UK passport photo size explained

Printed photo size: 35×45mm

You need 2 identical photos, 45mm high by 35mm wide — the standard size from UK photo booths. They must not be cut down from a larger picture, and your head must measure 29mm to 34mm from the crown to the chin. If you use a photo booth outside the UK, check it can print 45mm × 35mm.

Digital photo size: at least 600×750 pixels

GOV.UK sets a minimum of 600 pixels wide by 750 pixels tall and a file size of 50KB to 10MB. It doesn't set an exact pixel size, so the original photo from a modern phone — which is much larger — is fine. Problems come from screenshots and copies sent through messaging apps, which can be too small or too compressed. Read more in digital passport photo size and cropping.

Printed vs digital passport photo size compared

Both types must be taken in the last month, be clear, in focus and in colour, and be unaltered by computer software.

Which size do you need: printed or digital?

It depends on how you apply. If you apply online, you need a digital photo — either a photo code from a booth or shop, or a photo taken on your own device during the application — and the pixel and file-size rules apply. If you apply with a paper form, you need 2 identical printed photos at 45mm × 35mm, posted loose with your form. Many UK photo booths can give you both prints and a digital photo code from one session.

How to check head size on a printed photo

Lay a ruler with millimetre markings over the printed photo and measure from the bottom of your chin to the top of your head (the crown). On a 45mm-high photo the result must be between 29mm and 34mm. If your head is smaller than 29mm, the photo was taken from too far away; if it is larger than 34mm, it was taken too close. UK photo booths frame the head for you, which is one reason GOV.UK says booth and shop photos are more likely to be approved.

The 7:9 shape and our 700×900 download

35×45mm is a 7:9 shape. A 7:9 image needs to be at least 600×772 pixels to meet the 600×750 digital minimum. The free checker exports a 700×900 pixel JPG in that shape, which you can use to preview framing or to print at 35×45mm. For a GOV.UK online application using your own photo, upload the uncropped original showing your head, shoulders and upper body instead.

Common UK passport photo size mistakes

• Printing a home photo and cutting it to size. Printed photos must not be a cut down version of a larger picture.
• Using the US 2×2 inch size. Square 51×51mm photos are for US passports, not UK ones.
• Cropping a digital photo yourself. For an online application with your own photo, GOV.UK crops it for you.
• Uploading a screenshot. Screenshots and copies sent through messaging apps can drop below 600×750 pixels or 50KB.
• Head too small or too large. On a printed photo the head must be 29mm to 34mm from chin to crown.
• Files over 10MB. Some high-resolution cameras produce very large files; export again at a slightly lower quality without cropping or editing.
• Resizing or stretching the image. Changing the proportions distorts your face and counts as altering the photo.

Check your photo size free

The free UK passport photo checker reads the real pixel dimensions and file size of your photo in your browser and tells you whether they meet GOV.UK's 600×750 pixel and 50KB–10MB rules. Your photo is never uploaded. For every other rule, see UK passport photo requirements.