United Kingdom photo specifications
Photo sizes and rules for 11 documents issued in United Kingdom, taken from the issuing authorities and linked to their official pages.
At a glance
Most UK documents use a 35 x 45 mm colour photo (45 mm high) on a light background. Passport prints need a head of 29 to 34 mm on cream or light grey, while online passport applications take a digital file of at least 600 x 750 pixels. UK visa photos are taken at a visa centre or uploaded as a JPG of at least 600 x 750 pixels. DVLA postal applications and firearm certificates use the 35 x 45 mm print, and bus pass rules vary by issuer.
Overview
A printed UK passport photo is 35 x 45 mm, with a head of 29 to 34 mm, on a plain cream or light grey background, and an online passport application takes a digital photo instead: at least 600 x 750 pixels and 50 KB to 10 MB, against a plain light-coloured background.
Several different bodies issue UK identity documents, and each sets its own photo rules. HM Passport Office issues British passports, with separate rules for printed and digital photos. UK Visas and Immigration handles visas and the electronic travel authorisation (ETA), mostly capturing your photo at a visa application centre or through an app. The DVLA issues driving licences in Great Britain, and the DVA in Northern Ireland. In Great Britain, local police forces grant firearm and shotgun certificates using the Home Office Form 201. Bus passes come from councils in England, the National Entitlement Card scheme in Scotland, Transport for Wales and Translink in Northern Ireland.
The passport-size print of 35 x 45 mm is the common thread, but the details differ: passport photos must be less than a month old, several bus pass issuers accept photos up to 12 months old, and digital channels have their own limits, such as 10 MB for passport uploads and 6 MB for visa uploads. Backgrounds range from cream or light grey for passport prints to cream or grey for firearm certificates and any plain light colour for digital photos.
Photo specifications by document
Passports
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport | 35 × 45 mm | 600 × 750 px | Printed: plain cream or light grey. Digital… |
Visas and travel authorisations
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electronic travel authorisation (ETA) | — | — | Plain and light-coloured, in clear contrast to… |
| Visa | 35 × 45 mm | 600 × 750 px | Plain light-coloured, in clear contrast with you |
Identity cards
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| CitizenCard | 720 × 1280 px | 720 × 1280 px | Plain light-coloured, in clear contrast to the… |
Driving licences
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driving licence | 35 × 45 mm | — | Plain cream or light grey for postal prints |
Citizenship and naturalisation
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| British citizenship (naturalisation) | 45 × 35 mm | 600 × 750 px | First passport: plain and light-coloured for… |
Bus and transport cards
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bus pass | 35 × 45 mm | — | Set by the issuer: plain light-coloured |
| Zip oyster photocard | — | — | TfL links to the HM Passport Office photo rules |
Licences and permit cards
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firearms licence | 35 × 45 mm | — | Plain cream or grey, with no other objects or… |
Other documents
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue badge (disabled parking permit) | — | — | — |
| PASS proof-of-age card | 45 × 35 mm | 720 × 1280 px | — |
Frequently asked questions
No. Passport photos are 35 x 45 mm prints, or digital files of at least 600 x 750 pixels up to 10 MB, and must be under a month old. Visa photos are usually taken at a visa application centre; uploads must be JPGs of at least 600 x 750 pixels, up to 6 MB, showing head, shoulders and upper body, and must not reuse your passport photo.
Often. When you apply online, DVLA may be able to use the photo from your valid UK passport. For a postal application, GOV.UK asks for a recent printed passport-type photo and links to the passport print rules, so a new 35 x 45 mm passport print meets them.
Online passport applications, UK visa and ETA uploads, DVLA online licence applications, firearm certificate applications made online, and bus passes from issuers with online forms, such as Transport for Wales. Paper passport forms, postal DVLA applications, paper Form 201 and the Northern Ireland SmartPass still use prints.
A plain light background. Passport prints ask for cream or light grey, firearm certificate photos for cream or grey, and digital passport and visa photos for any plain light colour. Bus pass issuers vary, from pale or light-coloured to cream or light grey.
Passport photos must have been taken in the last month, and DVA in Northern Ireland asks the same for driving licences. The London Freedom Pass, Kent County Council and Midlothian Council accept bus pass photos up to 12 months old. Other issuers simply ask for a recent photo.
It depends on how you apply. An online application takes a digital photo only: a photo code from a booth or shop, or a picture taken on your device during the application. A paper form needs 2 identical 35 x 45 mm colour prints taken in the last month, posted loose rather than attached to the form. Every new passport needs a new photo, even if you look the same.
A baby or child must be alone in the photo, with no toys or dummy. Children under 6 are excused from looking straight at the camera and keeping a plain expression, and babies under one can have their eyes shut. If you hold the baby's head, your hand must stay out of the picture. For a digital photo of a baby under one, HMPO suggests laying them on a plain light-coloured sheet and photographing from above.
Nearby countries
Other countries in Northern Europe:
- Åland Islands
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Faroe Islands
- Finland
- Guernsey
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Isle of Man
- Jersey
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Norway
- Svalbard and Jan Mayen
- Sweden
Official sources
- HM Passport Office (GOV.UK). Get a passport photo gov.uk. Checked 3 November 2026.
- HM Passport Office (GOV.UK). Get a passport photo: Printed photos gov.uk. Checked 3 November 2026.
- UK Visas and Immigration (GOV.UK). Take a photo of your face for a visa application or permission gov.uk. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (GOV.UK). Change the photo on your driving licence gov.uk. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Home Office (GOV.UK). Firearms application forms gov.uk. Checked 3 November 2026.
- GOV.UK. Apply for an older person's bus pass gov.uk. Checked 3 November 2026.
Cite this page
"United Kingdom photo specifications". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/united-kingdom