UK Child Passport Photo

The size and background are the same as for an adult: 45mm high by 35mm wide, head 29mm to 34mm from chin to crown, plain light background, child on their own with no toys or dummies. The rules for expression and eyes change at two ages. Under 1, the eyes need not be open. Under 6, a child need not look at the camera or hold a plain expression. From 6, the full adult standard applies. Our age-by-age guide has the detail.

Under 6, yes. GOV.UK says children under 6 do not have to look directly at the camera or have a plain expression, but their eyes must be open. From 6, a plain expression with the mouth closed is required.

Not fully. Our automated check measures the photo against the standard adult rules, so it may flag an open mouth, a gaze to one side or closed eyes that HM Passport Office accepts for a young child. If that happens, check the rules for your child's age before you retake the photo. If you'd like a person to look at it, the optional expert review at checkout does that.

Lay them on their back on a plain, light sheet and shoot from directly above, with no shadow across the face. Nobody else can be in the picture, so a supporting hand or arm must be out of shot, and there must be no toys or dummies. Our baby passport photo guide walks through it.

Yes. Upload any recent phone photo and we crop it to the passport size, size the head within the allowed range and replace the background with a plain light one. You see the finished photo before you pay.

It must have been taken within the last month when you apply. A child changes quickly, so don't reuse an old photo, even from last year's application. For the full renewal steps, see renewing a child's passport.

Yes. If you're applying by post you need printed photos. We print them on photo paper and post them from the UK, in packs of 2, 4 or 6. Choose them on the child passport photo prints page.

A rejected photo delays the application rather than cancelling it. Send us the rejection notice and we'll help, and our acceptance guarantee applies to photos bought from us. The most common child rejections are another person's hand in the frame, a toy in shot and shadows.