UK Passport Photo Requirements for Online and Paper Applications

HM Passport Office (HMPO) uses one set of rules for the face and two formats for the file: a digital photo for online applications and printed photos for paper forms. The table shows both side by side, taken from the GOV.UK photo pages and the HMPO photo standards.

The most common surprise for British citizens living in the US is the recency rule. A photo from your last US passport or visa will not do, even if you look the same, because GOV.UK asks for a photo taken in the last month for every new passport.

Most British nationals in the US renew or apply online on GOV.UK, so the digital photo is the one that matters. GOV.UK gives you two ways to add it: a photo code from a booth or shop, or a digital photo you take yourself during the application.

Photo codes vs your own digital photo

Photo codes are issued by photo booths and shops that offer the service, and those are mainly in the UK. From the US, you will almost always use the second route and upload your own digital photo. GOV.UK says you will need someone to help you take it.

Do not crop it

This is where many online passport photo tools go wrong. GOV.UK says not to crop your digital photo because it will be cropped for you. It wants your head, shoulders and upper body in the frame. A tightly cropped head shot, like a US 2 x 2 photo, can fail the automatic check. That is why PhotoForPass delivers an uncropped head-and-shoulders file for the online route, at 1200 x 1500 pixels, which is well above the 600 x 750 minimum.

When you need printed photos

If you are asked to use a paper form, you need 2 identical printed photos at 45 x 35 mm. Leave both sides unmarked unless the photo needs countersigning, and send them loose rather than stuck to the form.

Every UK order is built for both routes, so you do not have to guess which one you will use. The digital photo comes first, and the print sheet is optional.

• Digital photo ($16.95): an uncropped JPG for the GOV.UK online application, at least 600 x 750 pixels and well under 10 MB.
• Photo + print sheet ($18.95): the same digital file plus a print-ready 4 x 6 inch sheet (JPG and PDF) with 8 photos at 35 x 45 mm. Print it at CVS, Walgreens or Walmart and cut along the guides.

GOV.UK says printed photos must be professional quality, on plain white photo paper, with no border, creases or tears. Order the sheet as a glossy or matte 4 x 6 photo print, not a home print on plain paper.

Most rejections come from a handful of avoidable problems. Check these before you upload or mail anything.

• Too old. The photo was taken more than a month ago, or reused from a previous passport.
• Cropped too tight. A digital photo cut down to the head alone, instead of head, shoulders and upper body.
• Shadows. Shadows on your face or on the wall behind you. Face a window and stand a step away from the wall.
• Busy background. Patterns, doors, plants or other people in the frame.
• Expression. Smiling with teeth, mouth open, or eyes half closed.
• Glasses. Glare or frames covering the eyes. GOV.UK says to avoid glasses if you can, and tinted lenses are never allowed.
• Hair or head covering over the face. Hair must not cover your eyes. Head coverings are allowed only for religious or medical reasons, with the face fully visible.
• Edited images. GOV.UK asks for a photo that is not altered by editing software, so skip beauty filters and face retouching apps.

Children get more flexible rules, but the child must be alone in the picture. No toys, dummies or a parent's hands in view.

Children under 6 do not need to look straight at the camera or keep a plain expression. For babies under 1, the eyes do not need to be open, and you can support the head as long as your hand does not show. A practical trick is to lay the baby on a plain light sheet and take the photo from above, with the phone parallel to the baby's face.

PhotoForPass is built around the GOV.UK rules, including the uncropped digital format. You take or upload a photo on any phone or computer, and our checks run in your browser before you pay, so your photo stays on your device until then.

We check face position, head size, eyes, lighting, shadows and background against the UK rules. Then we even out the lighting, give you a plain light background, and size and crop the photo twice: an uncropped head-and-shoulders file for GOV.UK and a 35 x 45 mm print version. Each order includes up to 5 photo checks and 3 free redos per person, and files are ready about 30 to 60 seconds after payment.

Start with a well-lit photo against a plain light wall, so the image needs as little change as possible. GOV.UK notes that booth or shop photos are more likely to be approved than photos taken on your own device, and final acceptance is always up to HM Passport Office. If your photo is rejected, our 14-day money-back guarantee gives you a full refund.