UK passport photo requirements in 2026: what HMPO actually specifies, and the three rules most people get wrong

Dimensions and format

UK passport photos must be exactly 35mm wide by 45mm tall — a portrait rectangle, taller than wide. This is different from the US 2×2 inch square format and from Canada's 50×70mm format. The face from chin to crown must measure 29 to 34mm within the 45mm frame height — equivalent to approximately 64 to 76 percent of the image height. For digital submissions through the GOV.UK online passport application, the file must be a JPEG with minimum dimensions of 600 pixels wide by 750 pixels tall and a maximum file size of 10MB. The GOV.UK online portal includes an integrated photo checker that evaluates the uploaded image before the application proceeds — if the photo fails the automated check, the portal tells you specifically what went wrong and asks you to upload a different image. For paper applications where physical prints are submitted, the photos must be on professional photo-quality paper without borders. HMPO's guidance states that photos must not be folded, creased, or marked in any way. The paper can be matte or glossy.

The background rule

HMPO specifies cream or light grey as the background colour for UK passport photos. Pure white is technically accepted but is suboptimal for a specific technical reason: the GOV.UK photo checker's edge-detection algorithm, which identifies the outline of the face and shoulders in the uploaded image, performs less reliably when a pale or light skin tone appears against a bright white background — the contrast at the face edge is reduced. Cream or light grey provides slightly more contrast against pale skin tones, which is why HMPO's guidance specifically names these colours rather than white. This is the most frequently misunderstood UK-specific rule for applicants used to other countries' requirements. The US requires pure white. Canada requires plain white or light-coloured. Australia requires white. New Zealand requires non-white light grey or off-white. The UK's preference for cream or light grey is the specific exception that causes the most confusion, particularly for applicants who have recently prepared a US passport photo and assume the UK uses the same standard. The background must be completely uniform — no texture, no visible pattern, no objects, no furniture edges — and completely free of shadows. The two most common background shadow sources are: standing too close to the wall (which means the body casts a shadow on the background behind the shoulders) and using ceiling lights as the primary light source (which casts the shadow of the head downward onto the background). Moving at least one metre from the background and using front-facing natural daylight from a window — rather than ceiling lights — eliminates both of these.

The one-month recency rule

UK passport photos must have been taken within the last month before you submit the application. This is significantly stricter than the US (six months), Canada (six months), Australia (six months), and New Zealand (six months). The one-month rule is also applied consistently to digital submissions — the photo upload portal does not itself verify the date the photo was taken, but HMPO's processing review checks recency and can reject photos that appear to predate the submission by more than a month. The practical implication is that the photo should be one of the last things prepared before submission rather than one of the first. A UK passport photo taken at the start of a multi-week document-gathering process will often be outside the one-month window by the time the application is ready to submit. This also applies when using the UK Passport Service's "photo code" system offered by some photo services (Timpsons, Boots, high-street photo booths). If you receive a photo code from a session that was more than a month ago, you need a new session — the code is linked to a photo file with a recorded date, and an old code will be flagged during processing.

Glasses

Glasses are not permitted in UK passport photos. This rule has applied since November 2016. There is a medical exception for applicants who cannot remove their glasses for medical reasons, which requires a signed note from a GP explaining the medical necessity. No documentation is required specifically for the head covering the covering is religious — only for the glasses. This is the same policy as the US, Canada, and Australia. New Zealand and Hong Kong SAR are the two PassSnap-supported markets where prescription glasses are permitted under specific conditions. If you wear glasses for vision correction, remove them before the photo session. If you wear contacts, clear corrective contacts are fine. Coloured contacts are not permitted.

Expression and head position

A neutral expression is required: mouth closed, both eyes open, looking directly at the camera, face relaxed without smiling. The one-month recency rule and the neutral expression requirement together mean that the "waiting to use a nice existing photo" approach doesn't work for UK passport applications — the photo needs to be recent, taken specifically for the application, and taken correctly. The head must be facing directly at the camera without tilting to either side and without the chin significantly raised or lowered. If the head appears at an angle, the automated checker flags it. The photo must show a full face view — both ears should be visible where possible (this is a preference, not an absolute for all hairstyles), and the full face from chin to crown must be within the frame with appropriate space above the crown.

Religious and medical head coverings

Religious head coverings are permitted without requiring a signed statement. The covering must not shadow the face, and the full face from chin to forehead must be clearly visible. The UK's approach to religious head coverings is notably simpler than some other countries' processes. Medical head coverings (for conditions such as alopecia or cancer treatment) are also accommodated. A brief explanatory note is commonly recommended for medical coverings, though a doctor's signature isn't strictly mandated — a short statement from the applicant explaining the reason is the typical approach.

December 2025 HMPO Photo Standards update

In December 2025, HMPO updated its photo standards to version 49. The update removed a previous tolerance for a small bar at the bottom of some children's photo prints — a bar that had previously been allowed if it didn't cover any part of the face. Since December 2025, any photo with a bar across the bottom is rejected regardless of whether it touches the face. This is a detail specifically relevant to parents using services that produce children's photos in this format — confirming the format is compliant before the session is the reliable prevention. The December 2025 update also clarified some guidance around natural lighting conditions and the GOV.UK checker's handling of certain skin tones. The substantive compositional requirements — dimensions, background, expression, glasses — were not changed.

The GOV.UK photo checker

For online passport applications, the photo checker is integrated into the GOV.UK application portal rather than being a standalone pre-application tool. You upload the photo during the application, the checker evaluates it, and you can upload a different photo if the first one fails — all within the same application session. The GOV.UK checker specifically evaluates: face detection (can a face be found in the image), face size and position, background colour and uniformity, and whether the expression appears neutral. It does not verify the one-month recency claim — that's asserted at the point of submission and verified during HMPO's review. If the photo fails the automated checker, the error message typically specifies what went wrong: "background too dark," "face too small," "please remove glasses" (if detected), or a general "your photo couldn't be checked" message that often indicates a technical issue with the file. Addressing the specific stated issue is more reliable than trying to improve the photo generally.

Taking the photo at home

Front-facing natural daylight from a window is the most reliable light source for UK passport photos. It produces neutral colour temperature (avoiding warm or cool casts), soft diffused light (avoiding harsh shadows), and good contrast between the face and a cream or light grey background.

Position the camera at eye level, 1.5 metres from the subject. Use the rear camera with a self-timer to eliminate camera motion from pressing the shutter button. Check a test shot at full resolution before committing to the session, looking specifically at the background colour (is it reading as cream or light grey, not pure white or any other colour), the shadow situation (no shadow on background, no shadow under nose or chin), and the head size (face occupying 64–76% of the 45mm frame height).

Disable AI processing features on the phone before the session: Photographic Styles to Standard on iPhone, Scene Optimizer and Beauty to zero on Samsung, Face Unblur off on Pixel.

FAQ

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