UK visa (digital) photo requirements
UK visa photos are now uploaded: at least 600 pixels wide and 750 tall, 50 KB to 6 MB, a JPEG, upright and not mirrored. It mustn’t be a scan or a photo of another photo, or the same photo as in your passport, and you should ask someone else to take it.
| Size | 36 × 45 mm in shape (uploaded, not printed) |
|---|---|
| Head | 45–55 % of the photo’s height (20.3–24.8 mm), chin to the top of the head |
| Background | A plain, light-coloured background |
| Glasses | Avoid glasses unless you have to. No tinted lenses; nothing covering the eyes. |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open, looking straight at the camera |
| Babies | Under 1: eyes needn’t be open; lie the baby on a plain light sheet and take it from above. |
| Digital photo | 900 × 1125 px, 50 KB to 6 MB. At least 600 × 750 px, 50 KB to 6 MB, showing your head, shoulders and upper body. |
| Editing | “Must not be altered by computer software or through other means (for example, by adding a filter).” |
Source: gov.uk (2026-11-09). The UK gives no head size for the digital photo: it wants head, shoulders and upper body, which the app frames for you.
Taking a UK visa (digital) photo
Stand in front of a plain, light-coloured background. Glasses are a risk: take them off if they catch the light. Keep a neutral face with your mouth closed. For a baby: Under 1: eyes needn’t be open; lie the baby on a plain light sheet and take it from above. For the online form the app saves 900 × 1125 px, 50 KB to 6 MB. At least 600 × 750 px, 50 KB to 6 MB, showing your head, shoulders and upper body.
Questions
What size is the UK visa (digital) photo?
900 × 1125 pixels, 6 MB or less, as a JPG.
Can I change the background?
The rules say: “Must not be altered by computer software or through other means (for example, by adding a filter).”
Other photos
- UK passport 35×45 mm
- US passport 2×2 in
- Schengen visa 35×45 mm
- 2 × 2 in photo 2×2 in
- Every passport and visa photo