Guide · Updated 2026-10-08
Passport Photo Sizes by Country and How to Take One at Home
Common passport photo sizes in mm and pixels, what a good home photo needs, and how to print copies on a 4 × 6 inch or A4 sheet.
A passport photo that is the wrong size or badly lit is one of the most common reasons an application is sent back. This guide lists the sizes commonly published for several countries and shows how to take and crop one at home with the Passport Photo Maker. Your photo stays in your browser and is not uploaded.
Common sizes
| Country | Size (mm) | Pixels at 300 dpi | Head, chin to crown |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 35 × 45 | 413 × 531 | 29 to 34 mm |
| United States | 51 × 51 (2 × 2 in) | 602 × 602 | 25 to 35 mm |
| Schengen and most of Europe | 35 × 45 | 413 × 531 | 32 to 36 mm |
| India | 51 × 51 (2 × 2 in) | 602 × 602 | 25 to 35 mm |
| Canada | 50 × 70 | 591 × 827 | 31 to 36 mm |
| Australia | 35 × 45 | 413 × 531 | 32 to 36 mm |
| China | 33 × 48 | 390 × 567 | 28 to 33 mm |
| Japan | 35 × 45 | 413 × 531 | 32 to 36 mm |
These follow commonly published guidance and change from time to time, so check your passport authority before you apply. Pixels are the size in millimetres ÷ 25.4 × 300, rounded.
Taking the photo
- Plain light background. Stand a step away from a plain wall so you do not cast a shadow on it.
- Even light. Face a window. Avoid light from one side, and avoid flash, which causes glare and red-eye.
- Neutral face. Look straight into the camera with a closed mouth and open eyes.
- Camera at eye level, about arm’s length or further away, with someone else holding it. Selfies at close range distort the face.
- No hats, glare on glasses or heavy filters. Rules for glasses and head coverings differ by country.
Cropping and printing
- Open the Passport Photo Maker, choose your photo and your country.
- Drag and zoom until your head sits between the two red ovals. The dashed oval is the smallest allowed head and the solid oval the largest.
- Download the single photo for online applications, or the print sheet for a shop.
- When you print the sheet, choose 100% or actual size. “Fit to page” enlarges the photos and spoils the size.
A 4 × 6 inch print fits six UK-size photos and an A4 sheet fits thirty. Two US-size photos fit on a 4 × 6 inch print and fifteen on A4.
What the tool does not do
- It does not change your background or retouch your face, and it does not check your photo against the rules.
- Some online applications ask for a particular file size or run their own checks, so follow their instructions.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a phone photo? Yes, if it is sharp and well lit. A larger photo prints better.
Is my photo uploaded? No. Everything happens in your browser.
Do I need a white background? It depends on the country. The UK asks for cream or light grey, and the US asks for white or off-white.
Try the tools
Passport Photo Maker (Crop to Size, Print Sheet)
Crop a photo to the passport size of the UK, US, EU, India, Canada, Australia, China or Japan, and download a print-ready sheet. Your photo never leaves your browser.
mmPassport Photo Size by Country (mm, inches, pixels)
See the passport photo size, head height and background rule for a country, in mm, cm, inches and pixels at 300 or 600 dpi.
↔Image Resizer
Resize images to exact pixel dimensions or a percentage.