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How to take a good passport photo
A good photo gives a good print — and avoids rejection at the passport or ID office. Read these tips before you take or choose your photo.
Face centred, looking straight ahead, filling about 70–80% of the frame height, with a little space above the head.
✓ Do
Plain white or very light background
Soft daylight from the front
Look straight at the camera
Neutral face, mouth closed, eyes open
Head upright, shoulders square
Use the original photo from your camera
✗ Don't
Use flash, filters or beauty mode
Stand in front of a window or bright light
Tilt or turn your head
Smile widely or close your eyes
Wear a hat, or hair over your eyes
Use a screenshot or a photo forwarded on WhatsApp (they are shrunk)
Lighting
Face a window with soft daylight, so the light falls evenly on both sides of your face.
Avoid harsh direct sun, strong shadows under the nose, chin or eyes, and shadows on the wall behind you.
Never have the light behind you (a window or lamp behind makes your face dark).
Indoors at night, use bright white room light from the front. Avoid coloured or yellow light.
Camera and distance
Use the back camera (sharper than the selfie camera), held at eye level. A steady surface or a helper gives the best result.
Stand about 1–1.5 metres from the camera and take the photo in portrait (upright) mode. Standing too close distorts the face.
Wipe the camera lens first. Make sure the photo is sharp, not blurry.
Face and head position
Look straight into the camera, head upright and facing forward, not tilted or turned.
Neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes open and clearly visible. Keep hair off your face and eyes.
Your whole face must be visible, from the top of the head to the chin.
Avoid hats and head coverings (unless worn for religious reasons, and the face is fully visible). Remove glasses if you can; if you keep them, make sure there is no glare and the eyes are clear.
Wear plain clothes that stand out from a white background (avoid white).
Babies and small children
Lay a baby on a plain white sheet and photograph from directly above. Keep hands and toys out of the picture.
For young children, get their attention to the camera and take several photos, then choose the one with open eyes and a calm face.
Framing it with our tool (step 3)
Drag the photo and use the zoom slider until your face fills about 70–80% of the bright frame, centred, with a little space above your head.
The dimmed area outside the frame is cut off and will not be printed.
If the page warns that the photo is small, use a larger photo from your camera for a sharper print.
Please note: passport, visa and ID rules differ by country and office (size, background colour, glasses, head coverings). Check the exact requirements of the office that will receive your photo before ordering.
