OFFICIAL CONSULAR SPECIFICATION● PHOTO REQUIREMENTS GUIDEUK Passport Photos: Digital Uploads, Photo Codes and Printed Photos
Understand the different photo routes for a UK passport: a digital photo, a code from a photo shop or booth, and printed photos for paper applications.
Try the assessment first. Paid downloads include a clean JPEG and print-ready sheet; review the package price before checkout. Follow the receiving authority’s photography instructions.
A photo code, an image file and a printed portrait are three different things to keep track of. Before buying or exporting anything, look at what your application actually asks you to enter or supply. Organize the required item first, then check the picture it represents.
Who this guide is for
This walkthrough helps readers avoid mixing a code receipt, a digital download and paper-photo preparation. It also provides a way to diagnose a poorly framed image without making repeated edits to the only copy.
Key Biometric Specifications
Preparing the photo
Practical preparation tips; use the linked application instructions for requirements.
- Read the application screen and note the kind of input it requests. A box for text is different from a file chooser. If you received a receipt containing several numbers, keep the whole receipt until you have identified the relevant instructions.
- For a digital file, transfer the original image as an attachment or file. Do not use a screenshot of a preview. Open the transferred copy on the device where you will apply and check that its pixel dimensions have survived the transfer.
- Take a new portrait with the device upright and supported at face height. Watch for a bright window reflected in spectacles and for hair falling over an eye. Fix those conditions before capture, without tilting the head to dodge reflections.
- If printing, inspect the page-scaling options before ordering. Fit-to-page settings can change the dimensions even when the source image is correct. Compare the delivered paper with the printed-photo instructions, using a ruler rather than its appearance on screen.
Mandatory Consular Rules
- Digital photos must be unaltered by software, at least 600×750 pixels, and between 50 KB and 10 MB.
- For a photo taken on your own device, include your head, shoulders and upper body; the application handles cropping.
- A photo code is obtained from a participating photo shop or booth. A downloaded JPEG is not a photo code.
- Printed-photo instructions are separate from digital-upload instructions.
Troubleshooting the photo
Confusing a print layout with an upload image
Both files can end in .jpg, so the extension alone does not identify what the image contains.
Open each file. Give the single portrait and the tiled sheet different names and store the receipt or code separately.
Top Rejection Pitfalls to Avoid
- Software alterations or shadows on the face or background.
- Eyes obscured by hair, frames or reflections.
- Following printed-photo dimensions instead of digital-upload instructions.
Check the file before applying
Use the free UK passport photo checker for pixel dimensions and file size, then review the portrait manually. It does not edit your photo or issue a photo code.
United Kingdom photo requirements and document options
Digital and printed copies
A print measurement describes physical paper. Pixel dimensions describe a digital image. Neither the size shown by a photo viewer nor its zoom percentage is a reliable ruler for the finished print. Follow the source section for your chosen route.
Questions about this guide
Can I recover a photo code by renaming my JPEG?
Renaming changes only the filename. Look for the code in the material supplied with your photo service, or return to the application instructions to select another available route.
Why does my print look larger than the portrait on my laptop?
Screen zoom and printer scaling are independent. Measure the paper and review the print settings. Shrinking the browser window does not change the file or its printed dimensions.
About this guide
ApprovaVisa editorial team
Requirements come from the linked authority source. Where our summary and the authority differ, follow the authority.
Prepare Your United Kingdom Photo
Check the receiving authority’s instructions before preparing a photo. Use professional photography where required, and retain the original image when digital alterations are prohibited.
Try the assessment first. Paid downloads include a clean JPEG and print-ready sheet; review the package price before checkout. Follow the receiving authority’s photography instructions.