Passport Photo Sizes by Country (and How to Meet the Rules)

Passport photo sizes are not universal, and a photo that is a few millimetres off can be rejected. Here are the common dimensions, what the rules have in common, and how to prepare one at home.

Common passport photo sizes

These are the sizes used for standard passport applications. Always confirm against your issuing authority's current instructions before ordering prints or uploading, because requirements are updated.

• United States: 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm). Head height between 1 and 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm) from chin to top of head.
• United Kingdom: 35 × 45 mm. Head from chin to crown about 29–34 mm.
• European Union / Schengen (most countries): 35 × 45 mm, with the face taking up roughly 70–80% of the picture height.
• Canada: 50 × 70 mm, with the face between 31 and 36 mm from chin to crown.
• Australia: 35 × 45 mm.
• India: 35 × 45 mm for passports applied for in India (Passport Seva); 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm) for Indian visas, OCI cards and passport applications made through Indian missions in the US.
• Japan: 35 × 45 mm.
• China: 33 × 48 mm.

Two families dominate: the 35 × 45 mm format used across Europe and much of Asia-Pacific, and the 2 × 2 inch square used in the US (and for Indian visas). Visas and national ID cards sometimes use different sizes from the passport, so check which document the photo is for.

Rules almost every country shares

• Recent photo: taken within the last six months, and looking like you today.
• Neutral expression: mouth closed, eyes open, looking straight at the camera. Smiling is not allowed or is discouraged in most cases.
• Plain background: white, off-white or light grey depending on the country, with no shadows or patterns.
• Even lighting: no shadows on the face or behind the head, no red-eye, no glare on glasses. Many countries now ask for no glasses at all.
• Head covering: only for religious or medical reasons, with the full face visible from chin to forehead.
• No filters or heavy retouching. Digital editing that changes your appearance is a common reason for refusal.
• Sharp and correctly sized: no blur, no pixelation, no creases if printed.

Digital versus printed submissions

Some authorities let you upload a digital photo, others need prints. For digital uploads you typically need to meet a pixel range (for instance, a US visa application needs a square JPEG between 600 × 600 and 1200 × 1200 pixels, no larger than 240 KB; the US online passport renewal accepts larger files, so check the limit for your exact application). For prints, the 35 × 45 mm or 2 × 2 in measurement is what counts, and the file resolution should be at least 300 dpi so that it prints sharply.

Taking a photo at home

1. Find soft daylight by a window and stand facing it so both sides of the face are lit evenly.
2. Use a plain wall in white or a light shade, and stand a little in front of it so you don't cast a shadow on it.
3. Have someone shoot at eye level from about 1–1.5 metres away, so that the face isn't distorted. Selfies from arm's length distort the face and are often rejected.
4. Frame loosely. Leave space around your head so you can crop to the correct proportions afterwards.
5. Crop and size it to the exact dimensions, making sure the head height falls within the required range.

Printing several photos on one sheet

Print shops charge per photo, but you can save by putting several on a standard 4 × 6 inch (10 × 15 cm) print. Six 2 × 2 in photos or several 35 × 45 mm ones fit on a single sheet, which you then cut out. Our maker builds this print sheet for you. Use a photo lab's glossy or matte paper rather than a home printer for accepted quality, unless the authority says otherwise.

Your face is sensitive data

Uploading a passport photo to a random service hands a clear image of your face and often the connected identity details to a third party. The Passport Photo Maker processes the picture on your own device. It does not remove the background (put yourself in front of a plain one), and nothing is sent to a server. If you also send the original photo to someone, consider removing the hidden location data first.

Frequently asked questions

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