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Ireland passport photo requirements

The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland) for the Ireland passport, with the official wording and sources.

Based on 10 official sources · last checked Official sources Page history

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Quick answer

What size is the Ireland passport photo?

If you apply through Passport Online, you upload a colour JPEG of at least 715 x 951 pixels and no more than 9 MB. A paper application needs four identical prints between 35 x 45 mm and 38 x 50 mm, two of them signed and stamped by your witness. Either way the photo must be under six months old, show you from head to mid torso against plain light grey, white or cream, and must not be digitally altered.

Irish passports and passport cards are issued by the Passport Service of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). The Department says poor-quality photos are the main reason it has to reject applications, and an application waits until a suitable photo arrives. Every photo must have been taken within the last six months, a limit the DFA takes from the International Civil Aviation Organisation, so the picture in your current passport cannot be reused.

The photo you need depends on how you apply. Passport Online, open to applicants anywhere in the world, takes only a digital file, whether you want a passport book or a passport card. If you live in Ireland or Northern Ireland and prefer paper, you send a form through the Post Passport service with four printed photos instead. Pose, expression and background rules are shared by both routes; the technical rules are not.

Whatever you send, the finished passport shows your picture in black and white.

Ireland passport photo size and specifications

The requirements as published by Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland):[1]

Print size35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in) minimum to 38 x 50 mm (1.50 x 1.97 in) maximum, for paper forms
Digital sizeOnline: at least 715 x 951 pixels
BackgroundCompletely plain light grey, white or cream, with enough contrast; no objects in view
ColourOnline: colour. Paper: black and white recommended, colour accepted
Photo ageTaken in the last 6 months
File sizeOnline: up to 9 MB
File formatOnline: JPEG, not scanned, with no compression artefacts or lens distortion
Print qualityPhoto-quality paper at high resolution; no ink marks or creases; white, unglazed back
Pixels when printed413 × 531 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi (calculated)
35 mm45 mm
35 × 45 mm photo drawn to scale. Background: completely plain light grey.

In the official words

Exact wording from the official sources, quoted because the details matter:

Photos must not be digitally altered or edited in any way, follow the photo guidelines above.

Photo guidelines[1]

Key requirements

  • Head to mid torso

    Frame the picture from the top of your head down to the middle of your torso, with visible space between your head and shoulders and every edge of the photo. The DFA applies this to prints and digital uploads alike, so a tight crop around the face is not what it asks for.

  • No software changes

    Filters, retouching and photo software are ruled out. The DFA bans digital enhancement or alteration of any kind for both online and printed photos.

  • Someone else takes it

    A photo taken at home with a phone, tablet, camera or a computer that takes photos must be taken by another person. Selfies are refused and the application is held up until a new photo arrives. Do not use the zoom function either.

  • Neutral face, straight pose

    Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed and no smile. Look straight into the lens without tilting your head up, down or to either side, and keep hair away from your eyes.

  • Plain light background

    Stand in front of a completely plain light grey, white or cream surface that contrasts with you. Door panels, plants and other objects must not show, and no shadow may fall on your face or behind your head.

  • Sharp, balanced and natural

    The image must be in focus and correctly exposed, neither too dark nor too light, with balanced colour and natural skin tones. Red eye is not acceptable.

  • No uniforms or insignia

    Civil or military uniforms are not permitted in an Irish passport photo, and neither is clothing that bears insignia.

Do's and don'ts

Do

  • Ask another person to take the photo.
  • Show yourself from head to mid torso, with space around you.
  • Use a plain light grey, white or cream background.
  • Save an online photo as a JPEG of no more than 9 MB.
  • Have your witness sign and stamp two of the four prints.
  • Lay a baby who cannot sit up on a plain white surface.

Don't

  • Do not take a selfie or use the camera zoom.
  • Do not apply filters or edit the photo.
  • Do not scan a printed photo for an online application.
  • Do not reuse the photo from your previous passport.
  • Do not wear sunglasses, a uniform or clothing with insignia.
  • Do not let a soother or a supporting hand appear in a child's photo.

Sample photos

How a Ireland passport photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 35 × 45 mm and background colour.

Correct
Open-mouth smile
Head tilted
Too close: head too big
Too far: head too small
Busy background
Shadows on face or background
Glare on glasses

Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.

Glasses

Glasses are allowed in an Irish passport photo. No part of the frame may cover your eyes, and the lenses must show no glare; the DFA adds that clear glasses must not cause shadows either. Sunglasses and dark glasses are not permitted.

If your lenses catch the light from a window or flash, take the glasses off for the photo.

Headwear and religious dress

You may wear a head covering only for religious or medical reasons, and your full facial features must still be clearly visible. Head accessories worn for any other reason, such as hats or decorative bands, are not allowed.

Babies and children

Nobody else may appear in a child's photo. An infant or very young child who cannot support themselves should be photographed lying down on a plain white surface; if you steady the child, keep your hands and arms out of the picture. Soothers and pacifiers must be taken out because they can hide facial features.

The DFA asks parents to make every effort to get a natural expression, with the child not smiling and the mouth not open. For babies and small children from newborn to 36 months, Passport Online may prompt you to use its cropping tool to frame the child's face inside an oval. The face does not have to sit perfectly within the lines.

Children do not need paper photos. Passport Online accepts a child's first passport as well as a renewal, with the same digital photo rules as for adults; the online application then asks you to print an Identity and Consent form on which every guardian's consent is confirmed and the child's identity is verified.

If you apply online, you need a digital photo, and there are three ways to get one. Someone else can take it at home with a phone, tablet, camera or computer; a photographer or pharmacy can give you a digital copy by email or on a USB key; or a participating photo booth in Ireland or the UK can give you a photo code to enter during the application. The file must be a colour JPEG of at least 715 x 951 pixels, no larger than 9 MB, with no compression artefacts and no barrel or other distortion. Scanned prints are not accepted. A sideways or upside-down upload does not matter, because you can rotate it on the preview page and the Passport Service rotates it anyway.

If you apply on paper, send four identical prints no more than six months old, each between 35 x 45 mm and 38 x 50 mm, printed at high resolution on photo-quality paper with a white, unglazed back and no ink marks or creases. The DFA recommends black and white prints for paper forms, since the passport image is printed in black and white, but colour prints are accepted too. A digital photo can be resized to the online pixel size, or printed at the required size at a photo counter for a paper form.

Where to submit the photo

Passport Online works from a smartphone, tablet or computer anywhere in the world. You add the photo during the application; once the system accepts it, a member of the Passport Service reviews it and contacts you if it falls short of the guidelines. If you uploaded the wrong photo, contact the Passport Service with your application number. First-time adult applicants also print an identity verification form, which a member of An Garda Síochána completes in Ireland, or an appropriate witness abroad.

Paper applications are for people living in Ireland or Northern Ireland and are sent through Post Passport. Your witness writes the form number, found in Section 9 of the application form, on the back of two of the four photos, then signs and stamps those two. If this step is missed, the DFA will ask for a new form and new photos. If a disability prevents you from meeting the photo rules, contact the Passport Service for advice.

How to get your Ireland passport photo

  1. Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Ireland passport: 35 × 45 mm print, 715 × 951 px digital file, completely plain light grey background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
  2. Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: head to mid torso; no software changes; someone else takes it; neutral face, straight pose.
  3. Prepare a print or digital file. If you apply online, you need a digital photo, and there are three ways to get one.
  4. Submit the photo with your application. Passport Online works from a smartphone, tablet or computer anywhere in the world. You add the photo during the application; once the system accepts it, a member of the Passport Service reviews it and contacts you if it falls short of the guidelines.

Make this photo online

Ireland passport photo FAQ

For a paper application, each of the four prints must be at least 35 x 45 mm and no larger than 38 x 50 mm. For Passport Online there is no print size: the digital file must be at least 715 pixels wide and 951 pixels high, a colour JPEG of up to 9 MB. Both kinds show you from head to mid torso.

Yes, for an online application. Use a phone, tablet or camera, but someone else must take the picture: the DFA refuses selfies and asks for another photo, which delays the application. Do not zoom. If home photos keep failing, the DFA suggests a photo booth that gives a photo code, or a photo provider.

Yes, as long as no part of the frame covers your eyes and the lenses show no glare or shadows. Sunglasses and dark glasses are not allowed.

No. The DFA asks for a neutral expression with your mouth closed and no smile. Look straight into the camera without tilting your head. For young children, parents are asked to do their best to get a natural expression with the mouth closed.

No. The DFA says photos must not be digitally altered or edited in any way, and both its online and print specifications exclude digital enhancement. Take the photo against a suitable plain background and in even light instead of fixing it afterwards.

A completely plain background in light grey, white or cream, with enough contrast between you and it. Objects such as door panels or plants must not be visible, and there must be no shadow behind your head.

No. Every application needs a photo taken within the last six months, a rule the DFA takes from the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

No. The photo in the passport is printed in black and white. Online applicants still submit a colour photo, which is converted during processing. For paper forms the DFA recommends black and white prints but also accepts colour ones.

Related photo specifications

Other Ireland documents

Passports nearby

Also 35 × 45 mm

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Official sources

  1. Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland). Photo guidelines ireland.ie. Checked 3 November 2026.
  2. Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland). First-time passport application for adults ireland.ie. Checked 3 November 2026.
  3. Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland). Passport Online ireland.ie. Checked 3 November 2026.
  4. Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland). First-time passport application for children ireland.ie. Checked 3 November 2026.
  5. Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland). How to get your passport application witnessed ireland.ie. Checked 3 November 2026.
  6. Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland). Post Passport ireland.ie. Checked 3 November 2026.
  7. Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland). Passport fees ireland.ie. Checked 3 November 2026.
  8. Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland). Current turnaround times ireland.ie. Checked 3 November 2026.
  9. Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland). Urgent appointment service ireland.ie. Checked 3 November 2026.
  10. Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland). Passport FAQs ireland.ie. Checked 3 November 2026.

Requirements can change, so always confirm with Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland) before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.

Cite this page

"Ireland passport photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/ireland/passport-photo

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