Country guide — High-volume corridor · Last verified: February 2025
UK Passport & Visa Photo Requirements
Get your UK passport or visa photo right the first time. Official requirements in plain English, plus automatic compliance checks.
Exact specs for UK passport, visa, driving licence, and ID card — 35×45 mm, head height 29–34 mm. Home Office and DVLA standards.
Each requirement below is automatically checked when you create your photo with PixID.
High acceptance rate for UK passport and visa photos when using our compliance engine.
Written by the pixid.studio compliance team, verified against gov.uk (UK passport and visa photo guidance) as of February 2025.
Photo size and dimensions
Key measurements
35×45 mm · 600×750 px (300 DPI) · Head height 29–34 mm · Light grey/cream background
UK passport, visa, and most official document photos use:
- Size: 35×45 mm
- Resolution: At least 600×750 pixels (or equivalent at 300 DPI)
- Format: JPEG. No embedded graphics or borders.
Driving licence and provisional licence use the same 35×45 mm standard. This is one of the most common high-volume corridors globally — strict requirements, high migration.
Head height and position
Official measurements
UK Home Office specifies the height of your head in the frame:
- Head height: From the bottom of your chin to the top of your head (including hair), must be between 29 mm and 34 mm in the 35×45 mm photo.
- Face position: Face the camera directly. Centered. Both ears visible where possible.
- Eye level: Eyes open and clearly visible.
Common mistakes
If head size is outside 29–34 mm, the photo will be rejected. Automated systems check this strictly. PixID checks head height automatically when you upload.
Glasses
UK passport and visa: glasses are allowed only if there is no glare, no tinted lenses, and your eyes are fully visible. If in doubt, remove glasses to avoid rejection. Driving licence and ID card follow similar rules.
Background
Background must be plain light grey or cream (not pure white). No patterns, shadows, or other people. Home Office and DVLA specify acceptable shades — our tool applies the correct value.
Expression and appearance
- Expression: Neutral expression, mouth closed. No smiling.
- Eyes: Both eyes open and looking at the camera.
- Headwear: Only if worn for religious or medical reasons; face must be fully visible.
Documents that use 35×45 mm UK photos
UK Passport, UK Visa, UK Driving Licence, Provisional Licence, UK ID card, and many residence and work permit applications. High-volume corridor — get the specs right first time.
Common mistakes that cause rejection
Avoid these — PixID checks for them automatically when you create your photo.
- Head size outside 29–34 mm
- Wrong background (e.g. pure white instead of light grey)
- Glare on glasses
- Smiling or non-neutral expression
- Low resolution or wrong dimensions
Official sources: gov.uk (passport, visa), DVLA photo rules. Always confirm latest requirements.
All photos processed according to latest Home Office and DVLA requirements
Get your compliant UK photo in 5 minutes
Choose United Kingdom and your document type, then upload your photo. We'll handle 35×45 mm, head height 29–34 mm, and background.
Compliance engine aligned with ICAO Doc 9303 and ISO/IEC 19794-5 — not a beauty filter.
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