Passport and visa photo questions
What background does a passport photo need, and can I do it at home?
A plain, light background with no shadows, patterns or objects. The UK asks for a plain, light-coloured background (cream or light grey for printed photos), Ireland for completely plain light grey, white or cream, the US for white or off-white, and Australia for white or light grey. You can get it at home with a plain, light wall or a white sheet, as long as the photo is real: none of the four accepts an edited photo, and the US says to fix your lighting and background and take a new photo instead. Australia recommends a professional passport photo provider and does not recommend online photo services or mobile apps, which it says may put you in danger of identity fraud. An Australian photo must also be a good-quality colour print made by dye sublimation, not from an inkjet printer, on glossy paper of at least 200 gsm.
What the official page says
- UK (gov.uk): a plain, light-coloured background in clear contrast to you, with no other objects or people and no shadows behind you. For printed photos, plain cream or light grey.
- Ireland (ireland.ie): a completely plain light grey, white or cream background with enough contrast, no objects such as door panels or plants, and no shadows behind your head.
- US (travel.state.gov): white or off-white and plain, with no shadows, texture, objects or lines. Stand several feet from the wall; a white blanket or sheet can cover a wall that is not white.
- Australia (passports.gov.au): plain white or light grey, in contrast with your face. Its examples show a background that is not plain and has been edited as unacceptable. How to print it: yotezic.com/complyshot/print-australian-passport-photo/
Official pages read: October 2026 · Official source: gov.uk, gov.uk, ireland.ie, travel.state.gov, travel.state.gov, passports.gov.au
How to do it with Complyshot
- Find a plain white or light grey wall, or hang a white sheet so it is flat. Stand about 1 m in front of it, with nothing else behind you.
- Face a window or another soft light, so the light is even and no shadow falls on the wall behind your head.
- Open Complyshot, choose your document and take the photo. It checks the real background around you: light, plain and even, with no pattern or strong colour.
- Read the result. If the background fails, it tells you what to change, and you retake the photo. Complyshot never whitens or replaces the background.
Related questions
Can I change or whiten the background with an app?
No. The UK asks for a photo not altered by computer software, Ireland for one not digitally altered or edited in any way, and the US says not to change your photo with software, phone apps or filters. Australia shows an edited background as unacceptable. Complyshot checks your real background and never changes it.
Can a UK passport photo have a white background?
For an online application, gov.uk asks for a plain, light-coloured background in clear contrast to you, without naming one colour. For printed photos it names cream or light grey. Ireland, the US and Australia all list white.
What if my walls are coloured or patterned?
Hang a plain white sheet or blanket over the wall, as the US State Department suggests, and pull it flat so it shows no creases or shadows. Keep doors, plants and other objects out of the photo.
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 StoreComplyshot 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.