Quick answer: UK passport photo requirements
UK passport photo requirements in 2026 start with a 35 x 45 mm printed photo in portrait orientation, taken against a plain light-grey or cream background — not pure white — with a neutral expression, no glasses, and taken within the last month. The face must be clear, in focus, and looking straight at the camera.
If you apply online through GOV.UK you can upload a digital photo or enter a code from a photo booth, instead of supplying a printed photo. Always confirm the current rules on GOV.UK, as the digital specifications are updated periodically.
UK passport photo size and specs
The printed-photo specification at a glance:
| Spec | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Size | 35 x 45 mm, portrait |
| Background | Plain light grey or cream (not pure white) |
| Head size | 29–34 mm, chin to crown |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open, no glasses |
| Recency | Taken within the last month |
| Digital upload | At least 600 x 750 px, JPEG, up to 10 MB |
Digital photo specs for online applications (HMPO)
When you apply online through GOV.UK, a digital photo should be clear, in focus, in color, and unaltered — no filters. The common HMPO requirement is a minimum of about 600 x 750 pixels and a file size up to 10 MB in JPEG format.
You can take the digital photo yourself against a plain light background, or use a photo booth that gives you a digital code to enter in the application. Check the current pixel and file-size limits on GOV.UK before uploading.
Glasses, head coverings, and expression
Glasses are generally not allowed in UK passport photos; remove them unless you cannot for medical reasons, in which case the eyes must still be clearly visible without glare. Head coverings are accepted only for religious or medical reasons, with the full face visible.
Keep a neutral expression with the mouth closed — no smiling — and make sure hair does not cover the eyes. Both edges of the face should be visible.
Editing rules: no filters, no AI retouching
HMPO requires that the digital photo be unaltered — no filters and no edits to your face or background. This aligns with broader 2026 trends in passport photo rules. The U.S. State Department made its no-AI-editing rule explicit in January 2026 with an automated detector at upload time; UK guidance has long required unaltered photos and HMPO reviewers can reject photos that look filtered or retouched.
For at-home photos, the practical effect is to turn off auto- enhance, portrait mode, beauty mode, and any "scene optimization" feature in your camera app before pressing the shutter. Cropping and rotating an original camera capture are fine; anything that changes the face, skin, or background is not.
- Allowed: Cropping and rotating an original camera photo to fit the 35 x 45 mm frame or pixel target.
- Rejected: Beauty mode, skin smoothing, or face-shaping filters.
- Rejected: Background replacement or background colour changes.
- Caution: Some phone auto-enhance or HDR modes apply filtering at capture. Turn them off if you can.
Common UK rejection reasons
Photos are most often rejected for:
- A background that is too white, too dark, or patterned instead of plain light grey or cream.
- Shadows on the face or behind the head.
- Wearing glasses, or glare hiding the eyes.
- Hair across the eyes, a non-neutral expression, or looking away from the camera.
- Filters, beauty mode, AI edits, or background replacement.
- Low resolution, blur, or a photo older than one month.
How to prepare a UK passport photo with PhotoTools
Take the photo against a plain light-grey or cream backdrop with even lighting. Open the passport photo tool, set the 35 x 45 mm UK / EU preset, and crop with the head centered and correctly sized. Export the result; for an online application keep the digital photo at least 600 x 750 pixels.
Processing happens in your browser, so your photo is not uploaded to a server. The tool handles size, crop, and layout — not appearance — which keeps the photo within the rules.
Official source to check
Confirm the current UK passport photo rules on GOV.UK before applying.