How to make a passport photo at home
- Choose the document. Each country sets its own photo size, head size and background. The app knows the rules for the common passports and visas, and shows where each comes from.
- Take the photo. Ask someone to take it at eye level from about a metre away, in daylight from a window, in front of a plain light wall. Look straight at the camera with a neutral face and your mouth closed.
- Check the fit. The face is found on your device and the photo is scaled so the head is the right size, level and centred. The guides show where the top of the head and the chin must fall; drag or pinch to adjust.
- Print or save. Order the 4×6 sheet as an ordinary photo print, print the A4 or Letter sheet at home at actual size, or save the digital photo at the exact size an online form asks for.
The cheapest way to print passport photos
A 4×6 inch print (10×15 cm) from a photo counter or an online photo service usually costs well under a dollar or a pound, and it holds two US-size photos or eight 35×45 mm photos. Save the 4×6 picture, order it as a normal print with no borders, and cut along the grey lines. Printing at home works too: use photo paper, choose “Actual size” or 100 %, and measure the 50 mm line on the sheet to check nothing was scaled.
Some documents only accept photos taken by a photographer or at the office (Canada's passport, and Australia recommends a professional provider). The app tells you when you choose such a document, before you start.
Passport and visa photo sizes by country
| Document | Size | Head (chin to crown) | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Australian passport | 35 × 45 mm | 32–36 mm | white or light grey |
| Australian visa or citizenship | 35 × 45 mm | 32–36 mm | light grey or white |
| Brazilian passport (child under 5) | 50 × 70 mm | not stated | white |
| Canada visa (IRCC) | 35 × 45 mm | 31–36 mm | white or light-coloured |
| Canadian passport | 50 × 70 mm | 31–36 mm | white or light-coloured |
| Chinese passport (abroad) | 33 × 48 mm | 28–33 mm | white |
| Chinese visa | 33 × 48 mm | 28–33 mm | white or nearly white |
| Schengen visa | 35 × 45 mm | 32–36 mm | white or off-white |
| German passport (applying abroad) | 35 × 45 mm | 32–36 mm | light grey |
| Indian e-Visa | 600 × 600 px (digital) | 50–69 % | white or light |
| Indian PAN card | 25 × 35 mm | not stated | white |
| Indian passport | 35 × 45 mm | not stated | white |
| OCI card (India) | 51 × 51 mm | 70–80 % | light |
| Irish passport | 35 × 45 mm | not stated | light grey, white or cream |
| Italian passport | 35 × 45 mm | not stated | white |
| Japanese My Number card | 35 × 45 mm | 32–36 mm | background with no shadows or patterns |
| Japanese passport | 35 × 45 mm | 32–36 mm | white |
| Japanese visa | 35 × 45 mm | 32–36 mm | white |
| Malaysian passport (child under 4) | 35 × 50 mm | 25–30 mm | shadowless white |
| Dutch passport or ID card | 35 × 45 mm | 26–30 mm | grey, light blue or white |
| New Zealand passport | 35 × 45 mm | 76–84 % | light |
| Nigerian passport (abroad) | 2 × 2 in (50.8 × 50.8 mm) | 50–69 % | white |
| Russian visa | 35 × 45 mm | 70–80 % | light |
| Saudi eVisa | 200 × 200 px (digital) | 70–80 % | white |
| Singapore passport | 35 × 45 mm | 25–35 mm | white |
| South African passport or ID | 35 × 45 mm | 29–34 mm | light grey or cream |
| South Korean passport | 35 × 45 mm | 32–36 mm | white |
| Spanish passport or DNI | 26 × 32 mm | not stated | white |
| Thai e-Visa | 700 × 900 px (digital) | 65–75 % | white |
| UK passport | 35 × 45 mm | 29–34 mm | cream or light grey |
| UK visa (digital) | 900 × 1125 px (digital) | 45–55 % | plain, light-coloured |
| Texas driver licence (renewing by mail) | 2 × 2 in (50.8 × 50.8 mm) | 25.4–34.9 mm | white or off-white |
| US DV lottery (Green Card lottery) | 600 × 600 px (digital) | 50–69 % | white or off-white |
| US Green Card (USCIS) | 2 × 2 in (50.8 × 50.8 mm) | 25.4–34.9 mm | white to off-white |
| US passport | 2 × 2 in (50.8 × 50.8 mm) | 25.4–34.9 mm | white or off-white |
| US visa (DS-160) | 2 × 2 in (50.8 × 50.8 mm) | 25.4–34.9 mm | white or off-white |
| Vietnam e-visa | 600 × 900 px (digital) | not stated | white |
Any form that names a size: 2 × 2 in · 35 × 45 mm · 33 × 48 mm · 50 × 70 mm. Rules checked 2026-11-09; each page links the official source.
Where the photo is taken for you
- French passport or ID card: France only accepts photos from an approved photographer or booth, which give you the e-photo code for applying online. A home-made photo isn’t accepted.
- German passport or ID (in Germany): Since May 2025, offices in Germany only take digital photos from a certified photographer or their own terminal. Applying at a German mission abroad, choose “German passport (applying abroad)”.
- Philippine passport: You don’t need a photo: the DFA consular office takes your photo and biometrics when you apply.
- Mexican passport: You don’t need to bring photos: the photo is taken at the SRE office or consulate on the day.
- Brazilian passport (5 and over): From age 5 the Polícia Federal takes the photo at the appointment. Only children under 5 bring one: choose “Brazilian passport (child under 5)”.
- Aadhaar (India): Aadhaar doesn’t use a passport photo: your photo is taken at the enrolment centre, and changing it needs a visit too.
- Malaysian passport (4 and over): From age 4 the photo is taken at the passport office with a live-capture camera. Only children under 4 bring one: choose “Malaysian passport (child under 4)”.
- Pakistani passport: At a Regional Passport Office the photo is taken there. The online renewal service has its own photo checker for an uploaded photo.
- Türkiye e-Visa: No photo is needed for the e-Visa: just a passport, a travel booking and a card.
- US driver’s licence (most states): Your photo is taken at the DMV, including in California and New York. Texans renewing by mail from out of state are the exception: choose “Texas driver licence (renewing by mail)”.
What gets a photo refused
- Head the wrong size: measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head, hair included. This is the most common mistake with home photos.
- Shadows on the face or the wall behind, or one side of the face darker than the other.
- Glasses: not allowed at all in US passport and visa photos; elsewhere only with no glare and the frames clear of the eyes.
- Expression: a big smile, an open mouth or closed eyes (babies are let off some of these).
- Edits: filters, smoothing or retouching. Many countries also refuse a background that has been changed, so a plain wall is always the safer way.
- Old photos: most offices want one taken in the last six months; the UK asks for the last month.
Questions
Is it really free?
Yes. Every document, the checks, the print sheets and the digital file are free, with no watermark. Passport Photo Pro adds several people on one sheet, saved people, a custom size and any background colour.
Is my photo uploaded?
No. The face finder runs in your browser, and the photo never leaves your device.
Will my photo be accepted?
The app checks your photo against the published rules, but only the office that receives it decides. Follow the tips, keep the background plain and the light even, and read any notes shown for your document.
Can I take a passport photo with my phone?
Yes, for most documents. Have someone else take it from a metre or more away rather than a selfie, which makes the nose look bigger and the ears smaller.