Photo Requirements

The easiest thing to do is to get your passport photo taken by a professional passport photo provider

Post offices

Professional photographers

Large chain stores with printing facilities

Many camera stores

Some pharmacies and chemists

Other established reputable businesses.

We recommend against the use of online passport photo services and mobile apps. You may be in danger of identity fraud.

We’ll attach your photos to the form when you lodge it. Don’t try this yourself, as you might damage them.

Watch this videofor advice on getting a good passport photo and a few important dos and don'ts to keep in mind.

Shadows on image and background

Photo size and quality

This is what we require:

Two identical, good quality colour prints, less than six months old, produced using dye sublimation, not from an inkjet printer

No retouching of any kind (including removal of background, moles, wrinkles or scars)

Clear, focused image with no marks or 'red eye'

Plain white or light grey background that contrasts with your face

Uniform lighting (no shadows or reflections), with appropriate brightness and contrast to show natural skin tone

Face centred and looking at the camera straight on; not tilted in any direction

Hair off your face, so that the edges of your face are visible

Eyes open, mouth closed

Neutral expression (not smiling, laughing or frowning)

Photos have to be 35mm to 40mm wide and 45mm to 50mm high. The size of the face from chin to crown can be up to a maximum of 36mm, with a minimum of 32mm.

Head coverings

If you usually cover your head for religious reasons, then you can wear the covering in your passport photo.

Religious head coverings have to be plain, without patterns (even small patterns), and be worn in a way that shows your face from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead.  The edges of your face on either side also have to be visible.

Jewellery and piercings

Jewellery can’t obscure any part of your face, especially the area around your eyes, mouth and nose. There can’t be any reflection from rings or studs.

Glasses

Glasses are not allowed in passport photos.

If you cannot remove your glasses for medical reasons, the frames can’t obscure your eyes and there can’t be any reflection from the lenses. Note: vision impairment alone is not an acceptable reason to wear glasses in a passport photo.

Hearing aids

If you usually wear hearing aids, you can wear them in your passport photo - this applies to adults, children, and infants.

Babies and infants

For infants (under three years of age), a photo with an open mouth is acceptable. The photo has to comply with all the other requirements. No other person or object can be visible in the photo.

Medical exemptions

If you can’t meet these photo guidelines because of a medical condition, you’ll need to show us a medical certificate or fill in a declaration formthat explains why.

For more information, see our Brochure - Camera operator guidelines (PDF 358 KB)