Most countries ask for a passport photo 35 mm wide and 45 mm high, including the UK, India and Schengen visa applications. The US uses a 2 × 2 inch square (51 × 51 mm), Canada uses 50 × 70 mm, and Australia accepts 35–40 mm by 45–50 mm.
Passport photo size by country: US, UK, India, Canada, Schengen
Tools used in this guide
Size is only part of it. Countries also set the head size, background colour, how recent the photo must be and whether you can wear glasses. We checked each country's official page on 2 October 2026. Rules change, so open the official page for your application before you print.
Passport photo sizes at a glance
| Country | Size (width × height) | Head, chin to crown | Plain background |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) | 25–35 mm (1 to 1⅜ in) | White or off-white |
| UK | 35 × 45 mm | 29–34 mm | Cream or light grey |
| India | 35 × 45 mm | Face fills 80–85% | White |
| Canada | 50 × 70 mm | 31–36 mm | White or light-coloured |
| Australia | 35–40 × 45–50 mm | 32–36 mm | White or light grey |
| Schengen visa | 35 × 45 mm (most consulates) | Face fills 70–80% | Light-coloured |
How old the photo can be: 1 month for the UK; 6 months for the US, Canada, Australia and Schengen visas, though some consulates ask for 3; India asks for a "recent" photo. All six want a colour photo of you alone, facing the camera, with a neutral expression, eyes open and no shadows, filters or edits.
United States
The State Department asks for one colour photo, 2 × 2 inches, taken in the last 6 months, against a plain white or off-white background. Your head must measure 1 to 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head.
- Take off glasses, including tinted ones. If you can't for medical reasons, include a signed note from your doctor.
- Hats and head coverings are only allowed for religious or medical reasons, with a signed statement.
- No uniforms, camouflage, headphones or wireless earbuds.
- Print on matte or glossy photo-quality paper. Photocopies and scanned photos aren't accepted.
- A friend or family member can take the photo.
United Kingdom
GOV.UK asks for 2 identical printed photos for a paper application, 45 mm high by 35 mm wide, with your head 29–34 mm from crown to chin. They must be taken in the last month, against a plain cream or light grey background, and printed to a professional standard with no border.
If you apply online, you need a digital photo instead: at least 600 × 750 pixels and 50 KB to 10 MB. You can get a photo code from a photo booth or shop, or take the photo on your own device during the application. GOV.UK says not to crop a photo taken on your own device, because the service crops it for you.
Don't wear glasses unless you have to. If you do, no tinted lenses, and no glare or frames over your eyes.
India
If you apply at a Passport Seva Kendra or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra, you don't need to bring a photo: it is taken there (Instruction Booklet).
For applications submitted at other collection centres, the booklet asks for one recent colour photo, 4.5 cm high by 3.5 cm wide, against a plain white background, printed on good-quality photo paper. It says photos in "computer print" are not accepted, and asks for dark-coloured clothes.
For an uploaded photo, Passport Seva's ICAO photo guidelines ask for 630 × 810 pixels, a white background and a close-up where the face takes up 80–85% of the photo. Take glasses off to avoid reflections.
Canada
IRCC asks for 2 identical photos, 50 mm wide by 70 mm high, taken no more than 6 months before you apply, with your face 31–36 mm from chin to crown. They must be taken in person by a commercial photographer or photo studio, who writes or stamps the date and the studio's name and address on the back.
Glasses are allowed if your eyes are clearly visible and there's no glare. Online renewals need a digital photo of at least 1,200 × 1,800 pixels, saved straight from the camera. Canadian visa and immigration applications have their own photo instructions, so check the guide for your application.
Australia
The Australian Passport Office asks for 2 photos, 35–40 mm wide and 45–50 mm high, with your face 32–36 mm from chin to crown. They must be less than 6 months old, against a plain white or light grey background, and printed by dye sublimation (not inkjet) on glossy paper of at least 200 gsm.
You can't wear glasses unless you can't remove them for medical reasons; poor eyesight alone doesn't count. The office recommends a professional photo provider, and it does not recommend online passport photo services or mobile apps because of the risk of identity fraud.
Schengen visa
The European Commission says a Schengen visa application needs a photo that meets ICAO standards. Its guidance sheet asks for a photo no more than 6 months old, 35–40 mm wide, with your face taking up 70–80% of it and a plain light-coloured background.
Consulates set the exact size on their checklists, and 35 × 45 mm is the usual one. For example, the German Embassy in Doha asks for one biometric photo, 35 × 45 mm, no older than three months. Always follow the checklist of the consulate or visa centre you apply through.
Common reasons photos are rejected
- Wrong background: the UK wants cream or light grey, India and the US want white.
- Too old: the UK's limit is one month, not six.
- Head too big or too small: the camera was too close or too far away.
- Glasses: the US and Australia only allow them for medical reasons.
- Edits: filters, skin smoothing and background replacement are all rejected.
- Printed at the wrong size: a print shop's "fit to page" option shrinks the photo.
Making a passport photo yourself
Our free passport photo maker crops your photo to 35 × 45 mm, 2 × 2 inches or 25 × 35 mm at 300 DPI. It can also lay out a 4 × 6 inch print sheet (six 35 × 45 mm photos) to print at a photo shop. It runs in your browser, so your photo isn't uploaded.
It suits a US passport photo taken at home, or 35 × 45 mm prints for visa forms. Know its limits:
- It doesn't replace your background, so start with a plain wall in the right colour.
- Print the sheet at a photo shop, not on a home printer: India's booklet rules out computer prints, and Australia rules out inkjet.
- It has no 50 × 70 mm size, and Canada requires a commercial photographer anyway.
- Australia recommends a professional provider over online services and apps.
- For the UK online service, upload an uncropped photo instead.
- Its single photo is 413 × 531 pixels, below the UK's digital minimum and not the 630 × 810 pixels Passport Seva wants. For exact pixel sizes, use the image resizer with a custom size.