Passport and Visa Photos: UK Size Requirements Explained

What a UK passport photo actually needs

A UK passport photo needs to be 45mm tall by 35mm wide, taken against a plain light grey or cream background, with a neutral expression and both eyes open and clearly visible. The photo should be recent, generally taken within the last month, and show your face looking straight at the camera without shadows across it or glare on glasses. These are fixed requirements set by HM Passport Office, not house rules, so the same standard applies wherever the photo is taken.

Common reasons photos get rejected

Most rejected passport photos fail on background, lighting or head position rather than anything dramatic. A background with shadows, texture or the wrong colour, a head tilted at an angle, hair falling across the eyes, or a photo taken on a phone against a cluttered wall are all common reasons applications get sent back. Getting it right the first time saves the delay of reapplying once a passport or visa application has already been submitted.

Visa and other document photos

Visa photos, ID badges and some official application forms often specify their own size or background rules, which can differ slightly from standard passport requirements depending on the country or organisation involved. If you have a specific size stated on an application form, bring that detail with you so the photo can be taken to match it exactly, rather than assuming standard passport dimensions will be accepted everywhere.

What to bring and what to expect

You don't need to bring anything except yourself, though it helps to avoid very light or very dark clothing that blends into the background, and to remove glasses if you can do so comfortably, since glare and reflections are a common cause of rejected photos. The photo itself only takes a few minutes, and you'll get to see it before it's printed to confirm you're happy with it.

Printed copies and digital photos

Some applications now accept a digital photo uploaded online rather than a printed one, but many still ask for a physical copy, and it's worth checking which your specific application needs before you visit. We can provide both a digital file and printed copies from the same visit, so you're covered either way rather than having to come back for the format you didn't get.

Getting your passport photo taken

Star Printers offers walk-in passport and visa photos at our Tooting shop, no appointment needed. See our passport and visa photo page, browse all printing services, or contact us for opening hours.