Irish passport photo maker

Irish passport photo requirements

Irish passport photo requirements

Print size	35 x 45 mm
Head height (chin to top of head)	31.5–36 mm
Background	Completely plain white, light gray or cream, in clear contrast to you, with no shadows and no objects such as doors or plants
Expression	Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open
Glasses	Allowed if there is no glare and your eyes are fully visible
Head covering	Only for religious or medical reasons
How recent	Taken in the last 6 months
Digital photo	Passport Online: JPEG in color, at least 715 x 951 pixels and no larger than 9 MB, not scanned, not edited, showing you from head to mid torso with space around your head and shoulders

• Printed photos may be from 35 x 45 mm up to 38 x 50 mm (the tool prints 35 x 45 mm), showing you from head to mid torso with space around your head and shoulders
• No selfies: someone else must take the photo, and do not use the zoom
• Not digitally enhanced or changed in any way, no filters
• Hair must not cover the eyes; no red eye; balanced lighting with natural skin tones
• No uniforms or clothing with insignia
• Paper application: 4 identical photos; your witness writes the form number on the back of 2 of them and signs and stamps them
• Printed photos: on photo-quality paper at high resolution, no ink marks or creases, white unglazed back; black and white is recommended, color is accepted

Official source: Department of Foreign Affairs (ireland.ie) — Photo guidelines for passports

Passport Online or paper form: which photo do you need?

• Passport Online (for a passport book or passport card): you need one digital photo. You can take it at home, get it from a photo shop by email or on a USB key, or use a participating photo booth that gives you a photo code to enter in the application.
• Paper application form (passport book only): you need 4 identical printed photos, no more than 6 months old. Your witness writes the form number from section 9 on the back of 2 of them, then signs and stamps them. Photos without this are sent back with a request for a new form and new photos.

The same rules on pose and appearance apply to both. This tool gives you the digital file for Passport Online and a print sheet for the paper form.

The digital photo for Passport Online

Passport Online accepts a color JPEG of at least 715 x 951 pixels and no more than 9 MB. It must not be scanned from a print, must not be digitally enhanced or changed, and must not show compression artifacts or distortion. The photo should show you from your head down to the middle of your torso, with visible space between your head and shoulders and the edge of the photo.

That is why the online file from this tool is not cropped close like the print: it is a portrait of at least 715 x 951 pixels with your head, shoulders and upper body, cut from your own photo. If your photo has too little space around you, the tool tells you to step back and take it again.

If the photo is sideways or upside down after upload, that is fine: the service lets you rotate it, and rotates it automatically anyway. Once the online system accepts the photo, a member of the Passport Service reviews it and contacts you if it does not meet the rules.

How to take an Irish passport photo at home

1. Find a completely plain wall in white, light gray or cream, with no doors, plants or other objects in view.
2. Stand about half a meter in front of it, so there is no shadow behind your head.
3. Light your face evenly, facing a window or a soft lamp. Avoid flash and red eye.
4. Get ready. Remove hats and head accessories (religious or medical head coverings are fine if your whole face shows), move your hair off your eyes, and avoid uniforms or clothes with insignia.
5. Ask someone to take the photo, from about 1.5 meters, at your eye level, without zoom. Include your head and upper body down to mid torso.
6. Look straight at the camera with your head level, a neutral face, your mouth closed and your eyes open.
7. Upload the photo above. The tool checks it and gives you the online file and the print sheet.

What the tool checks for an Irish passport

On the 35 x 45 mm frame the tool measures your head from chin to crown against 31.5–36 mm, the 70 to 80% face share in the Department of Justice’s rules for Irish travel documents, which it says are the same as for passports. It checks that you are centered and straight, that your eyes are open and your mouth is closed, and that the photo is sharp, evenly lit and well exposed. It also checks that the background is plain and light, but it does not replace it: the Department of Foreign Affairs does not accept edited photos, so the tool only crops, scales and straightens.

Common reasons Irish passport photos are rejected

Poor photos are the main reason the Passport Service has to reject applications. Watch for:

• Selfies, or photos taken with the camera zoomed in.
• Shadows on your face or behind your head, and red eye.
• Background that is not plain, not light, or does not contrast with you.
• Expression: smiling, an open mouth, or a tilted head.
• Glasses with glare or frames over your eyes; sunglasses.
• Edited photos: filters, smoothing or any other digital change.
• Scanned prints uploaded to Passport Online.
• Paper forms: missing witness details on the back of 2 photos, creases or ink marks.

Printing Irish passport photos

Use Download print sheet with the 10 x 15 cm size. It places six 35 x 45 mm photos on one sheet at true size with cut guides, so you have the 4 identical photos a paper form needs. Print it at a photo counter or at home on photo-quality paper at high resolution and 100% scale. The back of the photos must be white and unglazed, with no ink marks or creases. Color prints are accepted, and black and white ones are recommended because the passport shows the photo in black and white. See the print sheet maker for tips on keeping the size exact.

Photos of babies and children

A baby or young child who cannot sit up should lie on a plain white surface for the photo, with nobody else in it: hands or arms holding the child must not show. Soothers and pacifiers are not allowed. Try to get a natural expression with the mouth closed. For children up to 36 months, Passport Online may ask you to frame the child’s face yourself with its cropping tool; the face does not need to fit the oval perfectly. Our baby passport photo guide has more tips.

Frequently asked questions

What size is an Irish passport photo?

A printed Irish passport photo is at least 35 mm wide and 45 mm high, and at most 38 x 50 mm. The tool prints 35 x 45 mm with your face filling 70 to 80% of the height. A digital photo for Passport Online must be a JPEG of at least 715 x 951 pixels and no larger than 9 MB.

Can I take my own Irish passport photo at home?

Yes, for an online application. The Department of Foreign Affairs says you can take the photo at home with a camera, tablet or phone, but someone else must take it. Selfies are not accepted, and you should not use the zoom. Printed photos for a paper form must be of photo-lab quality.

Can I use a selfie for Passport Online?

No. The Passport Service asks for a photo taken by someone else, and applicants who upload a selfie are asked for another photo, which delays the application. Ask a friend or family member to take it from about 1.5 meters away, at your eye level, with the phone's back camera.

What is a photo code for an Irish passport?

It is a code you get from a participating photo booth or in-store photo service when you have your passport photo taken. During the online application you enter the code instead of uploading a file, and the Passport Service collects your digital photo. Photo Me booths and IDstation.online offer it in Ireland and the UK.

Can I wear glasses in my Irish passport photo?

Yes, if the lenses are clear, there is no glare or shadow, and the frames do not cover any part of your eyes. Dark glasses and sunglasses are not allowed. If you get glare you cannot avoid, take the photo without your glasses.

Why is my photo in black and white on the passport?

Irish passports print the photo in black and white. You still submit a color photo for Passport Online, and it is converted during the application. For paper applications, black and white prints are recommended, but color prints are accepted.

Can I edit or filter my passport photo?

No. The Department of Foreign Affairs says photos must not be digitally altered or edited in any way. That is why this tool keeps your own background and only crops, sizes and straightens the photo. Start with a plain white, light gray or cream wall and even light, and the tool will check it.

How recent must the photo be?

It must have been taken in the last six months, an ICAO rule that Ireland follows. You cannot reuse the photo from your previous passport, even if you still look the same.

Sources

1. Department of Foreign Affairs (ireland.ie) — Photo guidelines for passports (opened September 30, 2026)
2. Department of Justice, Immigration Service Delivery — Photograph requirements, applications for Irish travel documents (v3) (opened September 30, 2026)

Last checked: September 30, 2026

passportvisapic.com is not affiliated with any government. The issuing authority makes the final decision on every photo.