So, your passport has its 10 years of globetrotting – or gone missing prematurely – and now it’s time to get a brand-new travel document. The UK passport is one of the strongest passports in the world , and applications are poured over meticulously by those tasked with issuing them. The rules are similar, if not the same, whether you’re ordering a regular passport or a fast-track passport and submitting a physical or digital application.
However, before settling down in front of the paperwork or computer, it’s essential to have a passport photo to hand that meets all the requirements. If you’re travelling soon, ensure you’ve checked how long it takes to get a passport and if your current passport expiry date would allow you to travel in case there’s any chance a new application is rejected. Passport photo requirements vary slightly depending on whether you’re submitting a digital or printed photograph, in that physical copies must fit precise dimensions.
However, picture quality rules are the same for both types. Photographs must be clear, in focus, and in colour, and unaltered by computer software such as Photoshop or in-app filters. Photos can feature no other objects or people or have ‘red eye’ and must be taken against a plain light-coloured background, preferably white or light grey.
Digital pictures must be at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall and have a file size between 50KB and 10MB. Printed photographs must measure 45 millimetres high b.