Get Your Best Passport Photos

What are the passport photo rules?

Every UK passport photo must help the authorities recognise the document’s holder. For first-time UK passports, it’s also important to remember about the countersignatory—a person who will confirm your identity.

An acceptable passport photo must meet the requirements regarding the picture’s size, quality, background colour, and more. According to HM Passport Office, your British passport photo must:

• Measure 35x45 millimetres
• Be printed on high-quality paper
• Be sharp, without any shadows or blurs
• Reflect your natural, current appearance
• Present you looking directly at the camera with your face fully visible
• Be taken against a plain light-coloured background (preferably cream or grey)

Consider your attire, too. While glasses or a head covering is generally unacceptable, there are some exceptions to the rule. We’re discussing them in the table below.

British passport photos for children follow the same requirements in most cases. There are some relaxations depending on the baby’s age.

• Children aged 6 or younger may be looking away from the camera. They are also allowed to keep a less neutral facial expression than adults
• Newborns and infants (aged 1 or younger) may have their eyes closed

Remember that a child must be the only person in their UK passport photos. Toys or other people visible in the picture’s frame are not allowed.

Tip: Want to help your baby maintain a straight pose for their passport photo? Hold them while standing or sitting, and take a picture with our passport photo app. Within seconds, the background will be removed and adjusted to meet the official regulations!

Where to get passport photos

In the UK, you can get your passport photos in several places:

• Photo shops, like Timpson or Snappy Snaps
• Photo booths, like Max Spielmann
• Retail chains or pharmacies, like Boots or Sainsbury’s
• Supermarkets, like Tesco, Asda, or Morrisons
• Professional photography studios
• Post Office

To find the nearest location, you can search for “passport photo service” on Google and choose the most suitable one.

How much are passport photos?

The cost of passport photos varies depending on the location. You can visit the nearest photo shop and get your UK passport photos starting from £6. Alternatively, send your application through the Post Office and get the digital image done right away for £16 (plus the processing fee).

You can also print your passport photographs for only £2.50 (through ASDA, for example) or even as little as £0.55! Read on to know more.

How to prepare digital passport photos

Besides the traditional paper application, British citizens can also apply for their passports online. To get your online passport form accepted, you must submit a digital photograph that follows the requirements stated by the British government. Here’s what your digital passport photo needs:

• Quality. Ensure it’s sharp and clear
• Colour. Avoid submitting black-and-white photos
• Authenticity. It must reflect your natural appearance. Do not alter it with any computer software
• Proper dimensions. Ensure the image measures at least 600x750 pixels
• Proper file size. It should weigh between 50 KB and 10 MB. Ensure the image is in the JPEG format

To make the passport application process easier, get digital photos with a code—you will enter it into your form, and the image will be automatically attached. You can get digital UK passport photos in photo booths or shops, but there’s another, more convenient way.

Can I take a passport photo on my phone?

Yes! You can stop worrying about choosing the right location for you, your friends, and family members. Stay at home—or wherever you are—and take as many shots as you want with our innovative passport photo app!

Thanks to our AI-backed system and the team of passport photo experts, we only deliver photographs 100% compliant with the official regulations. This way, you can be sure that your photo—either printed or digital—will be accepted by authorities.

Create professional passport photos at home

Get your British passport photo with just your phone—at home or wherever you are!

Our service offers delivery of high-quality printed photos or a digital copy sent immediately to your email address—all that in line with the official British passport photo requirements. Download our passport photo tool, take the photo, and see for yourself how easy it is!