UK Passport Photos

If you're submitting a printed application by post, your photos must be exactly 35 millimetres wide by 45 millimetres tall, portrait orientation, taller than it is wide. You'll need two identical printed copies on high-quality photo paper with no borders. For online applications through GOV.UK, upload a JPEG photo that's at least 600 pixels wide by 750 pixels tall (3:4 aspect ratio), between 50 kilobytes and 10 megabytes.

The distance from the tip of your chin to the crown of your head must be between 29 and 34 millimetres. This is the single most common reason for rejection. Your head needs to fill enough of the frame to make facial recognition possible, but not so much that you're cramped. Aim for 31 to 33 millimetres if possible. Your head should be centred horizontally with equal space on both sides, and your chin positioned in the lower third with roughly the top portion of your shoulders visible.

Your background must be plain white with no patterns, textures, or visible objects. If using a wall, watch for shadows cast by lighting. HMPO requires a neutral expression with your mouth closed and eyes open. Glasses are not permitted unless medically necessary. Your photo must have been taken within one month of submitting your application. This is stricter than most countries, which allow six months.

Head too small is the most common rejection reason. People photograph from too far away trying to capture their whole head and shoulders, resulting in a head below the 29mm minimum. Head too large happens with selfies taken too close. Photos older than one month are rejected outright. Background shadows, incorrect aspect ratio (e.g. 600x800 instead of 600x750), and image quality problems including blurriness, pixelation, and excessive compression all cause automatic rejection.

Taking your own photo at home is absolutely possible with a decent camera or smartphone, a plain white background, good lighting, and ideally someone to help hold the camera. Position yourself about two metres from the camera, maintain a neutral expression, and use natural window light from the side or front. Once you have your photo, use an online tool to resize it to the correct dimensions. This handles the millimetres to pixels conversion automatically and ensures the aspect ratio is correct.