Passport and visa photo checklist: before you apply

Choose your document

Select the country that issues the document and the document type: you will see the requirements we have checked, the official source and the date we read it.

Before you prepare the photo

I know the exact document.Passports, visas and ID cards can have different requirements. For a passport, what matters is the country that issues it, not where you are travelling.
I know which office will receive the application.Passport office, town hall, consulate or visa centre: I open that office’s instructions. Different offices of the same country can ask for different things.
I know how the photo must be submitted.Printed photo, digital file or photo taken at the counter: they are not interchangeable.
I know who may take the photo.If the procedure requires a professional photographer, an approved booth or capture at the office, I follow that route instead of preparing the photo myself.
I have checked the size, background and how recent the photo must be.I do not assume that cropping an old photo is enough.
I have checked the other rules.Framing, expression, glasses, head coverings and rules for children depend on the document.
For prints, I know how many copies are needed and what goes on the back.Some procedures ask for two identical copies or the studio’s details on the back.
For a file, I know the format, pixel size and file size.A technical file check does not tell you whether the photo will be accepted.

The boxes are just for you: nothing is saved or sent.

Examples from official sources: same size, different rules

The examples below stay as reference cases: they show why each document is worth checking. Sizes are width × height. Each row applies only to the document and procedure named: it is not a general rule for that country and it is not the list of countries PhotoSpec supports. Always open the source for the full instructions.

Document and procedure	Format	Background	Photo taken	Also check	Source
Italian passport — application in Italy (Questura or Commissariato)	35 × 45 mm	white	in the last 6 months	One photo printed on high-quality paper.	Polizia di Stato — Il rilascio del passaportoSource read on September 23, 2026PhotoSpec page
Italian passport — Italian Consulate in Dortmund	35 × 40 mm	white	in the last 6 months	Printed photo; QR codes are not accepted. The consulate has a camera, but for children up to 10 a printed photo is always required.	Consolato d’Italia a Dortmund — Il passaportoSource read on September 23, 2026
Italian electronic ID card (CIE) — application at the town hall	Width 35 mm; height at least 45 mm	plain; preferably light blue, beige, light brown, light grey or white	in the last 6 months	The town hall scans the printed photo with a dedicated device.	Ministero dell’Interno — CIE, modalità di acquisizione delle fotoSource read on September 23, 2026PhotoSpec page
UK passport — paper application	35 × 45 mm	cream or light grey	in the last month	Two identical prints, printed to a professional standard.	GOV.UK — Photos for passports: photo requirementsSource read on September 23, 2026PhotoSpec page
UK passport — online application	digital file, at least 600 × 750 pixels, 50 KB – 10 MB	plain, light-coloured	in the last month	The photo can come from a booth or shop, or be taken with your own device during the application.	GOV.UK — Photos for passports: rules for digital photosSource read on September 23, 2026PhotoSpec page
French passport and ID card	35 × 45 mm	plain and light, for example light blue or light grey; white is not allowed	in the last 6 months	It must be taken by an authorised professional or in a booth using a system approved by the French Ministry of the Interior.	Service-Public.gouv.fr — F10619Source read on September 23, 2026PhotoSpec page
US visa — digital photo for the online application	digital file, 600 × 600 to 1200 × 1200 pixels, up to 240 KB, JPEG	white or off-white	in the last 6 months	A file with the right pixels and size is not enough: the rules on the person and the photo also apply.	U.S. Department of State — Digital image requirements U.S. Department of State — Photo requirementsSource read on September 23, 2026PhotoSpec page
Canadian passport — in person or by mail	50 × 70 mm	white or plain, light-coloured	in the last 6 months	Two identical photos taken in person by a commercial photographer or studio, with the date and the studio’s address on the back of one. Photos printed at home are not accepted. Online renewal has separate digital instructions.	Canada.ca — Passport photosSource read on September 23, 2026PhotoSpec page

Same size does not mean the same photo

3 rows give the same fixed size, 35 × 45 mm, but the background, how recent the photo must be, the number of copies and who may take it all differ. Even the Italian passport changes size depending on the office: compare the first two rows.

Sheet to take to the photographer or agency

Print or copy it, and fill it in after reading the official instructions.

Document required
Country issuing the document
Office or submission procedure
Official page consulted
Date consulted
Print, digital file or photo taken at the counter
Who may take the photo
Required size and background
Number of copies and what goes on the back
How recent the photo must be, and other requirements
File format, pixels and size, if required

Find your document

The checklist applies to any country. For your document’s measurements, find the country in the list: each page shows the official source we read and the date we read it.

Find the country and document

Want to know whether you can take the photo yourself? See also where a photo you take yourself is accepted.

Free tools

Photo file checker
If your procedure needs a file, compare its format, pixel size and file size with the published requirements. It does not assess the face, the background or whether the photo will be accepted.
Print sheet
If your procedure allows you to print your own photo, it lays out a finished photo on a 4×6, Letter or A4 sheet at real size. Print at 100% with no fit-to-page. If a professional print or photo is required, follow that instruction.

Practical questions

Can I use my passport photo for a visa too?: Only after comparing the instructions for both documents, including how recent the photo must be, the background and how it is submitted. Calling both “ID photos” does not settle it.
Is it enough for the file to have the right dimensions?: No. File dimensions are only part of the check: the procedure may have rules about the person, the photo itself and who takes it.
Two official pages give different sizes — which one applies?: Check that they refer to the same document and the same office. If in doubt, ask the office that will receive your application before preparing the photo.
Can I give this checklist to my clients?: Yes: share the link or print the sheet to fill in together. Ask clients to open the official sources and check for updates before applying.

Sources and limits

Sources read on September 23, 2026. The dates show when we read the pages, not when the rules came into force, and do not guarantee that they remain valid.

The examples cover only the documents, offices and procedures named. They are not statistics and do not show which photos are rejected most often.

Page maintained by PhotoSpec. It is an independent summary: it is not official guidance and does not replace the current instructions of the competent authority, which decides whether to accept the photo.

Who maintains this page

This checklist is for anyone preparing a photo for a passport, visa or ID card — including another country’s — and for travel agencies, visa agencies and editors who want to give their clients a reminder to check before the photo is taken.

PhotoSpec collects the photo requirements published by the authorities of 37 countries, with the source of each value, and offers an app that guides you through taking the photo when the procedure allows a photo you prepare yourself. You do not need to install anything to use this checklist.

See the app