Exempt Vignette Photo

Exempt Vignette Photo Guidelines

If you are a foreign national who wants to enter the UK for job-related activities, you have to obtain an Exempt Vignette. It is an alternative (exempt from immigration control) from an ordinary visa to work in the UK. Part of the process of applying for the exempt vignette requires submitting one photo in a British passport style. 

In this article, you find out about the UK exempt vignette photo requirements such as photo size, face expression, head position, quality and lighting, clothing… and more! 

Exempt Vignette photo specifications

The photograph for the Exempt Vignette application has to meet British passport photo criteria. This means that the photo size and dimensions as well as posture, clothing, head position, facial expression, quality, etc. are the same as for UK passport photos. 

Exempt vignette photo size

The exempt vignette photo size is like the UK passport photo size which means 35x45 mm. It is important that it will be of good quality and sharp. In pixels, the measurements are 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels high or 900 pixels wide and 1200 pixels high for applications. The file size should be at least 50 KB and no more than 10 MB.

Background 

The background for an exempt vignette should look the same as in a digital passport photo so taken against a plain light colour. The person in the picture must be in clear contrast to the background. The light background of the photo also highlights individual facial features, which is important when taking biometric photos. Make sure there are no shadows, other objects or patterns in the background as well as on the candidate's face. 

Posture

The positioning of the face and head, most important, in the photo for an exempt vignette should be straight. The applicant has to stand straight in front of the camera and look directly into the lens. Photos in the type of half-profile are not accepted and will result in application rejection.

Eyes

Your eyes have to be open and visible in the picture for the exempt vignette. Make sure that there’s no ‘red eye’ effect in the photo and that nothing covers your eyes, such as hairs or shadows. 

Glasses

Sunglasses or tinted glasses are forbidden. You can wear only prescription glasses and other medical glasses as long as they do not have thick frames and do not cover your eyes or reflect light or cause glares. It is important that your eyes with glasses or not are fully visible.

Facial expression

You should not show your teeth, or smile in the picture for UK travel documents. Keep your facial expressions neutral. Remember that the mouth must be closed and the head cannot be titled on any side, must be kept straight.

Hair & Head Coverings

The most important thing regarding hairs or headwears is that they cannot cover your face! The hair can be tense or loose but if they do, consider brushing them backwards. Concerning head covers such as hats, headbands, caps, is better to take them off as they are not allowed. Only religious head coverings are an exception but again, they cannot cover your face. To keep the headwear you have to provide a certificate from your religious community. 

How to take an Exempt Vignette photo at home?

Have you considered taking a picture of yourself to use as a travel document? It's fine! You'll see how straightforward it is now. We've put together a few tips on how to take an exempt vignette photo at home to help you understand the fast and cost-effective process:

• Make sure the location you choose for photos has plenty of light and a clear backdrop.
• If it comes to clothes, avoid wearing something that will merge with the background, such as light colours. You can wear anything you want as long as it isn't too eccentric. Uniforms are not permitted.
• When your outfit is ready, you can begin taking photos by paying attention to the context, stance, facial expression, eyes, and quality, among other things.
• Using a Passport Photo Online site or the photo editor app on your phone to upload your ready photo.
• With a 100% guarantee of approval, the photo tool will check whether your photo for the Exempt Vignette meets the official British requirements.

Exempt Vignette Photo Maker

The passport size photograph is one of the required documents for an exempt vignette. To take the right photo, you have to know the important British photo requirements and to make it even easier, use our UK photo online tool which will measure your photo, edit it and check if it meets the official British criteria. 

How to obtain the right Exempt Vignette photograph? Use our website Passport Photo Online or download our Photo Mobile App on your phone. Take a photo – you can use a digital camera, tablet or phone (webcam or taking selfies are not allowed!) and put a tripod approximately 3 to 4 metres from the place you stand or ask a friend to take a photo of you.

Then, upload the ready picture to our app or website after choosing the type of document you are applying for (e.g. British passport as the photo for exempt vignette has the same requirements). The tool will crop the picture and replace the background of the photo. In the end, the tool will verify if the photo complies with the official requirements. If it is ready then it will be sent to you via email. If you want a 100 % correct photograph, use our online photo generator!

Common mistakes and what to avoid on photos for Exempt Vignette

Are you wondering what not to do while photographing for the exempt vignette? The most important thing you should know is that the exempt vignette has the same requirements as a British passport. may cause some stress during the application process. But you don't want to sabotage your work, do you? 

Read what you can NOT do and you will avoid making the same mistakes:

• Eyes must be squarely at the camera while looking sideways.
• Glasses covering eyes – you cannot wear sunglasses, tinted, thick or any other glasses which cover your eyes.
• Smiling – you can't smile or expose your teeth in pictures in your papers.
• Covering your head – only religious reasons are permitted, but caps, scarves, and other headwear that cover your hairline are prohibited.
• Exaggerated makeup that hides your natural appearance – many women want to look their best in pictures, but you must keep your makeup to a minimum if you want to get the right shot, particularly if biometric photos are needed.
• Wearing clothes that are the same colour as the background of the picture. Make sure you stand out in terms of colour from the background and that there are no patterns or shadows on you or in the background.

Last update: 24/05/2022