UK Passports

• Photographs for children aged six and over must meet the full standards set out in this guide.

• Photographs of children five years and under must show a clear image that is a true likeness of the child. As young children can be difficult to photograph, children aged five and under do not need to have a neutral expression or to look directly at the camera, but they must face forward.

• In addition to the exceptions above, babies under one year old do not need to have their eyes open (however it is preferable for eyes to remain open). All other standards must be met. If the baby’s head needs to be supported, it is important that your supporting hand cannot be seen.

• If you have real difficulty in meeting these conditions, you should visit a photographic studio rather than a photo booth.

The photographs you supply with your application must:

• show you with a neutral expression and your mouth closed (no grinning, frowning or raised eyebrows)
• show you on your own (babies should not have toys or a dummy, and there shouldn’t be other people in the photo)
• be in colour, not black and white
• be identical
• be taken within the last month
• be 45 millimetres high x 35 millimetres wide - this is the standard size when you have a passport photo taken in a photo booth or studio (you should not trim a larger photograph to meet this condition)
• be clear and in sharp focus, with a clear difference between your face and the background
• be taken against a plain cream or plain light grey background
• not show you with red-eye
• be of you facing forward and looking straight at the camera
• not be torn, creased, or marked
• be printed on plain white photographic paper
• be free from shadows
• be taken with your eyes open and clearly visible (no sunglasses or tinted glasses and no hair across your eyes)
• be free from reflection or glare on your glasses, and the frames must not cover your eyes- the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) recommends that, if possible,you remove your glasses
• be professionally printed (photographs printed at home are not acceptable)
• show your full head, without any head covering, unless you wear one for religious beliefs or medical reasons
• be taken with nothing covering your face- you should make sure nothing covers the outline of your eyes, nose or mouth
• be a close-up of your head and shoulders with a recommended head height (the distance between the bottom of your chin and the crown of your head) between 29 and 34 mm
• not have any writing on the front or back, except on certified photos - trademarks or photographic printing on theback must not show through