British Passport Photographs

An eligible photograph is one of the most important components of the passport application process. Without a suitable photo, your passport is highly likely to be delayed, or even declined; it is therefore important that your photographs meet the requirements of His Majesty’s Passport Office.

We can help ensure your photograph checks all the necessary parameters through our photo re-sizing service. This service lets you send us your own, non-passport-standard photographs, which we will edit to make sure they comply to government standards.

This service is simple and straightforward. Once you send us your photographs via post, email or our mobile app, we will edit them, print them out and send them to you via email or post, so that you can have them in your possession in 2-3 working days. This process eliminates the need to go to a photo booth, saving you money as well as the hassle of locating your nearest passport photo machine. Through it, you can have an existing photo re-sized to standard passport dimensions (45mm high x 35mm wide) and mailed to you, without ever having to leave your home!

Photo Requirements

UK passport photos adhere to a specific set of requirements devised by HM Passports Office, which you should observe when snapping the photo you intend to submit for re-sizing – at the risk of seeing your passport application be delayed or declined.

Adult passport photos should be taken against an off-white background. You should look directly into the camera with a neutral expression, neither smiling nor frowning. Your mouth should be closed and your eyes open and clearly visible – glasses and other eyewear should be removed.

Your hair should be pushed away from your eyes and your head uncovered, with exceptions being made for religious or medical head-dresses. The photo should be taken from roughly two metres away, and the subject framed vertically from above the waist to 30cm above the head. Brightly-coloured clothing should be avoided.

Baby passport photos should similarly be framed from just above the belly button, leaving a space above the baby’s head. Ideally, the photo should be taken from roughly 1.5 metres above the baby, and framed vertically. Babies under one year old are allowed to have their eyes closed and their mouth open, but otherwise the photo should be taken straight on, with both of the baby’s ears showing, its eyes visible and its mouth shut, like for an adult photo. The baby’s hands should not be visible.

By following these parameters when sending us your photo for re-sizing, you can help your passport application process move along faster and much more simply!