Baby passport photo
Baby passport photo rules are gentler than for adults, but the picture still has to be sized right. Lay your baby on a plain light sheet, take it from above and fit it to the lines here. Free, no sign-up.
Choose the document
UK passport: 35 x 45 mm (1.4 x 1.8 in), head 29 to 34 mm from chin to crown.
Add your photo
Include your head and shoulders. A plain light wall behind you works best.
Add a photo and it appears inside the frame, ready to drag.
Crown line 5.4 mm from the top. Chin between 34.4 and 39.4 mm.
Fit your head to the lines
Lighten the background
This pulls light greys towards white. It does not remove a busy background, so stand in front of a plain wall.
Check and download
- Look straight at the camera.
- Keep a neutral face with your mouth closed.
- Keep your eyes open and clearly visible.
- Nothing covering your face, and no hair across your eyes.
- No glasses glare. Take glasses off if you can.
- Plain, light background behind you.
- Even lighting, with no shadows on your face or the wall.
- Babies must not hold toys or use dummies. Children must be on their own in the picture.
- Glasses only if you must wear them, with no tint, glare or frames over your eyes.
For the UK online application, GOV.UK asks for an uncropped photo of your head, shoulders and upper body and crops it for you. Use the print sheet for photos you post or print. Read the GOV.UK rules before you upload a cropped digital copy.
Printed photos must not be cut down from a larger picture, so print the sheet at full size (100 percent, no fit to page).
We size and crop your photo to the official measurements. The passport office decides if it is accepted, so check it against their rules.
How to take a baby passport photo at home
- 1
Take a clear photo
Stand facing a window with a plain light wall or sheet behind you. Hold the phone at eye height, or prop it up. Keep your face straight, mouth closed and eyes open. Include your head and shoulders.
- 2
Fit it to the lines
Choose UK passport, add the photo, then drag and zoom until the top of your head touches the red crown line and your chin sits between the dashed lines. The frame is 35 x 45 mm.
- 3
Download and print
Press Download photo for the single file, or Download print sheet for a 6x4 inch sheet. Print the sheet at any photo kiosk at full size and cut along the thin lines.
Baby passport photo size and rules
| Document | United Kingdom passport |
|---|---|
| Photo size | 35 x 45 mm (1.4 x 1.8 in) |
| Head height, chin to crown | 29 to 34 mm |
| Background | Plain cream or light grey for printed photos. Plain light-coloured for the online photo. |
| Digital file we make | 827 x 1063 px JPG. At least 600 x 750 px and between 50KB and 10MB. |
| Copies on a 6x4 inch sheet | 8 |
These figures come from the official guidance. Check the official rules before you apply.
Questions
Does my baby need to have their eyes open?
Under the UK rules, children under one do not have to have their eyes open. Children under 6 do not have to look at the camera or have a plain expression.
Can I hold my baby for the photo?
You can support their head with your hand, but your hand must not be visible in the photo. Children must be on their own in the picture.
Where should I put my baby?
GOV.UK says children under one should lie on a plain light-coloured sheet, and you take the photo from above.
Can my baby hold a toy or have a dummy?
No. Babies must not be holding toys or using dummies.