Passport Photos With a Medical Condition or Disability

Can you get a passport if you cannot meet the photo rules?

Yes. The photo rules are strict, but they are not applied without judgement. GOV.UK says "You can get help with your passport photos if you're disabled," and HM Passport Office's own examiner guidance lists standards that an examiner "may waive" when a customer has a physical or mental disability or medical condition.

That is the important thing to know before anything else. If you cannot look straight at the camera, hold a neutral expression or keep your mouth closed, you do not need to give up or fake it. You need to submit the best true likeness you can, and explain why it is not perfect.

This guide covers what may be waived, what is not accepted, how to explain your situation, and where to get help. It is written for people whose photo problem is real, and for the relatives and carers who help them.

What the examiner guidance says can be waived

HM Passport Office's photo standards say that for customers with physical or mental disabilities or medical conditions, examiners "may waive some or all" of these standards:

• eyes looking at the camera
• eyes in the correct position
• mouth closed
• neutral expression
• full face toward the camera
• background

Notice how much that list covers. Most of the photo rules that people worry about, which are expression, gaze, mouth and head position, can be relaxed where a condition makes them impossible.

Note the wording: "may." This is not a guarantee, and the decision is the examiner's. That is why the explanation covered below matters.

Specific situations

Visual impairment and eyes

The guidance says: "If a visually impaired or blind person has their eyes shut, HM Passport Office may accept the photo." Permanent eye patches are also accepted.

It also says that tinted glasses must be removed. That is a separate point from the general rule that glasses are permitted only when you need them and must not have glare or frames covering your eyes. The full glasses guidance is in can you wear glasses in a UK passport photo.

Head coverings for medical reasons

GOV.UK says you cannot have a head covering "unless it's for religious or medical reasons." A covering worn for a medical reason, for example after treatment, is allowed provided your face is clearly visible from the bottom of your chin to the top of your forehead. See head coverings in a UK passport photo for how that works.

Being unable to hold a neutral expression

The rule is a plain expression and a closed mouth. If a condition, such as facial paralysis or a breathing difficulty, stops you doing that, the examiner may waive the expression standard. The wider context, including what examiners do accept, is in why smiling gets your passport photo rejected.

Babies and young children

Younger children have their own relaxations, which apply whether or not there is a condition. GOV.UK says:

• "Children under one do not have to have their eyes open."
• "Children under 6 do not have to be looking directly at the camera or have a plain expression."
• You can support a baby's head with your hand, "but your hand must not be visible in the photo."

For the full rules, read UK baby passport photo rules and child passport photo rules by age.

What is not accepted

Being realistic helps. The examiner guidance is explicit about one thing that catches people: temporary injuries. It says examiners "must not accept photos of the customer with temporary injuries (for example, black eyes)."

The reason is that a passport lasts a long time, and a photo taken with a temporary injury will not look like you for most of that period. If your problem is temporary, wait until it has healed if you can, and tell HM Passport Office if you cannot.

The same goes for problems that can be fixed, rather than conditions that cannot. Red eye, shadows and blur are technical faults with the photo, not medical ones, and examiners reject them. A medical condition explains a face; it does not explain a badly lit photo.

How to explain your situation

This is the part most applicants skip, and it is the part that matters most. HM Passport Office's guidance for disabled applicants says that if you cannot meet the photo rules you should:

• submit your photo with an explanation. Online, put it in the "additional information box." On a paper form, use section 8.
• include a letter. It can come from "a doctor or consultant, a carer, a parent," or you can write one yourself.
• say whether the condition is temporary or permanent.

After you submit online, you receive an email telling you which passport office to send your letter to and what supporting documents to include with it.

A short, clear explanation is better than a long one. State the condition, say which photo rule it affects, and say whether it is permanent. For example: "I have a permanent condition that means I cannot keep my mouth closed. This is my best likeness." An examiner reads hundreds of these, and a plain sentence gets treated more helpfully than a paragraph of medical history.

Getting help with the photo itself

GOV.UK says "You can get help with your passport photos if you're disabled," and points to the Passport Adviceline for further support. Help from the Passport Adviceline includes:

• booking an appointment at a Customer Service Centre, with staff support
• guidance booklets in alternative formats: braille, audio tape and large print
• help applying by phone for blind or partially sighted applicants
• arranging braille stickers for passports

Passport Customer Service Centres offer wheelchair access, induction loops for people who are deaf, and staff trained in sign language.

For the photo itself, the digital application asks for "someone to help you take a photo during your application," which is worth remembering if you are taking it at home. A helper who can hold the camera at eye level, check the background and press the shutter at the right moment is often the difference between a usable photo and a rejected one. Practical tips on taking the photo are in passport photo lighting guide.

Practical tips for taking the photo

Take more than one. Especially where you cannot control your expression, several attempts give you a choice. Choose the one that looks most like you.

Do not edit it. GOV.UK asks for a photo "unaltered by computer software." An altered photo will be rejected even where the original would have been accepted.

Keep the background plain and light, and put some distance between you and the wall to avoid shadows.

Do it at a good moment. If your condition varies through the day, choose the time when you are most comfortable.

Use the explanation box. Do not rely on the examiner guessing.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a passport if I cannot look at the camera?

Yes. The examiner guidance says examiners may waive "eyes looking at the camera" and related standards for customers with a disability or medical condition. Explain it on the application.

What if I am blind or partially sighted?

The guidance says that if a visually impaired or blind person has their eyes shut, HM Passport Office may accept the photo, and permanent eye patches are accepted. Tinted glasses must be removed.

Do I need a doctor's letter?

GOV.UK says the letter can come from a doctor or consultant, a carer or a parent, or you can write one yourself. Say whether the condition is temporary or permanent.

Where do I explain the problem on the application?

In the "additional information box" if you apply online, or in section 8 of the paper form.

Will a temporary injury be accepted?

No. Examiners "must not accept photos of the customer with temporary injuries (for example, black eyes)."

Who can help me with my passport photo?

The Passport Adviceline. GOV.UK says you can get help with your passport photos if you are disabled.

Sources

• HM Passport Office, Photo standards (accessible)
• GOV.UK, Get a passport photo
• GOV.UK, Get help with a passport if you are disabled
• GOV.UK, Photo requirements for babies and children