Applying for a passport can be stressful enough without worrying whether your photo will get rejected. Every country has its own set of strict specifications — photo size, background color, head position, even how much you're allowed to smile.
This guide covers passport photo requirements for 24 countries, including the US, UK, China, Japan, Canada, Australia, Germany, France, and more. Whether you're applying in person or online, these specifications will help you get it right the first time.
Supports all 24 countries — no sign-up required
| Country | Photo Size | Background | Head Ratio | Key Rules |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 United States | 51 × 51 mm | White / off-white | 50-69% | Ears visible, no glasses glare, neutral expression |
| 🇬🇧 United Kingdom | 35 × 45 mm | White / light gray | 65-75% | Taken within 6 months, dark clothing recommended |
| 🇨🇳 China | 33 × 48 mm | White | 60-70% | Dark clothing, front-facing, ears uncovered |
| 🇨🇦 Canada | 50 × 70 mm | White | 60-70% | No shadows on face or background |
| 🇯🇵 Japan | 45 × 35 mm | White | 65-75% | Facing forward, closed mouth |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | 35 × 45 mm | Plain solid | 65-75% | High resolution, eyes clearly visible |
| 🇩🇪 Germany | 35 × 45 mm | White | 60-70% | Biometric standard, no retouching |
| 🇫🇷 France | 35 × 45 mm | White | 60-70% | ISO/IEC 19794-5 standard |
| 🇮🇳 India | 51 × 51 mm | White | 60-70% | Square format, both ears visible |
| 🇰🇷 South Korea | 35 × 45 mm | White | 60-70% | Natural makeup, no accessories |
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | 35 × 45 mm | White | 60-70% | Recent photo, no headgear except religious |
| 🇹🇭 Thailand | 35 × 45 mm | White | 60-70% | Plain background, no shadows |
| 🇭🇰 Hong Kong | 40 × 50 mm | White | 60-70% | Clear front view, no sunglasses |
| 🇻🇳 Vietnam | 40 × 60 mm | White | 60-70% | Full face, hair not covering eyes |
| 🇧🇷 Brazil | 35 × 45 mm | White | 60-70% | Neutral expression, plain background |
| 🇮🇹 Italy | 35 × 45 mm | White | 60-70% | Biometric, eyes open and clearly visible |
| 🇪🇸 Spain | 32 × 26 mm | White | 60-70% | Landscape orientation, smaller than most |
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 35 × 45 mm | White | 60-70% | Biometric standards apply |
| 🇳🇱 Netherlands | 35 × 45 mm | White | 60-70% | Facial features clearly visible |
| 🇷🇺 Russia | 35 × 45 mm | White | 60-70% | No red-eye or reflections |
| 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 35 × 50 mm | White | 60-70% | Narrower width, taller format |
| 🇵🇭 Philippines | 35 × 45 mm | White | 60-70% | Recent photo, natural expression |
| 🇿🇦 South Africa | 35 × 45 mm | White | 60-70% | Biometric photo standards |
| 🇹🇼 Taiwan | 35 × 45 mm | White | 60-70% | Front-facing on white background |
The US passport photo is a 51×51mm (2×2 inch) square with a white or off-white background. The head must measure between 50% and 69% of the total photo height — from the top of the head (including hair) to the bottom of the chin.
The UK passport photo is 35×45mm with a plain light gray or cream background (not pure white). Photos must have been taken within the last 6 months.
China passport photo is 33×48mm with a white background. Dark clothing is required by most Chinese passport offices.
Canada uses a 50×70mm vertical photo — the tallest format in this guide. The photo must show the head from chin to crown, covering 60-70% of the frame.
Japan's passport photo is unique: it's 45×35mm, which is wider than it is tall (landscape orientation). This is the opposite of most other countries' portrait formats.
Australia requires a 35×45mm photo with a plain solid background (white or light gray). High resolution is required — at least 450 DPI.
While some countries require professionally taken photos, many allow digital submission of photos taken at home. Here's how to get it right:
More countries are accepting digital photo submission, but requirements differ:
PhotoLab supports all 24 countries listed above. Just select your country, upload a front-facing portrait, and our AI will:
100% free for the first 3 uses per day. No sign-up, no account, no upload to persistent storage — processed in memory and deleted within 30 seconds.
As of 2026, the United States no longer allows glasses in passport photos. The UK and Canada also strongly discourage them and may reject photos with glasses. Most other countries allow glasses only if there is no glare and your eyes are clearly visible. For safety, remove glasses if possible.
PhotoLab currently supports 24 countries. For unsupported countries, you can use the custom mode to manually set the background color, dimensions, and crop. You can also suggest a new country via our feedback channel.
Yes. You get 3 free uses per day with no sign-up required. If you need more, small credit packs are available starting at $5.99.
Privacy is built into our architecture. All photos are processed in your browser's memory and the server's memory — they are never written to disk. Images are automatically deleted within 30 seconds of processing.
Yes. Select one country, generate the compliant version, then select another country — our tool will adjust the background, size, and crop for each country's specific requirements.
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