United Kingdom · free check
UK Visa Photo
UK Visa needs your original, unchanged photo (at least 600 px wide, light-coloured background); 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 (JPEG), up to 6000 KB
- File
- at least 600 px wide
- Head size
- show your 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; not sunglasses or tinted; eyes not covered by frames/glare.
- 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
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
“Your photo must not be altered by computer software or through other means (for example, by adding a filter).”Official rule
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
- 3 Check
- 4 Preview
- 5 Download
Before you shoot
- Plain, light wall
- Face a window
- Phone at eye level
- Neutral face, eyes open
UK Visa photo questions
Can I take my own UK Visa 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 should try to arrange for another person to take your photo. The photo can be from a phone or tablet.”
Can I wear glasses in my UK Visa photo?
The official rule: “Do not wear glasses in your photo unless you have to; not sunglasses or tinted; eyes not covered by frames/glare.”
Can I smile in my UK Visa photo?
The official rule: “have a plain expression and your mouth closed; eyes open and visible.”
Can I wear a hat or head covering?
The official rule: “not have a head covering, unless it's for religious or medical reasons.”
Can I edit the photo or change the background?
No. The official rule: “Your photo must not be altered by computer software or through other means (for example, by adding a filter).” That's why IDPlain only checks this photo and never changes the file.
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