UK Passport Photo Requirements
Before visiting any provider, it is worth checking exactly what HMPO requires of your photo. The rules are strict and a non-compliant image will delay your application. The key requirements are set out below.
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Print size | 35 x 45 mm |
| Digital size (online applications) | 600 x 750 px, between 50 KB and 10 MB |
| Background | Plain white or very light grey, no patterns or shadows |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed, both eyes fully open |
| Head position | Straight, facing the camera directly, not tilted |
| Head size in frame | Must fill 70 to 80 percent of the image height |
| Recency | Taken within the last month |
| Glasses | Not permitted under any circumstances since 2018 |
| Headwear | Not permitted except for confirmed religious reasons |
| Print quality | Sharp, colour, unaltered, no red-eye, shadows or reflections |
Online passport applications cost £9.50 less than paper applications and require either a digital photo code (issued automatically by modern booths and online services) or a digital image to upload directly. All the main providers in Harlow – Boots, Max Spielmann and Timpson – supply a digital code alongside your printed photos.
Boots Harlow Broad Walk – Town Centre Photo Booth and Kiosk
The Boots on Broad Walk is Harlow's main high street pharmacy and the most convenient in-town option for passport photos. Unlike most Boots branches, which now only offer kiosk printing, the Broad Walk store retains both a Passport Instant Photo Booth service (where staff take your photo) and an Instant Photo Kiosk for printing templates you have prepared at home. It is located within easy walking distance of Harlow Bus Station and a short walk from Harlow Town station via the town centre, and sits adjacent to The Harvey Centre.
- 37 Broad Walk, Harlow, Essex, CM20 1JA
- Tel: 01279 425771
- Opening hours: Mon–Sat 8:30am–5:30pm; Sun 10:00am–4:00pm
- Services: Passport Instant Photo Booth (staffed), Instant Photo Kiosk (print your own template), Boots Opticians, pharmacy
- Location: In the Broad Walk shopping area, adjacent to The Harvey Centre and near Harlow Bus Station
- Price: Passport Instant Photo Booth service from approx. £10–£12; kiosk printing from around 27–55p per 6x4 sheet
Tesco Church Langley Extra – Max Photo Shop and Timpson
Harlow's Church Langley Tesco Extra is the larger of the town's two Tesco superstores and has a full Max Photo Shop (staffed Max Spielmann concession) rather than just a self-service booth. At a Max Photo Shop, trained colleagues take your passport photo, check it meets HMPO requirements, and can assist with applications for over 140 international passports and visas. The store also has a Timpson concession and an instant print kiosk. Church Langley is in the east of the Harlow district, convenient for residents of Church Langley, Newhall, Latton Bush and Roydon.
- Church Langley Way, Church Langley, Harlow, CM17 9TE
- Tel: 0345 677 9332
- Opening hours: Mon–Sat 6:00am–midnight; Sun 10:00am–4:00pm
- Services: Max Photo Shop (staffed passport photos), Max instant print kiosk, Timpson passport photos, Tesco Pharmacy, petrol station, café
- Price: Max Photo Shop staffed service from £12.99; Timpson from £12.99
Tesco Harlow Superstore – Max Photo Shop and Timpson
The Tesco Superstore on East Road is Harlow's central Tesco, a large store in the heart of the town with a confirmed Max Photo Shop and Timpson on site. Like the Church Langley branch, it offers staffed Max Spielmann passport photo services as well as a self-service kiosk. East Road is easily accessible from the A414 and a short drive from Harlow Town station and the town centre retail area.
- East Road, Harlow, Essex, CM20 2TG
- Tel: 0345 677 9336
- Opening hours: Mon–Sat 6:00am–midnight; Sun 11:00am–5:00pm
- Services: Max Photo Shop (staffed passport photos), Max instant print kiosk, Timpson passport photos, petrol station
- Price: Max Photo Shop from £12.99; Timpson from £12.99
Asda Harlow – Max Spielmann Photo Booth at Water Gardens
Asda Harlow is located in The Water Gardens shopping centre in the heart of the town, making it the most central supermarket passport photo option. The store has a confirmed Max Spielmann self-service passport photo booth, producing four printed photos alongside a digital copy and HMPO photo code in a single session. The Water Gardens centre sits directly adjacent to the main bus station and is a short walk from Harlow Town station.
- The Water Gardens, South Gate, Harlow, Essex, CM20 1AN
- Opening hours: Mon–Sat 7:00am–10:00pm; Sun 11:00am–5:00pm (hours may vary)
- Services: Max Spielmann passport photo booth (self-service)
- Location: Inside The Water Gardens shopping centre, Harlow town centre
- Price: £12.99 for 4 prints + digital code at the Max Spielmann booth
Timpson in Harlow
Timpson has passport photo concessions at both of the main Tesco stores in Harlow. The service is staffed, with colleagues taking your photo and checking it meets HMPO requirements before you leave. A digital photo code is included and a free retake is offered if HMPO subsequently rejects the image. Timpson can also handle passport photos for children and babies, which supermarket booths cannot.
- Church Langley Tesco – Church Langley Way, Harlow, CM17 9TE | Tel: 01279 417357 | Mon–Sat 9am–6pm, Sun 10am–4pm
- Harlow Tesco Superstore – East Road, Harlow, CM20 2TG
Comparing Your Options in Harlow
| Provider | Type | Approx. Price | Digital Code | Baby/Child |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boots Broad Walk (staffed booth) | Staffed in-store booth | ~£10–£12 | Yes | Yes |
| Boots Broad Walk (kiosk print only) | Print your own template | ~27–55p/sheet | No | Yes |
| Tesco Church Langley (Max Photo Shop) | Staffed Max Spielmann | £12.99+ | Yes | Yes |
| Tesco Harlow Superstore (Max Photo Shop) | Staffed Max Spielmann | £12.99+ | Yes | Yes |
| Asda Water Gardens (Max Spielmann booth) | Self-service booth | £12.99 | Yes | Not at booth |
| Timpson (Church Langley / East Road Tesco) | Staffed service | £12.99+ | Yes | Yes |
Tips for Getting a Good Passport Photo in Harlow
Go to Boots Broad Walk if you are in town. As one of the few Boots stores in the area to still offer a staffed photo booth service (rather than just a print kiosk), the Broad Walk branch gives you the benefit of guidance and checking without paying Max Spielmann prices. It is also the most central option if you are arriving by bus or train.
Tesco Church Langley is best for a full staffed experience with plenty of parking. The Max Photo Shop at Church Langley is a full concession, not just a booth, meaning colleagues will take your photo for you, check the result against HMPO requirements and assist with the application. The large free car park makes it convenient for residents from Church Langley, Newhall and surrounding villages who may not want to travel into the town centre.
Wear plain, contrasting clothing. The white or light grey background means a light-coloured top can wash out. A plain dark or mid-toned top creates clear contrast and tends to produce cleaner, sharper prints.
Glasses must come off. HMPO has not permitted glasses in passport photos since 2018, with no exceptions for prescription lenses. Remove your glasses before you sit down at the booth or studio to avoid a wasted visit.
For babies and young children, use Boots or Timpson. Self-service booths are designed for adults and cannot accommodate infants. Both Boots Broad Walk's staffed service and Timpson at either Tesco are well set up for babies and children and staff there are used to the process.
Stansted travellers: allow enough time. If you are renewing a passport before flying from Stansted, all of Harlow's main photo providers close by 6–7pm (Tesco excepted, which stays open until midnight). Book your passport application appointment at least two weeks in advance of your travel date to avoid being caught out, and get your photo done as early in the process as possible.
About Harlow
Harlow was one of eight original Mark I New Towns designated under the New Towns Act 1946, and was masterplanned by Sir Frederick Gibberd from 1947. The town was designed around a series of distinct residential neighbourhoods separated by green wedges, with a town centre at The High and two principal shopping areas: the Broad Walk and the Harvey Centre. This original layout still shapes the town today, though significant growth has pushed the population well beyond Gibberd's original plan.
The town has direct rail connections to London Liverpool Street (35–45 minutes from Harlow Town station) and Cambridge, and the M11 gives swift road access to London, Stansted Airport and the A14 corridor. Harlow has a sizeable and diverse population, with strong South Asian, Eastern European and other international communities – which means the demand for visa photos and non-UK passport formats is higher than in many comparable-sized towns. For non-UK passport and visa photos, the Max Photo Shops at both Tesco stores and the Boots Broad Walk staffed service cover over 140 countries.
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Frequently Asked Questions
For a central, staffed option with expert guidance, Boots Broad Walk at 37 Broad Walk (CM20 1JA, tel: 01279 425771) is the most convenient in-town choice – open Mon–Sat 8:30am–5:30pm and offering both a staffed Passport Instant Photo Booth and a print kiosk. For a full-service option with plenty of parking, the Max Photo Shop at Tesco Church Langley Extra (Church Langley Way, CM17 9TE) is the best choice, with staffed Max Spielmann photography and Timpson also on site.
Boots Broad Walk's staffed photo booth service costs from approximately £10–£12. Max Spielmann at both Tesco stores charges £12.99 for 4 prints plus a digital code. Timpson charges £12.99 for passport photos. Asda's Max Spielmann booth is £12.99. Boots kiosk printing of a prepared template costs from around 27p–55p per 6x4 sheet – the cheapest physical option in the town. The absolute cheapest approach is using an online passport photo tool at home and printing at Boots.
Yes. Boots Broad Walk at 37 Broad Walk, CM20 1JA (tel: 01279 425771) has a Passport Instant Photo Booth service where staff assist you, as well as an Instant Photo Kiosk for printing prepared templates. This makes it one of the more capable Boots branches for passport photography, as many Boots stores now only offer kiosk printing without the staffed booth service.
Yes, at Boots Broad Walk (staffed service), Timpson at Church Langley Tesco (CM17 9TE) or Timpson at Harlow Tesco Superstore (CM20 2TG). All three offer staffed photography and are experienced with babies and children. Self-service booths at Asda and self-service Tesco kiosks are not suitable for infants.
The closest options to Harlow Town station are Asda Water Gardens (a short walk through the town centre, approximately 10–12 minutes on foot) and Boots Broad Walk (approximately 8 minutes on foot). Both are easily reached after arriving by train from London or Cambridge without needing a car or bus.
London Stansted Airport has photo booths in the terminal but these are intended for travellers already in the airport and may not be easily accessible without purchasing a flight ticket for entry. For most purposes, getting your passport photo in Harlow before travelling to Stansted is simpler. Harlow is around 10 miles from the airport via the M11, and the Greater Anglia Stansted Express stops at Harlow Town station before continuing to Stansted Airport Parkway (approximately 20 minutes).
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