Passport photo requirements by country.
Exact size, background, head-position, and rejection rules for every country we cover. Updated for 2026.
Passport photo size by country.
Every country we cover, with the official millimetre and inch dimensions and the head-height band. Click a country to see the full requirements.
| Country | Size (mm) | |
|---|---|---|
| US | 51 × 51 mm | |
| UK | 35 × 45 mm | |
| India | 35 × 45 mm | |
| Canada | 50 × 70 mm | |
| Australia | 35 × 45 mm | |
| Germany | 35 × 45 mm | |
| France | 35 × 45 mm | |
| Italy | 35 × 45 mm | |
| Spain | 26 × 32 mm | |
| Netherlands | 35 × 45 mm | |
| Mexico | 35 × 45 mm | |
| Brazil | 50 × 70 mm | |
| Singapore | 35 × 45 mm | |
| Philippines | 35 × 45 mm | |
| Japan | 35 × 45 mm | |
| Argentina | 40 × 40 mm | |
| Pakistan | 35 × 45 mm | |
| Bangladesh | 45 × 55 mm | |
| Thailand | 35 × 45 mm | |
| Vietnam | 40 × 60 mm | |
| Turkey | 50 × 60 mm | |
| Russia | 35 × 45 mm | |
| Poland | 35 × 45 mm | |
| Sweden | 35 × 45 mm | |
| Norway | 35 × 45 mm | |
| Switzerland | 35 × 45 mm | |
| Ireland | 35 × 45 mm | |
| South Africa | 35 × 45 mm | |
| New Zealand | 35 × 45 mm | |
| South Korea | 35 × 45 mm |
Top 10 reasons passport photos get rejected.
These show up at almost every passport office worldwide. Our AI checks each one before you save.
- 1 Background is not plain
Shadows, patterns, or coloured walls behind you cause an instant reject. The background must be flat, lit evenly, and a single off-white or pale grey.
- 2 Photo is older than six months
Most countries require the photo to reflect your current appearance. A photo from a year ago — even a great one — gets rejected.
- 3 Glasses on without a medical waiver
Since 2016, most countries (US, UK, Schengen) require glasses to be removed. Sunglasses are never allowed.
- 4 Smiling, frowning, or non-neutral expression
A neutral face with mouth closed is the safest. A natural closed-mouth smile is allowed in some countries; never show teeth.
- 5 Eyes closed, half-closed, or looking aside
Both eyes must be open, clearly visible, and looking directly into the lens. Even slight squinting or a sideways glance is grounds for rejection.
- 6 Head size outside the official band
Most countries require the head to occupy a precise share of the photo (often 70–80% chin-to-crown). Too zoomed-in or too far away both get rejected.
- 7 Face not centred or eyes not level
A tilted head or off-centre face fails biometric checks. Cameras must be at eye level, not above or below.
- 8 Low resolution or visible compression
Blurry, pixelated, or heavily compressed photos fail. Resolution must be high enough that the face is sharp at print size.
- 9 Photo digitally edited or filtered
Beauty filters, skin smoothing, or any retouching of facial features is detectable and rejected. The photo must look like you, today.
- 10 Hat, scarf, or anything covering the face
Even partial coverage of the chin, forehead, or sides of the face fails. Religious headwear is sometimes allowed but the full face must remain visible.