Passport Photo Belfast

UK Passport Photo Requirements

Before you visit any booth or studio in Belfast, it's worth knowing exactly what your photo must look like. The HM Passport Office (HMPO) applies strict rules, and a rejected photo will delay your application. Here's a summary of the requirements:

Requirement	Detail
Print size	35 x 45 mm
Digital size (for online applications)	600 x 750 px (min 50 KB, max 10 MB)
Background	Plain white or light grey
Expression	Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open
Head position	Looking straight at the camera, not tilted
Head coverage	Must fill 70–80% of the frame
Recency	Taken within the last month
Glasses	Not allowed
Headwear	Not allowed (except for religious reasons)
Print quality	Sharp, in colour, no shadows or red-eye

If you're applying online, you'll need to submit a digital photo code (provided by most modern photo booths) or upload a digital image directly to the HMPO online portal. Applying online saves you £9.50 compared to a paper application, so it's well worth considering.

Tip: If you're taking a photo at home, stand facing a window for even, natural lighting. Use a plain, light-coloured wall as your background and ask someone else to take the photo so you can look directly at the lens.

Photo Booths in Belfast

Unmanned photo booths are the most popular choice for passport photos in Belfast. They're quick, widely available, and open during store hours, which typically means early morning until late at night. You don't need an appointment and you'll have your printed photos in minutes. The main providers of photo booths in Belfast are Max Spielmann (inside Tesco stores) and Boots.

Max Spielmann at Tesco – Belfast Locations

Max Spielmann operates passport photo booths inside selected Tesco stores across the UK and Northern Ireland. Their booths are HMPO-approved and produce both a printed set of four photos and a digital photo code you can use for an online passport application. Prices typically start at around £6 for a set of printed photos. Some Tesco stores in Belfast also offer a Max Spielmann staffed lab where a colleague can take the photo for you, which is particularly useful if you need passport photos for a child.

Tesco Knocknagoney Road Extra – Knocknagoney Road, Belfast BT4 2PP
Tesco Newtownbreda Extra – Newtownbreda Road, Belfast BT8 6BX
Tesco Castlereagh Road Superstore – Castlereagh Road, Belfast BT5 5FP
Tesco Antrim Road Superstore – Antrim Road, Belfast BT14 6RY

The booths are straightforward to use: follow the on-screen instructions, sit in front of the camera, and take up to ten shots until you're happy with the result. Payment is accepted by card, contactless or cash. Your photos are printed within minutes and you'll also receive a digital code on your receipt for online passport applications.

Boots – Donegall Place, Belfast

Boots on Donegall Place in Belfast city centre is one of the most convenient in-store options, particularly if you're already visiting the city centre. The store offers both an instant passport photo booth and a photo mini-lab service. Staff at the Boots Passport Services counter can also assist with your application process and check that your photo meets the requirements before you submit it.

35–47 Donegall Place, Belfast, BT1 5AD
Tel: 028 9024 2332
Services: Passport Instant Photo Booth, Passport Services, Photo Mini-Lab

Boots passport photos typically cost between £6 and £8 for a printed set. Because the Donegall Place store is large and centrally located, it tends to be one of the best-equipped Boots branches in Belfast for photography services. It's worth calling ahead to confirm the booth is operational before making a special trip.

Asda in Belfast – Passport Photo Kiosks

Asda supermarkets in Belfast carry photo kiosks where you can print passport-sized photographs. The most practical approach is to prepare a digital passport photo template in advance using an online tool, then bring it on a USB drive or access it on your phone and print it at the in-store kiosk. A 6x4 inch (10x15 cm) printout at Asda's photo kiosk typically costs around 55p, which – if you're printing a template containing two passport-sized images – works out as excellent value.

Asda Shore Road Superstore – Shore Road, Belfast, BT15 3PR (Tel: 028 9037 0889)
Asda Westwood Centre – Unit 1, Westwood Centre, Kennedy Way, Belfast, BT11 9BQ (Tel: 028 9060 6970)

Both Asda Belfast stores are large superstores with ample parking, making them particularly convenient if you're arriving by car. Opening hours are typically 7am–10pm Monday to Saturday, with reduced hours on Sundays. As with all in-store kiosks, it's worth checking that the photo printing service is available on your planned visit.

Snappy Snaps Belfast

Snappy Snaps is a well-known UK photography and photo-printing franchise with a presence in Belfast. Unlike supermarket booths, Snappy Snaps stores are staffed by photography specialists who take the photo for you, check it meets the official requirements, and can assist with a range of photo printing and ID photo services. This makes them a good choice if you want a professionally taken photo with guidance on posture and expression, or if you're bringing a young child whose photo needs extra care.

The Belfast Snappy Snaps store is listed among the passport photo booth options in the city centre, and they handle passport photos for both UK and international documents. Prices vary, so it's advisable to check their current rates directly. Because they're staffed, Snappy Snaps is also one of the few places in Belfast that can handle passport photos for babies or toddlers who cannot sit unaided in a standard photo booth.

Photography Studios in Belfast

For the highest quality results – particularly for babies, very young children, professional visa applications, or anyone who simply wants a human touch – a dedicated photography studio is an excellent option. Belfast has several reputable studios offering compliant passport photo services.

Graham Crichton Photography

Graham Crichton is a well-regarded Belfast photography studio offering a professional passport photo service for adults, children, and babies. Sessions are by appointment only – walk-ins are not accepted – so it's important to book ahead. Sessions for adults and children who can sit unaided are priced at £35 and include two to four printed photos plus a digital code. Sessions for babies who cannot yet sit independently are priced at £60, reflecting the additional time and skill involved. The studio also offers group booking discounts, making it ideal for families applying together.

276–278 Castlereagh Road, Belfast
Tel: 028 9099 7798
Appointments required – same-day service available

Windsor Photoprints

Windsor Photoprints on Eglantine Avenue is another well-established Belfast studio offering passport photo services, with a guarantee that photos will comply with all official HMPO requirements. The studio is open Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:00 and accepts walk-in appointments during these hours. Windsor Photoprints is a popular choice among local families and professionals in the south Belfast area.

130 Eglantine Avenue, Belfast
Open: Monday–Friday, 9:00–17:00
Walk-in appointments welcome

Pharmacy Printing Services in Belfast

Some independent pharmacies and chemists in Belfast offer photo printing services that can be very useful if you've already prepared a digital passport photo template. Dundela Pharmacy, for example, offers a photo printing service where you can order prints online and collect them in person. Their prices are competitive at around 65p per 6x4 inch print for smaller orders, and collection is available Monday to Friday from 11:00 to 16:00 (with a lunch break from 13:00 to 14:00). Always check current availability and hours directly with the pharmacy.

Post Office Passport Services in Belfast

The Post Office offers a Passport Check and Send service at many of its Belfast branches, which can be a reassuring option if you want someone to check your application and photos before submission. Post Office staff verify that your passport photos meet the requirements and check your application form for errors before sending it off, reducing the risk of rejection or delays. You'll still need to provide compliant passport photos, but they can flag any issues before your documents are sent to the HMPO. Several Belfast Post Office branches offer this service – check the Post Office branch finder online to confirm which locations near you provide Passport Check and Send.

Take Your Passport Photo Online – From Anywhere in Belfast

One of the most convenient and cost-effective ways to get a passport photo in Belfast is to use an online passport photo tool from home. You don't need any special equipment – a smartphone camera is perfectly sufficient. Once you've taken a photo, the tool automatically removes the background, crops the image to the correct dimensions (35x45 mm for print, or 600x750 px for digital submission), and checks that your photo meets all HMPO requirements, including face positioning, expression and lighting.

Online tools typically provide a digital photo code that you can enter directly into the HMPO online passport application, or you can download a printable 6x4 inch template containing multiple passport-sized images. You can then take this template to any Asda, Tesco, Boots or local photo kiosk across Belfast and print it for as little as 55–65p per sheet – making it one of the cheapest ways to get compliant passport photos in the city.

Applying for your passport online? The HMPO online passport application costs £9.50 less than a paper application. To apply online you'll need a digital passport photo – either a digital code from a photo booth or a digital image uploaded directly to the HMPO portal. An online photo tool provides both options and takes just a few seconds to use.

This approach is particularly helpful for families: you can take the photos for each family member at home, in a relaxed setting, without the time pressure of a photo booth. It's also ideal for baby passport photos, where infants need to be photographed lying on a plain white background (a parent's hand holding the baby's head cannot appear in the photo), which is impossible to achieve in a standard booth.

Comparing Your Options: Passport Photos in Belfast

Option	Typical Price	Wait Time	Best For
Tesco / Max Spielmann booth	From £6	Instant	Adults, convenient locations
Boots Donegall Place	£6–£8	Instant	City-centre visitors, staff assistance
Asda photo kiosk (print only)	~55p per print	Instant (self-service)	Printing a pre-prepared template
Snappy Snaps	Varies	Instant (staffed)	Quality-conscious, professional service
Graham Crichton Studio	From £35	By appointment	Babies, families, premium quality
Windsor Photoprints	Contact for pricing	Walk-in	South Belfast residents, guarantee
Online tool + kiosk print	From ~55p	Immediate (digital)	Best value, home convenience

HM Passport Office – Belfast

If you need to visit the passport office in person – for example, to use the Premium or Fast Track service – the HM Passport Office Belfast is located at Millbane House, Clarendon Dock, Belfast, BT1 3BH. This office handles applications from residents across Northern Ireland. You'll need to bring your completed application, your current passport (if renewing), your birth certificate and any other supporting documents, plus your compliant passport photos. It's strongly advisable to have your photos ready and verified before you arrive, as the office will reject non-compliant photos and you'll need to source new ones before your appointment can proceed.

For straightforward renewals, applying online through the HMPO website and using a digital photo is generally quicker and cheaper than visiting the passport office in person.

Tips for Taking a Great Passport Photo in Belfast

Whether you're heading to a booth or taking a photo at home, these tips will help ensure your photo is accepted by the HMPO without the need for a retake.

Lighting matters most. Poor lighting is the single most common reason passport photos are rejected or look unflattering. In a photo booth, the lighting is pre-set, but if you're taking a photo at home, position yourself facing a large, bright window. Avoid shooting in direct sunlight, which can cause harsh shadows under the nose and chin.

Plain backgrounds are non-negotiable. The background must be plain white or very light grey. At home, a white wall or door works well. If the background isn't perfectly plain, a good online photo tool will remove and replace it for you.

Glasses are no longer permitted. Since 2015, UK passport photos cannot include glasses. This applies to all types, including tinted glasses. Remove them before taking your photo.

Neutral expression, eyes fully open. Look directly at the camera lens with a natural, neutral expression. Don't smile with your teeth, squint, or let your eyes drift to the side. Both eyes must be fully visible and open.

Take it within the last month. Your passport photo must have been taken within the past month of your application. Old photos – even if technically compliant – will be rejected if they're more than a month old.

Keep your head upright. Tilting or rotating your head, even slightly, can cause a photo to be rejected. Look straight ahead, with your face level and centred in the frame.

For baby passport photos: Lay your baby on a plain white sheet and photograph them from above. Your hands must not be visible in the frame, even if you're steadying the baby's head. A white cellular blanket or a piece of white A3 paper makes a good background. Keep the lighting soft and even. An online photo tool can then trim and format the image correctly.

Ready to create your passport photo?

Get a compliant United Kingdom passport photo in minutes. AI-verified. 100% acceptance guarantee or your money back.

Create My Photo

Why Choose PassportApp?

Ready in 2 Minutes

AI processing delivers your compliant photo instantly — no booth queues.

Money Back Guarantee

Full refund if your application is rejected due to the photo.

Compliance Verified

Every photo is checked against official requirements before download.

Frequently Asked Questions

The most convenient options include Tesco stores with Max Spielmann photo booths (Knocknagoney, Newtownbreda, Castlereagh Road, Antrim Road), Boots on Donegall Place, Asda on Shore Road and Kennedy Way, and Snappy Snaps in the city centre. For a professional service, Graham Crichton Photography and Windsor Photoprints are both well-regarded Belfast studios. You can also take your photo at home using an online passport photo tool and print it at any local kiosk.

Photo booth prices range from around £6 (Tesco/Max Spielmann) to £8 (Boots). Professional studio sessions start from £35. If you use an online tool and print at a supermarket kiosk, you can get two passport photos for as little as 55–65p. That's by far the most affordable option if you're happy to prepare your photo at home.

Yes. Modern smartphone cameras are more than capable of taking a compliant UK passport photo. Use an online passport photo tool to ensure the background is correct, the image is cropped to the right size, and compliance with HMPO requirements is verified.

Yes. The HM Passport Office Belfast is at Millbane House, Clarendon Dock, Belfast, BT1 3BH. For most standard renewals, however, the online application route is quicker and cheaper than an in-person visit.

No. You just need to turn up during store opening hours with cash or a card to pay. Most modern booths accept contactless payments. If you're using a kiosk to print a pre-prepared template, bring your file saved on a USB drive or accessible on your phone.

UK and Irish passport photos are both 35x45 mm, but Irish passport photos require a white (not light grey) background and have slightly different head-size proportions. If you need an Irish passport photo in Belfast, make sure you use a tool or studio that specifically prepares photos to Irish passport specifications, as the requirements differ from HMPO standards.