Passport photo requirements (and why photos fail)
Every country's fine print differs, but the checks underneath are nearly identical. This is the universal list, plus the rejection reasons authorities actually return.
The universal rules
- Recency: taken within the last 6 months and a true likeness of you now.
- Background: plain, even, the colour your spec requires (see the background guide). No objects, no other people, no shadow of your head on the wall.
- Lighting: even on both sides of the face, no flash hotspot, no red-eye, no shadow under the chin.
- Expression: neutral, mouth closed, both eyes open and looking at the lens. Most authorities no longer accept smiles showing teeth.
- Head position: square to the camera, not tilted, crown-to-chin height inside your spec's range — the maker's guide lines draw exactly this.
- Glasses: the US and UK effectively ban them; the EU allows them only with thin frames and zero glare. Safest everywhere: take them off.
- Head coverings: only for religious or medical reasons, and the face from chin to forehead must stay fully visible.
- No editing: no filters, no skin retouching, no background replacement. Cropping and resizing are the only allowed changes — which is all this tool does.
The rejection list
| Reason given | What it usually means | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Head too large / too small | Crown-to-chin outside the spec range | Re-align using the guide lines in the maker |
| Background not plain | Door frames, patterns, or a head shadow on the wall | Move 1 m away from a plain wall; two lights or a bright window |
| Shadows on face | One-sided window light or overhead light | Face the light source; avoid midday sun from the side |
| Glasses glare / eyes not visible | Flash reflection or tinted lenses | Remove glasses; it is accepted almost everywhere |
| Photo too old / edited | Looks filtered, or older than 6 months | Retake; submit the unedited file |
| Wrong dimensions | Cropped to a similar-but-wrong size (e.g. 35×45 for China) | Pick the exact spec from the table |
| File too big / wrong format | Upload portal limits (US visa 240 KB, China 100 KB) | Use the KB cap in the maker, or compress to an exact KB |
| Mouth open / smiling | Teeth visible or eyes squinting | Neutral expression, relaxed face, retake |
Self-check before you submit
Zoom the exported photo to 200%: eyes sharp and open, no shadow crossing the face, background one flat colour edge to edge, head between the guide lines, file size and dimensions matching the spec row. If all five hold, acceptance is the norm.