Saint Helena passport photo requirements
The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by St Helena Government for the Saint Helena passport, with the official wording and sources.
Quick answer
What size is the Saint Helena passport photo?
Saint Helena sets no passport photo rules of its own: the St Helena Government says British passport requirements are strictly set by HM Passport Office. Submit 2 identical printed photos at the Immigration and Customs Office in Ruperts. Each is 45 mm high by 35 mm wide, with a head of 29 to 34 mm from chin to crown, on a plain cream or light grey background, taken in the last month.
Passport applications on Saint Helena are received by the St Helena Government and sent on to the UK. A notice from the Customs and Immigration Office dated 8 July 2026 reminds residents that all requirements for a British passport are strictly set by His Majesty's Passport Office (HMPO), and that a correct, signed application with every supporting document is the applicant's own responsibility. The Immigration and Customs Office at Ruperts, it says, remains open to receive both British and BOTC (St Helenian) applications.
For British passports the office arranges the secure postage of applications directly to HMPO, and a handling charge is payable at the Post Office. A 2017 notice from the island says BOTC passports are printed by HMPO in the UK, with the Immigration Office forwarding each application and the passport coming back to the island for collection.
No Saint Helena notice sets out a photo specification. The June 2025 notice on British passport applications lists two passport-type photographs among the papers to bring, and the GOV.UK page for the island asks for 2 identical new photos that follow the passport photo rules. Those HMPO rules are summarised on this page.
Saint Helena passport photo size and specifications
The requirements as published by St Helena Government:[1]
| Print size | 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in): 45 mm high by 35 mm wide |
|---|---|
| Digital size | No digital file: the island route takes printed photos with the paper form |
| Head height | 29 to 34 mm, measured from the crown of the head to the chin |
| Background | Plain cream or light grey, with clear contrast to you |
| Colour | Colour, on plain white photographic paper with no border |
| Photo age | Taken in the last month, and a new photo for any new passport |
| Print quality | Printed to a professional standard, clear and in focus; no creases, tears or cut down prints |
| Pixels when printed | 413 × 531 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi (calculated) |
In the official words
Exact wording from the official sources, quoted because the details matter:
Your photos must be: ... unaltered by computer software
Your photos must be: printed to a professional standard
Two (2) passport-type photographs (signed)
Key requirements
- HMPO sets the standard
The St Helena Government states that, for a British passport, all requirements are strictly set by HMPO. It adds no local photo rule, so the printed photo rules on GOV.UK are the ones to meet.
- Two photographs, signed
The 2025 notice lists "Two (2) passport-type photographs (signed)" among the documents. HMPO's overseas guidance has the countersignatory certify one photo, not both, by writing on the reverse. If you are unsure which applies to you, ask the Immigration Office before anyone writes on a print.
- Size and head height
A print is 45 mm high and 35 mm wide. Measured from the crown of your head down to your chin, the image of you must fall between 29 and 34 mm. A print trimmed from a bigger picture fails the size rule.
- Plain cream or light grey
The background must be plain cream or light grey and stand out clearly against you. Keep other objects and people out of the frame, avoid shadows on your face or behind you, and avoid red eye.
- Plain face, open eyes
Look straight into the lens, head facing forward, mouth closed and expression plain. Both eyes must be open and visible, and the shot should be a close-up of your full head and upper shoulders.
- Recent, professionally printed
The picture must have been taken in the last month. HMPO also asks for a print made to a professional standard, in colour on plain white photographic paper, free of creases and tears and not altered by computer software.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Check with the Immigration Office who should sign which print.
- Bring 2 identical prints from one photo.
- Book application help if you are unsure how to fill in the form.
- Use a recent photo that is no more than a month old.
- Keep the prints flat, unmarked and loose.
- Print on plain white photo paper with no border.
Don't
- Do not write on the back of a print unless it is the one being certified.
- Do not shrink or trim a larger photograph to fit.
- Do not smooth, filter or retouch the picture.
- Do not wear tinted lenses or let glare hide your eyes.
- Do not reuse an old passport photo for a new passport.
Sample photos
How a Saint Helena passport photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 35 × 45 mm, head height and background colour.
Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.
Glasses
HMPO asks you not to wear glasses unless you have to. Sunglasses and tinted glasses are out, and a frame, glare, reflection or shadow must never cover your eyes. The St Helena notices are silent on glasses, so this GOV.UK rule is the one to follow.
Headwear and religious dress
You may wear a head covering for religious or medical reasons only. Whatever you wear, your face must stay uncovered and no hair may fall across your eyes.
Babies and children
Photograph a child alone. Babies should not be given toys or a dummy. Under-sixes need not look at the camera or keep a plain expression, and a child under one may have closed eyes. A hand supporting the head is fine if it is out of the picture.
Printed and digital photos
Nothing on the St Helena or GOV.UK pages describes a digital upload for this route. The island office receives paper applications, so you need prints rather than a file. A digital photo can be cropped to 35 x 45 mm and printed on a 4 x 6 inch sheet at a photo counter, then separated into individual prints.
HMPO does not accept a print that is a cut down version of a larger picture, so the prints should be made at the right size from one identical image, not trimmed by hand from a bigger photograph.
Where to submit the photo
Submit the application at the Immigration and Customs Office in Ruperts, which accepts British and BOTC applications. If you want help completing the paper forms, the 8 July 2026 notice offers appointment-only assistance at St Helena Community College, the Public Library and the CASH Office in Jamestown. The notice does not say that these points take photographs.
The GOV.UK page for St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha lists three local offices: the Administration Office on Ascension, the Immigration Office at Ogborn House in Jamestown, and the Administrator's Office on Tristan da Cunha. It says to apply in person, or have someone go for you, with photo ID, and that the finished passport is delivered to the office where you applied. The Saint Helena notices now place the Immigration and Customs Office at Ruperts, so confirm the current address before you travel.
The June 2025 notice also asks for a colour copy of the photo page of the countersignatory's passport, and says a doctor may countersign only if they recognise you easily from your photo.
How to get your Saint Helena passport photo
- Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Saint Helena passport: 35 × 45 mm print, plain cream or light grey background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
- Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: hMPO sets the standard; two photographs, signed; size and head height; plain cream or light grey.
- Prepare a print or digital file. Nothing on the St Helena or GOV.UK pages describes a digital upload for this route. The island office receives paper applications, so you need prints rather than a file.
- Submit the photo with your application. Submit the application at the Immigration and Customs Office in Ruperts, which accepts British and BOTC applications.
Saint Helena passport photo FAQ
Saint Helena uses the HM Passport Office size: 45 mm high by 35 mm wide, with your head measuring 29 to 34 mm from the crown to the chin. You need 2 identical prints, and the island publishes no different size.
HM Passport Office. The St Helena Government says that when applying for a British passport, all requirements are strictly set by His Majesty's Passport Office, and the GOV.UK page for the island asks for photos that follow its rules.
At the Immigration and Customs Office in Ruperts, which the 8 July 2026 notice says remains open to receive both British and BOTC (St Helenian) applications. GOV.UK says to apply in person, or have someone go on your behalf.
The June 2025 notice lists two passport-type photographs marked as signed. HMPO's overseas guidance has the countersignatory certify one photo by writing on the reverse. Ask the Immigration Office which applies, and do not write on a print yourself.
Only if you need them. They must not be sunglasses or tinted, and neither frames nor glare, reflections or shadows may cover your eyes. Taking them off removes the risk.
A plain cream or light grey background that contrasts clearly with you. There must be no other people or objects, no shadows on you or behind you, and no red eye.
Yes. The 8 July 2026 notice lists appointment-only help with the forms for British and BOTC passports at St Helena Community College, the Public Library and the CASH Office. It does not say these points take photographs, so bring your prints.
Related photo specifications
Passports nearby
Also 35 × 45 mm
- Afghanistan visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria ID card photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria residence permit photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria work permit photo 35 × 45 mm
- Andorra passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Anguilla passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Antigua and Barbuda passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Armenia visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- All Saint Helena photo specifications
- Passports: photo rules by country
- Every document that uses a 35 × 45 mm photo
- Photo specifications in Africa
Official sources
- St Helena Government. British and BOTC Passport Application Assistance sainthelena.gov.sh. Checked 3 November 2026.
- St Helena Government. British Passport Applications sainthelena.gov.sh. Checked 3 November 2026.
- St Helena Government. St Helena BOTC Passport Applications sainthelena.gov.sh. Checked 3 November 2026.
- HM Passport Office (GOV.UK). Overseas British passport applications: St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha passport.service.gov.uk. Checked 3 November 2026.
- HM Passport Office (GOV.UK). Get a passport photo: Printed photos gov.uk. Checked 3 November 2026.
- HM Passport Office (GOV.UK). Applying for a passport from outside the UK: guidance notes gov.uk. Checked 3 November 2026.
Requirements can change, so always confirm with St Helena Government before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.
Cite this page
"Saint Helena passport photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/saint-helena/passport-photo