Passport photo size and requirements: a country-by-country guide
A passport photo seems like it should be the easy part of an application — until it's rejected and you're back to square one. The rules are surprisingly strict, they vary by country, and getting the size right is only half the battle. This guide covers the required sizes for the main countries, and then the other rules — background, expression, framing — that quietly decide whether your photo is accepted.
Sizes by country
The single most important spec is the physical dimensions, and they differ depending on where you're applying.
| Country / region | Size | At 300 DPI |
|---|---|---|
| US / India | 2×2 in (51×51 mm) | 600×600 px |
| UK / EU / Australia | 35×45 mm | 413×531 px |
| Schengen visa | 35×45 mm | 413×531 px |
| Canada | 50×70 mm | 590×826 px |
| China (visa) | 33×48 mm | 390×567 px |
Notice that the US format is square while most others are a taller portrait rectangle — a photo cropped for one won't fit the other. Always check the exact requirement for the country you're applying to, since specifications are occasionally updated.
The US photo in detail
Because it's the most common request, it's worth spelling out. A US passport photo is 2×2 inches, square, taken within the last six months. Beyond the outer size, there's a rule many people miss: the head must be a specific size within the frame — between roughly 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches (25–35 mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. That's why you can't just crop tightly to your face or leave yourself tiny in the frame; the head has to fill the right proportion of the square.
The rules that aren't about size
Here's where most rejections actually happen. Even a perfectly sized photo will be refused if it breaks these, and they're broadly similar across countries:
- Plain, light background. Usually white or off-white, with no pattern, no objects, and no shadows cast on it. This is the most common failure — a busy or coloured background sinks more photos than anything else.
- Neutral expression. Face the camera directly, both eyes open, mouth closed, no big smile. Some countries are slightly relaxed about a natural smile now, but neutral is always safe.
- Even lighting, no shadows or glare. Light your face evenly so there are no shadows across it or behind you, and no bright hot-spots.
- No glasses. Most countries now ask you to remove glasses entirely to avoid glare and obscured eyes.
- Nothing covering the face. No hats or head coverings except for religious reasons, and even then the full face must be visible.
- Recent and unaltered. Taken within the last six months, no filters, no beautifying, no digital retouching.
The pattern to notice: getting the size right is necessary but not sufficient. A photo can be exactly 2×2 inches and still be rejected for a grey background or a shadow. Size and framing are the part a tool can handle for you; the background, lighting, and expression are on you and the moment you take the photo.
Why photos get rejected
If you've had one bounced, it's almost always one of a short list: wrong dimensions or head size, a background that isn't plain and light, shadows or glare, glasses left on, a non-neutral expression, or a photo that's simply too old. The frustrating part is that the machine or clerk checking often won't tell you which rule you broke — so it pays to get every one right the first time.
Taking and sizing one at home
You don't necessarily need a photo booth. Many countries accept a home-taken photo, and the approach is straightforward: stand a short distance from a plain, light wall; light your face evenly, ideally with soft daylight and no harsh shadows; face the camera with a neutral expression; and have someone take the shot at eye level (or use a timer) rather than holding the phone at an angle. Take it at good resolution so there's detail to work with.
Then comes the part that trips people up: getting it to the exact required size. This is purely mechanical — you need to crop to the right proportion and output at the correct pixel dimensions so it prints at the right physical size. That's exactly what a sizing tool is for.
Crop your photo to the exact passport size
Pick your country, position the crop over the face, and download a photo at the correct pixel dimensions for printing — all in your browser, with nothing uploaded. It handles the sizing; you'll still need to meet the background and expression rules above.
Open the passport photo cropper →Printing it
Once you have a correctly-sized photo, you can print it at home on photo paper or at any print shop. A common money-saver is to place several copies on a single 4×6 print and cut them out. Because the pixel dimensions are already correct for the physical size, the photo will print at the right scale without being stretched.
The bottom line
Passport photos are strict but predictable. Get the size right for your specific country — square for the US, 35×45 mm for much of the rest of the world — make sure the head fills the right amount of the frame, and above all get the boring things right: plain light background, even lighting, neutral expression, no glasses. Nail those and the photo sails through; miss one and you start over. When in doubt, check your government's official guidance, since it's the final word.