United Kingdom · free check
UK Passport Photo — online
UK Passport — online needs your original, unchanged photo (at least 600 px wide, light-coloured background, taken within 1 month); the official system does any cropping. Check it here for free before you upload: we tell you exactly what to fix, and we never change your file.
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Official requirements
- Upload
- Original photo, up to 10000 KB
- File
- at least 600 px wide
- Head size
- Not quantified for digital; own-device photo should show head, shoulders and upper body.
- Background
- be taken against a plain light-coloured background; be in clear contrast to the background
- Glasses
- Do not wear glasses in your photo unless you have to do so; no sunglasses/tinted; eyes not covered by frames, glare, reflection or shadow.
- Head covering
- not have a head covering (unless it’s for religious or medical reasons)
- Expression
- have a plain expression and your mouth closed; eyes open and visible (children under 6 exempt)
- Taken within
- 1 month
Source: gov.uk. Last checked Nov 7, 2026.
Download these requirements as a one-page PDF to bring to the counter.
What we will not do
“unaltered by computer software”Official rule
“Do not crop your photo - it will be done for you.”Official example of an altered photo
That's why IDPlain never replaces the background, retouches skin or "fixes" lighting. We check the photo you took and tell you how to retake it if something is off; the file you upload stays exactly as your camera made it. Why we never edit the background
Upload the original. This document's official system wants your unchanged photo, so we only check it here; we don't make a file.
- ✓ Document
- 2 Photo
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- 5 Download
Before you shoot
- Plain, light wall
- Face a window
- Phone at eye level
- Neutral face, eyes open
UK Passport — online photo questions
Can I take my own UK Passport — online photo at home?
Yes. A photo taken at home by a friend or family member is accepted if it meets the rules. The official guidance: “You’ll need someone to help you take a photo during your application.”
Can I wear glasses in my UK Passport — online photo?
The official rule: “Do not wear glasses in your photo unless you have to do so; no sunglasses/tinted; eyes not covered by frames, glare, reflection or shadow.”
Can I smile in my UK Passport — online photo?
The official rule: “have a plain expression and your mouth closed; eyes open and visible (children under 6 exempt).”
Can I wear a hat or head covering?
The official rule: “not have a head covering (unless it’s for religious or medical reasons).”
How recent must the photo be?
It must have been taken within the last 1 month.
Can I edit the photo or change the background?
No. The official rule: “unaltered by computer software.” That's why IDPlain only checks this photo and never changes the file.
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