United Kingdom Passport photo requirements

United Kingdom passport photo requirements, in plain English

The UK passport photo is one of the stricter common documents on expression — no smiling allowed — and it is unusual in specifying a cream or light grey background rather than plain white. Every rule below comes straight from HM Passport Office's official pages on GOV.UK (the printed-photo and digital-photo requirements).

Size, head height, and position

A printed photo must be 45 mm high by 35 mm wide — the standard size you get from a photo booth or photo shop. It must be a close-up of your full head and upper shoulders, and the image of your face must measure 29–34 mm from the crown of your head to your chin. If you apply online with a digital photo, it must be at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall and between 50KB and 10MB.

Expression — do not smile

HM Passport Office is explicit: you must have a plain expression with your mouth closed. Smiling is not allowed. Your eyes must be open and visible, and you must be facing forwards and looking straight at the camera. (Children under 6 are exempt from the plain-expression and look-at-camera rules; children under 1 need not have their eyes open.)

Glasses — best to leave them off

Unlike documents that ban glasses outright, the UK says do not wear glasses unless you have to. If you must wear them, they cannot be sunglasses or tinted glasses, and your eyes must not be covered by the frames or by any glare, reflection or shadow.

Head coverings and hats

You must not wear a head covering unless it is for religious or medical reasons. Where a covering is worn for those reasons, your full face must still be visible. Everyday hats and caps are not appropriate.

Lighting, shadows, and red-eye

There must be no shadows on your face or behind you, and the photo must be clear and in focus. The photo must not have 'red eye' — so use diffuse lighting or position any flash to avoid the red-eye reflection.

Background

A plain cream or light grey background, with you in clear contrast to it, and no other objects or people in the frame. Snapassport standardizes your background to a compliant colour automatically, so a slightly off-colour or busy wall is corrected for you.

Format and authenticity

Submit the photo in colour, and — for digital photos — unaltered by computer software. A printed photo must be produced to a professional standard, in colour on plain white photographic paper with no border, and without any creases or tears.

Babies and young children

The rules relax for the youngest applicants. Children under 6 do not have to be looking directly at the camera or have a plain expression. Children under 1 do not have to have their eyes open — you can support the child's head with your hand, but your hand must not be visible in the photo.