UK Passport Photo Requirements
Before visiting any provider, it is worth reviewing exactly what HM Passport Office (HMPO) requires. 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 staffed services and modern booths) or a digital image to upload directly. All the main staffed providers in Harrogate – Bass & Bligh, Max Spielmann, Boots and Timpson – supply a digital code alongside your printed photos.
Bass & Bligh – Harrogate's Independent Camera Shop
Bass & Bligh on Beulah Street is Harrogate's longest-established independent camera and photography specialist, and the town's best option for a genuinely professional passport photo experience. The shop is a full-service photography retailer – stocking new and used cameras, lenses and optical equipment from brands including Fujifilm, Nikon, Leica, Zeiss and Swarovski – but its passport and visa photo service is a practical everyday offering that does not require an appointment.
Photographs are taken using professional studio equipment, which means consistent, even lighting and correct framing – exactly what HMPO requires and harder to guarantee with an automated booth. Bass & Bligh can issue either a digital code for online applications or 6 identical printed photos for paper applications, and they can handle foreign passport and visa specifications for a wide range of countries. Customers with babies or young children are explicitly welcomed, setting the service apart from automated booths that are entirely unsuitable for infants. Reviews consistently praise the team's expertise, helpfulness and the relaxed atmosphere in the shop.
- 6 Beulah Street, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG1 1QQ
- Tel: 01423 538138
- Email: enquiries@bassandbligh.com
- Website: bassandbligh.com
- Opening hours: Mon–Fri approximately 9:30am–5:00pm; check website for current hours before visiting
- Services: Professional passport photos (UK and foreign), digital code for online applications, visa photos, babies and young children accommodated, Fuji printing lab, camera and lens sales
- Price: Digital code OR printed photos – £9.99; digital code AND printed photos – £12.99
- Location: Beulah Street, off Oxford Street in the town centre, a short walk from the Royal Hall and Harrogate International Centre
Max Spielmann – Oxford Street Photo Centre
Max Spielmann operates a staffed photo centre at 18A Oxford Street, a short walk from the town centre's main retail area. As a dedicated photo centre rather than a concession inside a supermarket, the Oxford Street branch offers a fuller service than the automated booths found in Asda, including the ability to take your photo for you, check compliance with HMPO rules, and handle a wide range of international visa formats. The store is open Monday to Saturday, 9:00am to 5:30pm, and closed on Sundays.
- 18A Oxford Street, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG1 1PU
- Tel: 01423 701064
- Opening hours: Mon–Sat 9:00am–5:30pm; closed Sunday
- Services: Staffed passport photos, international visa photos (140+ countries), photo printing, scanning, framing
- Price: UK passport photos from £12.99 for 4 prints plus digital code; international visa photos from £14.99
- Location: Oxford Street, near the Garrick Buildings, in the town centre
Boots Cambridge Street – Passport Instant Photo Booth
Boots on Cambridge Street is Harrogate's main high street pharmacy, located close to the Victoria Shopping Centre. The branch has a Passport Instant Photo Booth service – where staff assist with taking your photo to HMPO standards – as well as an Instant Photo Kiosk for printing digital templates you have prepared at home. The Cambridge Street store also houses Boots Opticians, and sits very close to the main Post Office branch inside the Victoria Shopping Centre.
- 26-28 Cambridge Street, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, HG1 1RX
- Tel: 01423 566437
- Services: Passport Instant Photo Booth (staffed), Instant Photo Kiosk (print your own template), pharmacy, Boots Opticians
- Location: Cambridge Street, adjacent to the Victoria Shopping Centre; very close to Harrogate Post Office (HG1 1TU)
- Price: Passport Instant Photo Booth service approx. £10–£12; kiosk printing approximately 27–55p per 6x4 sheet
Timpson – Town Centre and Supermarket Locations
Timpson offers staffed digital passport photos from £12.99 at several Harrogate locations. Staff take the photo using a professional digital system, check compliance with HMPO guidelines, and provide 4 printed photos plus a digital code. In the unlikely event HMPO rejects the photo, Timpson will retake it for free. Harrogate has two town-centre Timpson branches and concessions inside both Sainsbury's and Asda.
- 1 Garrick Buildings, Oxford Street, Harrogate, HG1 1QE
- Tel: 01423 504651
- Services: Passport photos, key cutting, shoe repairs, watch repairs, phone repairs, engraving, locksmiths
- Location: Oxford Street town centre, close to Max Spielmann and Bass & Bligh
- Price: Passport photos from £12.99 including digital code
- C/o Sainsbury's, Wetherby Road, Harrogate, HG2 8QZ
- Tel: 01423 885282
- Services: Passport photos, key cutting, shoe repairs, dry cleaning, clothing alterations, watch repairs
- Location: Inside the Sainsbury's superstore on Wetherby Road, south of the town centre
- Price: Passport photos from £12.99 including digital code
- Inside Asda, Bower Road, Harrogate, HG1 5DE
- Services: Passport photos, key cutting, shoe repairs
- Price: Passport photos from £12.99 including digital code
Asda Harrogate – Max Spielmann Passport Photo Booths
Harrogate has two Asda superstores, both with Max Spielmann passport photo booths. The self-service booths auto-focus on the subject, take up to 10 photos until you are satisfied, and produce 4 printed photos plus a digital code for online applications. The booths are wheelchair accessible and offer instructions in six languages. The Wetherby Road store is open 24 hours, making it the only venue in Harrogate where you can get a passport photo outside of normal retail hours – useful for early-morning departures or late-night needs before travel.
- 135 Wetherby Road, Harrogate, HG2 7AA
- Tel: 01423 802986
- Opening hours: Open 24 hours, 7 days a week
- Services: Max Spielmann passport photo booth, Timpson concession, photo printing kiosk, pharmacy, opticians
- Price: Booth photos £12.99 for 4 prints plus digital code; kiosk printing approximately 11p per sheet
- Location: A661 Wetherby Road, south of the town centre
- Bower Road, Harrogate, HG1 5DE
- Tel: 01423 524243
- Opening hours: Mon–Fri 6:00am–midnight; Sat midnight–10:00pm; Sun 10:00am–4:00pm
- Services: Max Spielmann passport photo booth, Timpson concession, photo printing kiosk
- Price: Booth photos £12.99 for 4 prints plus digital code
Harrogate Railway Station – Photo Booth
There is a passport photo booth at Harrogate railway station, which is convenient for commuters and travellers. The station is served by Northern Trains on the Harrogate Line (Leeds–Harrogate–York) and by LNER services to and from London King's Cross around six times daily. The booth takes standard UK passport photos and is a practical option if you are already in or passing through the station.
Passport Photo Price Comparison – Harrogate
| Provider | Type | Price | Digital Code Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bass & Bligh, Beulah Street | Professional studio (staffed) | £9.99 (prints or code); £12.99 (both) | Yes |
| Max Spielmann, Oxford Street | Staffed photo centre | From £12.99 | Yes |
| Boots Cambridge Street | Staffed booth service | Approx. £10–£12 | Yes |
| Timpson (all Harrogate branches) | Staffed digital | From £12.99 | Yes |
| Asda Max Spielmann booth | Self-service | £12.99 | Yes |
| Railway station booth | Automated | Approx. £6–£8 | Varies |
| Boots kiosk (print own template) | Self-service print | Approx. 27–55p per sheet | No (bring your own) |
| Asda kiosk (print own template) | Self-service print | Approx. 11p per sheet | No (bring your own) |
Tips for Getting Your Passport Photo Right in Harrogate
Getting your passport photo right first time avoids costly delays to your application. A few simple steps make a significant difference.
Wear plain clothing in a dark or mid-tone colour. Avoid white, which blends into the required white background, and avoid complex patterns. Style your hair away from your face so it does not obscure your forehead or ears. Facial expressions must be strictly neutral – a very slight smile can cause rejection. Look directly into the camera lens, not at your own image on screen if using a booth.
If you are applying for a foreign visa rather than a UK passport, check whether the destination country has different size requirements. Both Bass & Bligh and Max Spielmann Oxford Street handle a wide range of international specifications. It is worth calling ahead with your country and document type so the correct format can be prepared before you arrive.
Online applications save £9.50 compared to applying by post, and all staffed providers in Harrogate issue a digital code alongside printed photos at no extra charge. If you have already taken an HMPO-compliant photo at home using a validated online tool, you only need to enter the code when completing your application online – no provider visit needed at all.
More Passport Photo Guides
Looking for passport photo services in other UK towns and cities? See our related guides:
- Passport Photo Birmingham
- Passport Photo Belfast
- Passport Photo Blackburn
- Passport Photo Bournemouth
- Passport Photo Brighton
- Passport Photo Croydon
- Passport Photo Derby
- Passport Photo Derry
- Passport Photo Doncaster
- Passport Photo Dundee
- Passport Photo Harlow
- Passport Photo Hartlepool
- Passport Photo Hastings
- Passport Photo Hemel Hempstead
- Passport Photo High Wycombe
- Passport Photo Huddersfield
- Passport Photo Ipswich
- Passport Photo Islington
- Passport Photo Kingston Upon Hull
- Passport Photo Leicester
- Passport Photo Luton
- Passport Photo Maidstone
- Passport Photo Middlesbrough
- Passport Photo Milton Keynes
- Passport Photo Newport
- Passport Photo Northampton
- Passport Photo Norwich
- Passport Photo London
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Frequently Asked Questions
The main options are Bass & Bligh at 6 Beulah Street, HG1 1QQ (professional independent studio, tel: 01423 538138); Max Spielmann at 18A Oxford Street, HG1 1PU (staffed photo centre, tel: 01423 701064, Mon–Sat 9am–5:30pm); Boots Cambridge Street at 26-28 Cambridge Street, HG1 1RX (staffed booth and kiosk, tel: 01423 566437); Timpson at 1 Garrick Buildings, Oxford Street, HG1 1QE and inside Sainsbury's, Wetherby Road, HG2 8QZ; Max Spielmann booths at Asda Wetherby Road (HG2 7AA, 24 hours) and Asda Bower Road (HG1 5DE); and a booth at Harrogate railway station.
Bass & Bligh charges £9.99 for either a digital code or printed photos, and £12.99 for both – making it the best-value staffed option in Harrogate. Max Spielmann Oxford Street and Timpson both charge from £12.99 for 4 prints and a digital code. Boots staffed booth service costs approximately £10–£12. Kiosk printing is approximately 27–55p per 6x4 sheet at Boots, and around 11p per sheet at Asda.
Yes. Bass & Bligh on Beulah Street explicitly accommodates babies and young children. Staff take the photo using professional studio equipment, which is far better suited to infants than an automated booth. Timpson branches can also assist with young children. Automated booths at Asda and Tesco are not suitable for babies as the child must sit unsupported facing the camera directly.
Yes. Asda Wetherby Road at 135 Wetherby Road, HG2 7AA is open 24 hours, seven days a week, and has a Max Spielmann passport photo booth inside. This is the only 24-hour option in Harrogate and is useful for early departures or last-minute needs before travel.
Yes. Boots Cambridge Street at 26-28 Cambridge Street, HG1 1RX (tel: 01423 566437) has both a Passport Instant Photo Booth service (staffed) and an Instant Photo Kiosk for printing templates prepared at home. The store is near the Victoria Shopping Centre and Harrogate Post Office.
Yes. Bass & Bligh covers foreign passport and visa specifications for a wide range of countries and asks that you bring any relevant government paperwork so the correct format can be confirmed. Max Spielmann Oxford Street handles international visa photos for over 140 countries from £14.99. Calling ahead with your destination country and document type is recommended.
The nearest HMPO premium service appointment centre is in Leeds, approximately 16 miles south of Harrogate by road or around 30 minutes by train (Harrogate Line). The Leeds Passport Office is at Concept House, Denison Road, Leeds, LS3 1AA. Premium appointments must be booked in advance via the HMPO website and are only available for urgent applications.
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