Published 14 October 2026. Last checked against GOV.UK on 14 October 2026.
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A photo that does not meet the rules delays a passport application, and a delay can cost a trip. GOV.UK allows a digital photo you take yourself, and it sets out the rules in plain terms. This article goes through those rules, the set-up they describe, and the cases that change the answer: glasses, hair, babies and young children.
What the rules say
GOV.UK's digital photo page lists the requirements. The photo must be:
- at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall
- at least 50KB and no more than 10MB
- clear and in focus, and in colour
- unaltered by computer software
- taken in the last month
It must show your head, shoulders and upper body, and GOV.UK says not to crop it, because that is done for you. The photo should have no other objects or people in it. The background should be plain and light-coloured, with a clear contrast to you, and there should be no shadows on your face or behind you.
For the person in the photo, the rules are that you are facing forwards and looking straight at the camera, with a plain expression and your mouth closed, and your eyes open and visible. You should have no hair in front of your eyes, and nothing covering your face. A head covering is allowed only if it is for religious or medical reasons.
The passport service's own rules add that the photo must be a good likeness, with no effects or filters. GOV.UK warns that a photo that does not meet the rules will delay your application.
The working list is short: plain light wall, even light, face forward, mouth closed, nothing in front of the eyes, no filters, taken this month.
The set-up that GOV.UK describes
The how-to guide on the passport service site gives the physical set-up:
- Background. A plain, light-coloured wall with no texture or patterns and no objects behind you.
- Light. Balanced light with no shadows on your face or behind you, and natural light from a window is recommended.
- Distance from the wall. Stand about 50cm from the background to reduce shadows.
- Distance from the camera. The person taking the photo should stand 1.5 metres away from you.
- Framing. Include your head, shoulders and upper body.
Most homes do not have a suitable wall. If yours is patterned or coloured, a Ad plain white photo backdrop gives a plain light surface wherever you put it. Hang it from a door frame, or use a Ad portable backdrop stand if there is nothing suitable to hang it from. Smooth out any creases, because a crease can cast a shadow or show up as a line.
A Ad phone tripod solves the distance and the angle at once. Set the phone at head height, 1.5 metres from where you will stand, and use the remote or the timer so you can stand still and look straight into the lens. If someone else is taking the photo, a tripod still keeps the camera level and the framing the same from one attempt to the next.
Two practical points follow from the rules:
- Take several photos and pick the sharpest. A photo that is not clear and in focus is one of the stated rules.
- Look at the photo at full size before you upload it. Shadows under the chin or behind the head show up on a large screen far better than on the camera preview.
- Check the file against the size limits: at least 600 x 750 pixels and between 50KB and 10MB. A photo sent through a messaging app is often compressed, so use the original file from the phone.
A Ad tape measure is useful for marking 50cm and 1.5 metres, so the set-up can be repeated if you need to retake. That matters if you are taking photos for several people in the household.
Glasses, hair and head coverings
GOV.UK says not to wear glasses in your photo unless you have to. If you do, they cannot be sunglasses or tinted glasses, and the frames, glare, reflections or shadows must not cover your eyes. In practice that means checking each photo for a bright patch across the lens, and retaking it if there is one. If glare keeps appearing, try changing where the window light falls on your face.
Hair should not be in front of your eyes. Pinning it back is the simple fix, and plain Ad hair clips that stay out of the frame will do it. Headwear is not allowed unless it is for religious or medical reasons.
Babies and children
Children must be on their own in the picture. The details change with age:
- Under 6. They do not need to look directly at the camera or have a plain expression.
- Under 1. They do not need to have their eyes open. You may support their head, but your hand must not be visible. They should lie on a plain light-coloured sheet and be photographed from above.
- Babies. They must not hold toys or use dummies.
For the sheet, any plain white or cream Ad cotton muslin cloth will do, as long as it is plain and flat. Lie the baby on it on the floor, stand over the baby with the phone, and take plenty of photos, since the baby will not hold still.
The photo has to be taken in the last month, so a photo saved from an earlier attempt may be too old by the time you apply. Child passports and the five-year validity are covered in the child passport validity article.
When a booth or shop is the easier route
GOV.UK's digital photo page states that booth or shop photos are more likely to be approved than photos taken on your own device. If the set-up above is not possible at home, that is a fair reason to pay for one. The passport fees article covers what a photographer costs against a free digital photo.
Either way, the sequence is the same: get a good photo before you start the application, not partway through it, and allow for the standard processing time quoted in the renewal timing article.