersignatory to sign the back of one photo. GOV.UK explains when you need one.

Glasses and head coverings

GOV.UK asks you to avoid glasses unless you need them. If you do wear them, they cannot be tinted, and the frames, glare or shadows must not cover your eyes. Head coverings are only allowed for religious or medical reasons, and nothing may cover your face.

Full details are on GOV.UK: digital photos and printed photos.

Take a photo that gets accepted

Face a window in daylight, stand about 2 feet in front of a plain light wall and have someone take the photo from about 4 feet away, at eye level. The full checklist is in how to take a passport photo at home.

Questions

Why does the digital photo button not work for the UK?

Because GOV.UK asks for the original, uncropped photo for online applications and crops it itself. Uploading a cropped photo can get it rejected.

Can I smile?

No. UK passport photos need a plain expression with your mouth closed. Children under 6 do not need a plain expression.

How recent must the photo be?

It must have been taken in the last month, and you need a new photo for every new passport even if you look the same.

Other documents