Your picture in a UK biometric passport has to meet very exact standards in order for it to be valid for use, and current requirements are based around the biometric passport standards now in use around the world. Photos submitted as part of a new passport application that do not meet the required standards will be rejected immediately. If this happens, any money paid may not be refunded, and the applicable fee will be required when re-submitting the application. Because of this, it is important to fully understand what is required, and to make sure the photo you send will be accepted.
A UK biometric passport photo is very similar in size to most countries around the world, but there are some differences and it should not be assumed that any photos taken in another country for the purpose of applying for a UK passport will be accepted.
UK Passport Photo Size and Width
A UK passport photo must have external dimensions of 35mm x 45mm (width x height).
Within the image itself, the area from the top of the head to the chin must be no less than 29mm, and no more than 34mm high.
You can use our Passport Photo Generator to adjust your photo to the biometric template for free.
| Millimeter | Centimeter | Inches | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Width | 35 mm | 3.5 cm | 1.37 in |
| Height | 45 mm | 4.5 cm | 1.77 in |
| Aspect Ratio | 0.78 (width to height), 1.29 (height to width) | ||
Foreign Passport Photo Sizes
If you need to apply for a passport to be issued by a country other than the UK, for example if you have children or other family members who hold dual or non-UK citizenship, the table below shows the current requirements for biometric photos. This information is provided purely as a guide, and it is highly recommended that you check with the issuing authority for up to date requirements.
The sizes of passport photos vary, depending on the country. Most European countries use the same format, but have slightly differing requirements. As an example, Ireland uses the same photo format, but the face has to be adjusted to cover a larger area of the photo. It has to be between 32 and 36 mm compared to a UK requirement of between 29 and 34mm. In addition, some countries require photos of different sizes depending on the intended use.
If you do need a photo for a non-UK issued passport, try using our persofoto sizer, to determine the correct size for your country and purpose.
| Country | Purpose | Size |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | Passport | 35-40 mm × 45-50 mm (colour!) |
| Visa | (4x/2x) 35 × 45 mm | |
| Belgium | ID, passport, driver’s license | 35 × 45 mm (colour!) |
| Brazil | ID, passport, driver’s license | 50 × 70 mm |
| Visa | 2 × 2 inches | |
| Cambodia | Visa | 2 identical photos |
| Denmark | ID, passport, driver’s license | 35 × 45 mm |
| Canada | ID, passport, driver’s license | 3.5 × 4.5 cm |
| Visa | 2 × 2 inches | |
| Finland | ID, passport, driver’s license | 36 × 47 mm |
| France | ID, passport, driver’s license | 35 × 45 mm |
| India | ID, passport, driver’s license | 35 × 35 mm, 35 × 45 mm, 50 mm × 50 |
| Italy | ID, passport, driver’s license | 30 × 40 mm (colour!) |
| Netherlands | ID, passport, driver’s license | 35 × 45 mm (colour!) |
| Norway | ID, passport, driver’s license | 35 × 40 mm |
| Poland | ID, passport, driver’s license, Visa | 35 × 45 mm (colour!) |
| Russia | ID, passport, driver’s license | 35 × 45 mm |
| Visa | “standard size” | |
| Spain | ID, passport, driver’s license | 30 × 40 mm |
| Sweden | ID, passport, driver’s license | 35 × 45 mm |
| Turkey | ID, passport, driver’s license | 35 × 45 mm |
| United Kingdom | ID, passport, driving licence | 35 × 45 mm |
| United States of America | ID, passport, driver’s license | 2 × 2 inches |
| Visa | 2 × 2 inches | |
| Vietnam | ID, passport, driver’s license, Visa | 4 × 6 cm (white background!, no glasses, no smiling) |
You can align your photo to the biometric template and have it cropped to the correct aspect ratio by our Passport Photo Generator – all for free.
Uploading Digital Photos
If you plan to take and process your own photo, it is important to understand how digital imaging works. Most photos are printed at between 240dpi (dots per inch) and 720dpi, with a typical setting of 300dpi being used to print at high quality. The “dots” indicate how many drops of ink are put on each inch-long segment of a single line of drops on the paper. In comparison, a computer screen typically only requires 72dpi to display an image at full resolution.
Graphics programs and photo viewers often don’t have an option to set the physical print size of a picture, but work instead in pixels, so some calculation may be needed in order to work out the image size in pixels that will be required. The calculation is
Print Resolution / 2.54 x Dimension in cm
The 2.54 figure is the conversion of inches to centimetres, so our 35mm x 45mm image at 300dpi is calculated like this –
300 / 2.54 x 3.5 = 413px wide
300 / 2.54 x 4.5 = 531px high
Further Information
As well as the physical size of the submitted photo, there are other requirements when applying for a UK Passport. You can find more about this in the article: “How do I take a biometric passport photo?”
In our Passport Photo Generator you can adjust your photo to the correct aspect ratio / size for free and align your face against a biometric template.
