Passport and Visa Photo Sizes: The Rules That Actually Get You Rejected
Passport photo dimensions for the US, UK, India, Schengen and more, plus the head-height rule that causes most rejections and how to make a compliant photo at home.
Updated August 11, 20265 min read
Most rejected passport photos are not rejected for being the wrong pixel size. They are rejected because the head is the wrong proportion of the frame, the background has a shadow on it, or the applicant is smiling. Dimensions are the easy part — every photo booth gets those right and still produces rejections. This guide covers the dimensions you need and, more usefully, the rules that actually cause failures.
Dimensions by country
| Country / region | Photo size | Head height | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) | 25–35 mm (1–1⅜ in) | Plain white or off-white |
| United Kingdom | 35 × 45 mm | 29–34 mm | Plain light grey or cream |
| Schengen / EU | 35 × 45 mm | 32–36 mm | Plain light grey |
| India | 35 × 45 mm (630 × 810 px online; 2 × 2 in for some visas) | 36–38 mm (face 80–85% of the height) | Plain white |
| Canada | 50 × 70 mm | 31–36 mm | Plain white or light-coloured |
| Australia | 35 × 45 mm | 32–36 mm | Plain light grey or white |
| China | 33 × 48 mm | 28–33 mm | Plain white |
The head-height rule is what fails people
Notice the third column. Every authority specifies not just the photo size but how much of it your head must occupy, measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head — including hair, but not including a hairstyle that sticks up dramatically.
This is the rule automated checking systems enforce most strictly, because it is trivially measurable. A US photo where the head measures 22mm in a 51mm frame is out of spec, and it will be flagged whatever the image quality. Selfies fail here constantly: held at arm's length, the head ends up too large and too close, and the perspective distortion makes the nose read as larger than it is.
The passport photo resizer outputs the exact pixel size for your country; frame the head to the table above yourself in the image cropper first.
The other rejection causes, in rough order
- 1Shadows on the background. Standing close to a wall throws a shadow behind you. Stand a metre or more in front of it, or remove the background entirely with the background remover and place the subject on a clean white field.
- 2Smiling or open mouth. Neutral expression, mouth closed. This is not aesthetic preference — face-recognition systems match on a neutral face, and a smile changes the geometry they measure.
- 3Glasses. Increasingly banned outright. The US has prohibited them since 2016. Where they are allowed, no glare, no tint, and the frames must not cross the eyes.
- 4Hair across the face. The full face from chin to hairline must be visible. Push hair behind the ears.
- 5Uneven lighting. One side of the face brighter than the other, or a shadow under the chin. Face a window; do not use a flash pointed straight at yourself.
- 6Wrong clothing. White tops disappear into a white background. Wear a mid-tone or dark colour.
- 7Old photo. Most authorities require a photo taken within the last six months.
Taking a compliant photo at home
Find flat, even light
Stand facing a window during daylight, with the light on your face rather than behind you. No flash — direct flash creates hard shadows and red-eye.
Get a metre from a plain wall
The gap is what removes the shadow. If you have no plain wall, shoot against anything and cut the background out afterwards.
Have someone else take it
From about 1.5 metres, at your eye level, held straight rather than tilted. Arm's-length selfies distort facial proportions and are visibly different from a properly framed portrait.
Neutral expression, eyes open, head straight
Look directly at the lens. No tilt, no turn, no smile. Take ten frames and choose the best rather than trying to nail it once.
Crop to the specification
Crop so the head fills the proportion in the table, then load it into the passport photo resizer and pick your country.
Country size presets and exact pixel output — it all runs on your device, not our servers.
Make a passport photoDigital submission vs printing
Online applications add a second layer of constraints on top of the physical ones: a minimum pixel size, a maximum file size, and sometimes a specific aspect ratio. US visa applications (DS-160), for example, want a square JPEG between 600 × 600 and 1200 × 1200 pixels and no larger than 240KB, while US online passport renewal accepts files from 54KB to 10MB. Indian portals frequently cap at 20KB or 50KB, which is tight for a photo that must remain clear enough for facial recognition.
Hit the pixel requirement first and the size limit second, using the resize to KB tool. Getting the order wrong — compressing hard, then discovering you need more pixels — means starting again from the original.
For printing, photo printing services can place several copies on a single 4 × 6 inch sheet — ask for it when you order. One sheet typically holds six 35 × 45 mm photos or four 2 × 2 inch ones, and costs the same as printing a single snapshot.
Frequently asked questions
Can I take a passport photo with my phone?
Yes, and most authorities accept it. The constraints are the same as for a booth: even lighting, plain background, neutral expression, correct head proportion. Have someone else take it from about 1.5 metres rather than shooting a selfie, since arm's-length photos distort facial proportions.
Why do passport photos get rejected most often?
Head size outside the permitted range, shadows on the background, smiling, and glasses. Dimensions and file size are rarely the cause because tools handle those automatically — it is the photographic rules that trip people up.
Can I wear glasses in a passport photo?
In the United States, no — glasses have been prohibited since 2016 except with a signed medical statement. Several other countries allow them provided there is no glare, no tint, and the frames do not obscure the eyes. Check your issuing authority, and when in doubt take them off.
What resolution does a passport photo need?
For printing, aim for 300 DPI at the physical size — about 600 × 600 pixels for a 2 × 2 inch photo, or 413 × 531 for 35 × 45 mm. For online submission, meet the portal's stated minimum first, then reduce the file size to fit its limit.