UK Passport Photo Maker Online

Make a UK Passport Photo Online in Minutes

You do not need a photo booth to get a correct UK passport photo. Take a picture on your phone and upload it to our editor. The tool crops it to 35×45 mm, replaces the background with a plain light one, and checks your head size against the HM Passport Office (HMPO) range.

Use it for a first adult passport, a renewal, a replacement or a child application. Download a digital photo for the GOV.UK service, or print copies for a paper form.

How to Create Your UK Passport Picture in 4 Steps

1. Upload your picture. Choose a recent, sharp, front-facing photo from your phone or computer.
2. Let the tool crop it. The editor centres your head and sets the 35×45 mm frame.
3. Review the checks. The tool tests your background, head size and framing.
4. Download your photo. Save the JPEG for GOV.UK, or lay out copies on a sheet to print.

The process takes about two minutes, and you can retake the picture as often as you like.

UK Passport Photo Size: Millimetres, Pixels and Inches

Forms and websites quote the size in different units. Here is the same photo in each:

Unit	UK passport photo size
Millimetres	35 × 45 mm
Centimetres	3.5 × 4.5 cm
Inches	About 1.38 × 1.77 in
Digital minimum	600 × 750 px

The head, from the bottom of your chin to the crown, must measure between 29 mm and 34 mm. That fills roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of the photo height.

Official UK Passport Photo Requirements

Whether you apply on GOV.UK or by post, your photo must meet the same standard. Read these rules before you take your picture.

Format and Quality

• Size: 35 mm wide by 45 mm high for a printed photo.
• Digital file: Upload a JPEG of at least 600×750 pixels. The GOV.UK service also sets a file-size range, so check the current limits before you submit.
• Colour: Use a colour photo with no filters, effects or retouching.
• Quality: Make sure the image is sharp, clear and evenly lit, with no red-eye.
• Age: Take the photo within the last month.

Background and Lighting

• Background: Use a plain cream or light grey background. White is not accepted.
• Shadows: Keep shadows off your face and the wall behind you.
• Objects: Keep other people, furniture and patterns out of the frame.

Pose and Expression

• Face the camera. Look straight at the lens, with your head level.
• Keep a neutral expression. Close your mouth and keep your eyes open.
• Clear your face. Move hair away from your eyes and eyebrows.

Glasses and Head Coverings

• Glasses: Take them off. HMPO accepts glasses only in limited medical cases, and sunglasses or tinted lenses never pass.
• Head coverings: Wear one only for religious or medical reasons, and show your full face from chin to forehead.

Accepted vs Rejected UK Passport Photos

Accepted by HMPO ✅	Common reasons for rejection ❌
Neutral expression, mouth closed	Smiling, laughing or frowning
Plain cream or light grey background	White, dark, patterned or shadowed background
Both eyes open and clearly visible	Hair across the eyes, or heavy frames
Sharp, high-resolution colour image	Blurry, pixelated or filtered picture
Full head, neck and shoulders in frame	Cropped hair, chin or a tight close-up
Recent photo of you today	Old photo or a heavily edited selfie

What You Get With Our UK Passport Photo Editor

Our online tool handles each step and helps you avoid the common mistakes.

• Automatic cropping: The editor sets a 35×45 mm frame around your face.
• Background replacement: It swaps your wall for a plain light background.
• Head-size check: It compares your head height with the 29–34 mm range.
• Photo converter: Turn an existing picture into a passport-size photo without a retake.
• Phone-friendly editing: Use any smartphone and finish in your browser.
• Digital and print output: Download a JPEG, or a sheet with several copies to print.

How to Take a Better Source Photo

A clear picture gives the cleanest result, so take a few minutes to set up.

• Ask someone to help. Selfies distort your face, so have a friend hold the camera at eye level.
• Face a window. Soft daylight removes shadows from your face.
• Stand about one metre from the camera. Keep the lens level with your eyes.
• Use a plain wall. A simple backdrop gives a sharper background cut-out.
• Leave space around your head. The tool needs room to crop correctly.
• Look straight ahead. Relax your face and keep your head level.

How to Submit Your UK Passport Photo

Apply Online on GOV.UK

Upload your digital JPEG when the online passport service asks for it. The service checks the photo automatically and warns you about common problems, so read any message and fix the issue it names.

Apply by Post With a Paper Form

Print two identical 35×45 mm photos on plain white photo-quality paper, with no borders. Cut them to size and attach them as the form directs. Some applications need a countersignature on the back of one photo, so follow the instructions for your case. You can also ask a Post Office branch about its Check and Send service.

Print at Home or at a Shop

Print at 100% scale, with no fit-to-page setting. Take the file to a pharmacy, supermarket or photo kiosk and ask for the UK 35×45 mm size. Do not choose a generic passport option that may use another format.

Children and Babies

Children need the same size, but HMPO relaxes some rules for young ones. Babies do not need to look at the camera, and very young children may not have to keep a neutral expression. Take the photo against a plain background, and make sure no one else appears in the frame. Check the GOV.UK child guidance before you apply.

Need Passport Photos in London or Elsewhere in the UK?

Booths and high-street shops charge more than most people expect, and queues add to the wait. Take your picture at home instead, and use our editor to prepare a compliant photo in minutes. You can print it wherever you like, or upload it straight to GOV.UK.

Other Photo Formats

Applying for another document? Use our UK driving licence photo maker for DVLA applications, our UK passport renewal photo tool, or our US visa photo maker for the square 2×2 inch format.

Get Your UK Passport Photo Now

Upload your picture, and get a correctly sized 35×45 mm UK passport photo in minutes. No studio visit and no editing skills needed.