HM Passport Office specs in one page: 35×45 mm, 413×531 pixels at 300 DPI, plain off-white background, neutral expression, no smile, no glasses. Make a compliant HMPO photo in your browser — your image never leaves your device.
The numbers HM Passport Office expects on every photo submitted to GOV.UK or a Post Office Check & Send service.
| Photo size (print) | 35 × 45 mm (3.5 × 4.5 cm) |
|---|---|
| Pixels at 300 DPI | 413 × 531 px (minimum for print) |
| Digital upload | Minimum 600 × 750 px, 50 KB – 10 MB, JPEG |
| Head height | 29–34 mm chin to crown |
| Eye position | Eyes looking straight at the camera, fully visible |
| Background | Plain off-white, light grey or cream — no patterns, no shadows |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed, no smile, no raised eyebrows |
| Glasses | Not permitted unless medically required (no reflections, no tint) |
| Taken within | The last month |
The editor auto-crops to 35×45 mm, removes the background in your browser, and exports 413×531 pixels at 300 DPI — ready to print at any Boots, Max Spielmann or Snappy Snaps.
Open the UK 35×45 mm editor
Drop a phone HEIC or JPG — we auto-crop and remove the background.
The most common reasons HMPO rejects a UK passport photo — and what a compliant shot looks like.
Plain off-white, cream or light grey. No patterned wallpaper, no furniture behind you, no visible shadows on the wall. Stand at least 50 cm from the wall.
Strictly neutral. No smile, no grin, no raised eyebrows. Mouth closed. HMPO rejects more photos for "mouth open" than any other reason — make sure your lips are relaxed but together.
Not allowed unless medically required. If you must wear them: no reflections on the lenses, no tinted or coloured glass, eyes fully visible. For 99% of applicants the safest option is to take them off.
Allowed for religious or medical reasons — hijab, turban, kippah are all accepted. Your face must be fully visible from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead, and from ear to ear.
Should not cover the eyes or the outline of the face. Tie long hair back if it falls over the eyebrows. Fringes are fine if they sit above the eyes.
Matte or glossy photo paper. No creases, no ink marks, no pen marks on the face or on the edges. Professional photo-print quality — the tool exports at 300 DPI so any photo shop can print a compliant copy.
Yes. GOV.UK online renewals accept a digital photo — you take it on a phone and upload it during the application. Minimum 600×750 pixels, JPEG, 50 KB to 10 MB. Use this tool to crop it to the right aspect ratio before uploading.
Yes, both paper and digital UK passport applications accept photos taken at home as long as they meet HMPO specifications. Stand 50–100 cm from a plain off-white wall, face a window for soft daylight, and ask someone to hold the phone at eye level from arm's length away.
For a paper application sent by post you need two identical 35×45 mm photos, one of which must be signed on the back by a countersignatory. For online renewals only one digital photo is required.
The format is identical — 35×45 mm with head 29–34 mm. The UK is slightly stricter on no-smile rules and requires the photo to be taken within the last month. Schengen accepts a photo up to six months old.
HMPO accepts plain light-coloured backgrounds: off-white, light grey or cream. Pure white is allowed but HMPO warns that pure white can wash out pale skin — off-white is the safest choice.