Passport photo requirements explained
The rules for glasses, smiling, clothing, head coverings, shadows and the background, what every country agrees on and where they differ, taken from each authority's own photo rules.
The rules by document at a glance
| Document | Smile | Glasses | Head covering | Background clean-up | Photo taken within |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US passport | Natural smile | No | Religious or medical | No, as taken | 6 months |
| UK passport | No, neutral | Only if needed | Religious or medical | Yes | 1 month |
| Canadian passport | No, neutral | Yes, no glare | Religious or medical | No, as taken | 6 months |
| Australian passport | No, neutral | No | Yes, face fully visible | No, as taken | 6 months |
| Indian passport (applying from abroad) | No, neutral | No | Religious only | Yes | Recent |
| Irish passport | No, neutral | Yes, no glare | Religious or medical | No, as taken | 6 months |
| US visa (DS-160) | No, neutral | No | Religious only | No, as taken | 6 months |
| Diversity Visa (DV lottery) | No, neutral | No | Religious only | No, as taken | 6 months |
| USCIS (green card, work permit, travel document, naturalization) | Natural smile | Yes, no glare | Religious only | No, as taken | 30 days (some forms) |
| Schengen visa | No, neutral | Yes, no glare | Religious only | No, as taken | 6 months |
| Canada PR card | No, neutral | Yes, no glare | Religious or medical | No, as taken | 12 months |
| Canadian citizenship | No, neutral | Yes, no glare | Religious or medical | No, as taken | 6 months |
| Indian e-Visa | Natural smile | No | Yes, face fully visible | Yes | Recent |
| China visa | No, neutral | Yes, no glare | Religious only | Yes | 6 months |
| South Korea visa | Natural smile | Yes | Religious or medical | Yes | 6 months |
| Brazil visa | No, neutral | Yes, no glare | Religious only | Yes | 6 months |
What every country agrees on
Whatever the document, a passport or visa photo must:
- show only you, facing the camera, with your whole face visible from chin to forehead, eyes open and no hair across them;
- be in focus and evenly lit, in natural colors, with no shadow on your face or behind you;
- have a plain, light background with no pattern, objects or other people;
- be recent and look like you today;
- be unedited: no retouching, beauty filters, AI tools or effects on your face.
The table above shows where the documents differ. The sections below explain each rule.
Glasses
The rules split three ways. No glasses at all: US passport, US visa, DV lottery and Indian passports and e-Visas; Australia has refused glasses since July 1, 2018. The US and Australia make an exception for a medical reason with a signed statement. Only if you need them: the UK accepts glasses you have to wear, never tinted, with no glare. Allowed without glare: Canada, Ireland, the Schengen countries, China, Brazil and USCIS accept clear lenses if your eyes show fully, with no reflection and no frame across them.
If you can take your glasses off, do it: it removes the most common cause of glare.
Smiling and expression
Only a few documents allow a smile: the US passport (“a natural smile” per the State Department, and the Foreign Affairs Manual accepts an unexaggerated one), USCIS photos, the Indian e-Visa and Korean visas. Everyone else, including the UK, Canada, Australia, Ireland, the Schengen countries and US visas, asks for a neutral face with the mouth closed. Eyes must be open on every document, except for babies on some (see the baby photo rules).
Clothing, jewelry and headphones
No authority sets a dress code, but several set limits. The US passport, US visa, DV lottery and Irish rules reject uniforms or clothing that looks like one (daily religious clothing is fine). Canada’s PR card and Brazil’s consulates warn against white clothing, which blends into a white background. Remove headphones and wireless earpieces; hearing aids are fine. The US accepts jewelry and piercings that do not hide your face, and Australia asks that piercings do not reflect light.
Head coverings, hijab and turban
Religious head coverings are accepted on every document we cover. Many (UK, US passport, Canada, Ireland, Korea) also accept one worn for medical reasons, while US visas, USCIS, Schengen, China, India and Brazil name religious reasons only. In all cases your face must show from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead, with both edges of the face visible and no shadow; India adds that a turban must not cover the forehead. Hats and caps worn for fashion are never accepted.
Shadows and lighting
Shadows are one of the top reasons for rejection. Face a window or a soft light, so the light hits your face evenly from the front; avoid a single lamp from the side, which leaves one cheek dark. Stand a step away from the wall, which stops your own shadow falling on the background (Canada’s PR card rules say 1 to 2 meters). Avoid direct flash too close to the face: it causes glare and red eye.
Background
Every document wants a plain, light background, but the color varies: white or off-white for US documents, the Indian passport and China; cream or light gray for UK printed photos (any plain light color online); white or light gray for Australia; white, light gray or cream for Ireland; white or a light color for Canada and the Schengen countries.
Whether you may clean up the background afterwards also varies. The UK and India allow a background made uniform by software, as long as you are not changed. The US, Canada, Australia, Ireland and the Schengen rules want the photo as taken. That is why our tool replaces the background only for documents that allow it, and otherwise keeps your original background and tells you when it is not plain enough.
Photo age
Six months is the usual limit. The UK wants a photo taken in the last month, the Canadian PR card accepts 12 months, and USCIS spouse petitions (I-130, I-129F) ask for photos taken within 30 days of filing. Korea also returns photos that were already used on an ID issued more than 6 months ago.
Check your photo before you send it
Upload your photo to the photo checker, or make a new one with the tool on your document’s page. Both measure the head, eyes and background against your document’s rules and flag glare, shadows and blur, all in your browser.
Frequently asked questions
Can I wear glasses in a passport photo?
It depends on the document. US passports and visas, Australian and Indian passports do not accept glasses, except for a medical reason with a signed statement for the US and Australia. The UK accepts them only if you have to wear them. Canada, Ireland, the Schengen countries and China accept clear lenses with no glare and your eyes fully visible.
Can I smile in a passport photo?
A US passport photo may show a natural, unexaggerated smile, and USCIS and Korean visa photos may too. Most other documents, including UK, Canadian, Australian, Irish and Schengen photos and US visa photos, ask for a neutral face with the mouth closed. When in doubt, keep a relaxed, neutral face with your mouth closed.
Can I wear a hijab or other head covering?
Yes, for religious reasons, on every document we cover. Many also accept a medical reason. Your whole face must show, from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead and both edges of the face, with no shadow on it. Australia and the Indian e-Visa accept any covering that leaves the face fully visible.
What should I wear for a passport photo?
Everyday clothes in a color that stands out from a white or light background. The US, the DV lottery, US visas and Ireland do not accept uniforms or clothing that looks like one, and the Canadian PR card and Brazil rules warn against white clothing. Remove headphones; hearing aids are fine, and US rules accept jewelry that does not hide your face.
What color background does a passport photo need?
White or a light plain color, with no shadows, patterns or objects. The US asks for white or off-white, the UK for cream or light gray on printed photos, Australia for white or light gray, and Canada for white or a light color. Check whether your document lets you edit the background; several do not.
Can I edit or retouch my passport photo?
Never your face. Every authority rejects retouching, beauty filters and AI changes. Some go further, such as the US and Canada, which reject any software change to the background, and Canada, which also refuses cropping and brightness changes. The UK accepts background edits that do not affect you, and Australia accepts brightness and contrast changes only.
How recent must a passport photo be?
Usually taken in the last 6 months. The UK is strict at one month, the Canadian PR card allows 12 months, and some USCIS forms such as I-130 ask for photos taken within 30 days of filing. Whatever the rule, the photo must look like you today.
Why do passport photos get rejected?
The most common reasons are a head that is too small or too large, shadows on the face or background, glare on glasses, hair over the eyes, a smile where it is not allowed, a photo that is too old, or signs of editing. Our checker tests size, position, lighting, sharpness and background against your document's rules before you print.
Sources
- U.S. Department of State — Passport Photos (opened )
- Foreign Affairs Manual 8 FAM 402.1 — Passport Photographs (opened )
- U.S. Department of State — Visa Photo Requirements (opened )
- GOV.UK — Get a passport photo — Digital photos (opened )
- HM Passport Office — Photo standards (caseworker guidance) (opened )
- Government of Canada — Passport photo requirements (opened )
- Australian Passport Office — Passport photo capture guidelines (opened )
- German Embassy London — Visa FAQ (photos) (opened )
- Department of Foreign Affairs — Photo guidelines for passports (opened )
- Passport Seva — Guidelines for ICAO compliant photographs (opened )
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