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 by 35 millimetres wide; this is the standard size printed by UK photobooths. They cannot be cut-down versions of larger images.
Regarding appearance, passport photo requirements are particular and following them will ensure your passport application is valid. As outlined on gov.uk , in passport photos, digital or printed, you must: If you must wear glasses in your passport photo, they cannot be sunglasses or tinted glasses, and your eyes must not be covered by the frames or any glare, shadow or reflection.
Children under six do not have to look directly at the camera or have a plain expression, but they must appear unaccompanied in the passport photo. There must be no visible toys or dummies in them. Children under the age of one do not have to have their eyes open.
You can support their head with your hand, but your hand must not be visible. To ensure your passport photo is accepted, it is best to wear light, neutral colours that complement the white or light-coloured background. You can take printed and digital passport photographs in supermarkets, stationery stores and shopping centres across the UK.
Photo-me.uk is a handy tool that allows you to search by postcode and shows all the photobooths closest to you. It’s no secret that our passport picture is often our most detested photo.
However, there are ways to soften the blow of the picture you’ll be handing over to Border Force for the next ten years. According to beauty experts , some of the biggest factors include lighting and mastering the art of “smizing” – no smiling, remember! If you’re applying makeup before taking your passport photo, skip the suncream and use products such as setting powder and primer – that flash is rarely your friend..
