Two Passport Photos
Overview
Two passport photographs need to be handed in alongside the application form for your passport. These photos need to meet very specific requirements. If these specific requirements are not exactly met then the application could take much longer or even not be successful at all.
How and where to get your passport photos taken
- Although you can use a professional photographer to have your passport photographs taken, if you are in the United Kingdom another option is a Photo-Me booth which are often found in supermarkets and sometimes in post offices.
- For our customers who do not live in the UK, a professional photograph is necessary as we cannot guarantee that photographs taken in a photo booth abroad meet the same standards as those in the UK.
Important Note
Please note that applicants can only hold a maximum 2 passports at a time, regardless of whether they have expired or not. If you have any undeclared second passports, then you must state these with our team members upon contact and application.
How to get correct photo
Your photographs need to be
- The standard size used in UK photo booths which is: 45mm high, by 35mm wide
- printed by a professional or in a professional manner
- independent photographs in their own right, not cut down from larger photographs or images
- in colour (black and white is not accepted) onto plain white photo paper
- with a background of a colour that is either plain cream or light grey
- with no perceivable difference between the two pictures (i.e., identical to each other)
- Taken in the recent past, no older than 1 month old.
- with no tears, stains or creases
- without markings on either side, unless that photograph requires a second signature
- not in any way altered by hand or computer software, like Photoshop
- Please click here for more information on the countersignature
The portrait must show
- the subject's head and shoulders
- the subject's eyes facing front with the head angled directly towards the camera
- The subject's photograph should contain no other items, people, food or animals. (there is no exception to this rule for children)
- 29mm and 34mm from the top of the subject's head to under the subject's chin
- An expressionless facial expression and lips together
- a head which is in no way covered (unless the head covering is being worn for medical or religious purposes).
- Eyes which are not closed, with absolutely no reflection or glare from lenses or glasses. Another option is to entirely remove glasses for the photo. Red-eye will invalidate your photos.
- Shadows will invalidate your photo.
- It is required that there is a distinct and clear contrast between the subject's face and the background of the photograph.
