Photo guide

UK passport photo: the rules for a photo you take on your phone

For an online UK passport application you upload a photo you took yourself. These are the rules gov.uk publishes, in one place, with how Complyshot checks them.

The official rules

  • A colour photo of at least 600 × 750 pixels, between 50 KB and 10 MB.
  • Show your head, shoulders and upper body. Do not crop the photo: the passport service crops it for you.
  • Someone needs to help you take it. Face the camera with a plain expression and your mouth closed.
  • A plain, light-coloured background, with no shadows on it or on your face.
  • No editing, filters or retouching.
  • No glasses unless you cannot take them off. If you wear them: clear lenses, no glare, and frames that do not cover your eyes.

Official numbers checked: October 2026 ·Official source

How to do it with Complyshot

  1. Open Complyshot and choose “UK passport photo (online)” from the document list.
  2. Take the photo in even light, facing the camera. Where the rules ask for it, have someone else hold the phone.
  3. Read the result. Each rule is checked, and a failed one comes with what to change.
  4. Save the finished photo and use it as the official page describes.

Common questions

Can I crop my UK passport photo myself?

No. gov.uk asks you not to crop it, because the passport service does that for you. Complyshot checks your framing and saves the photo whole, without cropping it.

Can I take it as a selfie?

gov.uk says someone needs to help you take the photo. For this document Complyshot starts in helper mode, using the back camera, so another person can hold the phone.

Will the passport service accept a photo that passes Complyshot?

There is no guarantee. Complyshot checks what a phone can measure (sharpness, framing, lighting, open eyes, background, size) and gives you a short list for the rest, such as expression and glasses. The passport service makes the final decision.

Questions about this photo

Check your photo in Complyshot

Complyshot checks your photo against these rules on your iPhone. The photo is not uploaded.

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.