UK Passport Photo Requirements
Last updated: July 21, 2026
The UK's head-size range (64–76%) sits between the US and the Schengen/ICAO 71–80% family, and its background rule is notably different — cream or light grey, not white.
Photo Size
| Requirement | |
|---|---|
| Physical (print) | 35 × 45 mm |
| Digital (upload) | 413 × 531 px |
413×531 px is our own conversion of the 35×45 mm print size at 300 DPI — HM Passport Office's own published guidance does not state a separate digital pixel spec for online applications, so treat this figure as a derived, safe equivalent rather than an official HMPO number.
Head Size
Chin to crown must be 64–76% of the photo's height — about 29–34 mm on a 45 mm-tall print.
Background Color
UK requires cream or light grey — confirmed against HMPO's own guidance, which does not list white as an accepted background.
Digital File Size
A 50 KB minimum is commonly cited by third-party photo tools, but we could not find a numeric file-size requirement on an official GOV.UK/HMPO page — treat this figure as an unofficial, third-party-sourced convention rather than a confirmed government rule. File size is a digital-only concept — it doesn't apply to a printed photo, since print quality is governed by DPI, not kilobytes. See our Understanding Photo Size Rules guide for why these floors and ceilings exist.
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Create Your UK Passport Photo Now →Always verify current requirements against your destination country's official government or embassy website before submitting, as specifications can change.