Passport and visa photo questions

Can I take my own UK passport photo at home?

Yes, if you apply online. gov.uk lets you use a photo taken on your own phone or camera instead of one from a photo booth or shop, as long as someone helps you take it and it meets the digital photo rules. A paper application needs 2 identical printed photos instead. gov.uk also says photos from a booth or shop are more likely to be approved than photos taken on your own device, so check yours carefully before you upload it.

What the official page says

  • You need someone to help you take the photo.
  • Taken in the last month, in colour, clear and in focus, and not altered by computer software.
  • At least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall, and between 50 KB and 10 MB.
  • Your head, shoulders and upper body against a plain, light-coloured background. Do not crop it: the passport service crops it for you.
  • A plain expression with your mouth closed, eyes open, no hair in front of your eyes, and no shadows on your face or behind you.
  • No glasses unless you have to wear them.

Official pages read: October 2026 · Official source: gov.uk

How to do it with Complyshot

  1. Stand in front of a plain, light-coloured wall, facing a window or another soft, even light.
  2. Open Complyshot and choose “UK passport photo (online)”. It starts in helper mode on the back camera, so the person helping you holds the phone.
  3. Read the result. Framing, sharpness, lighting, open eyes, background, pixel size and file size are checked, and anything that fails comes with what to change.
  4. Save the photo. Complyshot keeps it whole, without cropping, as gov.uk asks. Upload it when the online application asks for your photo.

Related questions

Can my UK passport photo be a selfie?

gov.uk says you need someone to help you take the photo. Complyshot starts in helper mode for this document so another person can hold the phone. If no one can help, a photo booth or shop is the other route.

Can I use a photo I already have?

Only a recent one. gov.uk asks for a photo taken in the last month, and a new photo for each new passport, even if you look the same.

Will a photo I take at home be accepted?

Nobody can promise that. Complyshot checks what a phone can measure and lists the rest for you to confirm, such as your expression and glasses. HM Passport Office makes the final decision.

Check your photo in Complyshot

Complyshot checks your photo on your iPhone; the photo is not uploaded. Checking is free, and saving the finished photo is a one-time purchase, with no subscription.

Download on the App Store

Complyshot is made by YOTEZIC LTD and is not affiliated with any government. It checks what a phone can measure and cannot promise that your photo will be accepted; the issuing office decides.