United Kingdom · Passport
UK passport photo
HM Passport Office wants a photo taken in the last month: 35 x 45 mm printed to a professional standard for paper applications, or at least 600 x 750 pixels and 50 KB to 10 MB for the online service, which crops it for you. Check your framing here before you apply.
Requirements verified October 6, 2026 — always confirm with the issuing authorityThe check is free and runs on your device. You pay only if you download the finished file: $4.99, or $6.99 with a 4 × 6 in print sheet.
The exact specification
The same numbers the checker applies, drawn from our United Kingdom guide. The official source of each value is listed under the table.
- Printed size
- 2 × 35 × 45 mm
- Print rules
- Printed to a professional standard on plain white photographic paper, no border. The photographers' guidance says home prints are not usually clear enough.
- Digital file
- JPG/JPEG/PNG · 600 × 750 to 3000 × 3750 px · 50 kB min, 10 MB max
- Head size
- 29–34 mm chin to crown
- Background
- Printed: plain cream or light grey. Digital: plain, light-coloured.
- Glasses
- GOV.UK says not to wear glasses unless you have to. Never tinted; no glare, reflection or shadow over the eyes.
- Taken within
- the last 1 month
Where these values come from
- Printed size, Print rules, Digital file, Head size, Background, Glasses, Taken within: checked against GOV.UK - Get a passport photo: digital photos; GOV.UK - Get a passport photo: printed photos; Apply for a passport (GOV.UK) - Rules for digital passport photos; HM Passport Office - Photo standards: guidance for examiners, version 51.0; HM Passport Office - Passport photos: guidance for photographers (2014), as set out in our UK Passport Photo Requirements (2026): Digital and Print guide.
About background editing. Both GOV.UK routes require a photo unaltered by computer software. Background replacement is off by default.
What the free check covers
We measure
- Head size against the published window
- Eye position, where the authority sets one
- Head tilt and rotation
- Background brightness and evenness
- Sharpness and exposure
Only you can confirm
- Glasses — we can't reliably detect them, so we flag rather than pass
- Expression and mouth position
- Red eye
- Filters, retouching or AI edits made before upload
We are an independent service, not affiliated with any government. The issuing authority always makes the final decision — a pass here means your photo meets the published measurements we can check.
What does a failure look like? See our accepted and rejected passport photo examples, with the fix for each one.
Common questions
Printed UK passport photos must be 45 mm high by 35 mm wide, with your head (crown to chin) between 29 mm and 34 mm. Digital photos for online applications must be at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall, and between 50 KB and 10 MB.
GOV.UK says your photo must have been taken in the last month. You also need a new photo for every new passport, even if your appearance hasn't changed.
For online applications, yes. You can take a photo on your own device during the application, but you'll need someone to help. GOV.UK notes that photos from a booth or shop are more likely to be approved. Printed photos must be printed to a professional standard.
No. GOV.UK requires a plain expression with your mouth closed, and the online passport service's photo rules say no smile. Children under 6 don't need a plain expression.
Only if you have to. GOV.UK says not to wear glasses unless necessary. If you must, they can't be sunglasses or tinted, and your eyes must not be covered by the frames or by glare, reflections or shadows.
Keep reading
Troubleshooting UK Passport Photo Rejected Online? 8 Fixes That Work
What the UK online photo check measures, what examiners reject afterwards, and 8 fixes from HM Passport Office's own guidance, including when to override.
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How-to UK Passport Photo Code: Get One or Upload Your Own
A UK passport photo code is optional. How codes work, where they come from, when your own device is the better route, and what paper forms need instead.
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Requirements UK Passport Photo Requirements (2026): Digital and Print
UK passport photo requirements for online and paper applications: 600x750 pixel digital rules, 35x45 mm prints, head size, background, glasses, children.
Read the guide