UK Baby Passport Photo

Child and baby passport photo requirements

If you wish to travel abroad, taking your baby or child with you, then you will need to make sure their passports are in order. Babies and children are required to have their own passports and passport photos, which are only valid for half the length of an adult passport, 5 (five) years. In addition, baby and child passport photos carry rules unique to them, which do not apply to adult passports. Read on to discover these differences, alongside our top tips for taking the perfect baby passport photo.

• Photos need to be printed on high-quality, plain photo paper.
• Parents must provide 2 (two) identical coloured pictures of their baby, should they wish to submit a paper application.
• Your baby passport photo must have been taken within the last month.
• One of the printed pictures must be countersigned, to confirm the baby’s identity. Parents need to provide good quality images, in focus, without any damage or creases.
• You must ensure that any baby or child passport photo you submit is not altered with any graphic software such as Canva or Photoshop. Using filters is not allowed.
• In the photo, the child must be alone, with no one else in the shot.
• The standard baby passport photo size is 35mm wide x 45mm high (printed photos).
• If you wish to make an online application, you must submit a digital copy of the photo. Digital photo requirements are as follows: the size is min. 600 x 750 pixels.
• You must make sure there are no toys, children's blankets or any other objects in the frame.
• You must make sure your child doesn’t have a pacifier in the picture.
• Children under 6 (six) don’t need to look directly at the camera, or keep their heads pointing straight ahead.
• When taking a newborn passport photo, for a baby under 1 (one)-year-old, they don’t have to keep their eyes open.
• You can support your baby's head with your hands, but you must make sure that your hands are out of the shot.
• The image must be taken against a bright plain background in light grey, cream or white colours. 
• You should ensure your baby is not wearing a head covering.
• The frame has to cover the entire head, neck and upper shoulders of your baby.
• The figure in the picture needs to be centred.
• Avoid taking a photo with “red-eye” effect, or the photo will not be accepted.

Digital baby passport photo guidelines

A digital infant passport photo for the UK must be included when parents are applying online for a British passport for their child. When using the online application form, there is no need to provide a printed version of the baby's pictures. When you apply online, only 1 (one) digital photo is required. If you are applying using a printed form, you will need to attach 2 (two) pictures. You can visit a photo shop to take a UK baby passport photo, or you can use a professional and user-friendly online software tool to take perfect pictures of your babies within a few seconds. The latter option also ensures that your baby is comfortable and relaxed, in familiar surroundings, for their photo. 

UK passport photos of babies must meet the requirements regarding their size, file format and the posing of your child. The photo file size needs to be at min 50 KB and max 10MB. If the baby's photo does not meet the required criteria, your application for a UK infant passport will be denied.

Digital infant passport photo - size

The digital baby passport photo UK size rules state that your photo should be a minimum of 600 x 750 pixels (width x height). However, 900 x 1200 px size is preferred to ensure pictures meet the resolution requirements.

Kids’ passport photo - quality of digital photos

Any baby passport photo must be in colour, well lit, and in focus. You must ensure that the image is not modified using any graphic design software. When taking a digital photo of your child for their UK passport, make sure there are no shadows on their face, shoulders, or in the background.

Printed baby and toddler passport photo

When applying for a British infant passport via traditional mail or passport check and send service, you must include 2 (two) printed identical pictures of your child. It is very important not to attach the pictures permanently to the application (i.e. with paper clip or staples). The images must be enclosed loosely with the application.

One of the pictures needs to include a countersignatory statement on the back. This statement should be of a person you have known for a minimum of 2 (two) years and who can verify your child's identity. This person must not be a family member or anyone else who is closely related to you.

Printed baby passport photo size

The correct baby passport photo size is 35 x 45 mm (width x height). Each image must be the same size. You should avoid cropping your photo from a larger image, as this is not permitted. Parents can also use our online software that reformats your photo to the correct size and prepares pictures for printing.

Printed baby passport photo rules

Your pictures must be printed on professional plain photographic paper with no border. Images have to be clear, in colour and in focus. Your baby’s photos must be recent, ideally having been taken within the last month. The photos must be reflective of your child's current appearance and have to be unmarked on both sides unless one of them needs to be countersigned. The baby’s passport photos cannot be improved by using any graphic software such as Canva, Photoshop, etc. 

Baby passport photo near me - is it possible?

Parents living in the UK have several options for taking a baby passport photo, such as at a photographer's, in a photo booth, or even by themselves at home using their smartphone. The main advantage of taking your photo with your smartphone is the flexibility it offers. Passport Photo Online works wherever you are, and is active 24/7, meaning you can fit it around your life easily. In addition, you can save 54% by using our service - now that’s a good deal by anyone’s standards.

Our service can guarantee that you’ll be satisfied with your photo. You can take as many attempts as you need to, completely free of charge, so you can get the best passport photo possible for your child. Our AI software can check your photo against the official specifications for baby passport photos, and our human inspectors can double-check for you, so you can submit your application with confidence! If your photo still needs changes, we’ll give you all the guidance you need to get it application-ready. Finally, in the unlikely event that your photo is rejected by the relevant government department, we pledge to refund you 200% of what you paid. 

How can you take a child passport photo using your phone?

In general, a baby passport photo has the same official requirements as adult passport photos do. However, the requirements for photos of children under 6 (six) are slightly different, particularly in the case of newborns and toddlers. The picture of your baby needs to be taken against a bright and uniform background, and the frame must contain a close-up of your child’s entire head, neck and upper shoulders. The baby’s face and body must be facing straight at the camera. The head must be kept straight and must not be tilted in any direction. Half-profile photos are not accepted. The baby must not smile in the picture and cannot tilt their head in any direction. Their mouth must be closed, and their eyes open. The face of the baby must be visible, particularly the eyes and eyebrows, so parents need to push their child’s hair out of their face. The child must avoid wearing a head covering in the photo, as well as sunglasses and tinted glasses. Infants are allowed to wear medically necessary glasses, provided they do not obscure the eyes, especially the pupils. You should also ensure that there is no glare from the lenses. 

How to take a toddler/newborn passport photo?

It is recommended to photograph very young children lying down. Parents need to place their newborn baby on an unfolded white sheet and photograph them from above with their phone. The ideal setup is taking the photo around 1.5m away, with clear focus. Children under 1 (one)-year-old will not need to keep their eyes open and won’t have to keep their heads straight. For newborn baby passport photos, the HM Passport Office allows their natural facial expressions and a tilt of the head to one side. Parents need to ensure they have appropriate lighting, making sure there are no shadows. Remember that you need to make sure that your baby is not holding any pacifiers or toys. The background must be clear and plain, and the image must not include any other objects in the back.

Taking passport photos of toddlers can be challenging. However, there are a few tricks to hold your baby’s attention and make them want to sit in front of the camera for a while. You are allowed to spread a white sheet over a high chair and use it to seat your baby. To keep your baby's head straight, put your hand under its clothes at the back and hold it for a moment at the level of the neck. Just ensure that your hand and fingers won’t be visible in the frame. 

Also, remember that children under 6 (six) do not need to look directly at the camera, or maintain a neutral expression. Moreover, it is permitted for the child to hold their parent's hands, provided they are not visible in the frame.

Home-made baby passport photo - tips

Here are some helpful tips for getting a perfect image: 

• Photograph your newborn baby lying down on a white sheet at a distance of min. 1.5 m from above.
• Position the high chair, covered with a white sheet at a distance of around 0.5m from the wall. Place the child in the chair, entertain them and take a photo from min. 1.5 m distance. 
• Ensure that your baby's face and body are facing straight ahead.
• Where possible, take the photo using natural light e.g. morning light, or artificial light via the use of lamps.
• If possible, take the picture in a room with natural light coming in through the windows on both sides. You can use a white curtain to help diffuse light and avoid shadows.
• Children under 1 (one) year old don’t need to keep their eyes open and don't have to keep their heads straight.
• Children under 6 (six) years old don’t need to look directly at the camera or keep their heads straight.
• Headcovers and tinted glasses are not allowed.
• Make sure there are no pacifiers, cuddly toys, toys, blankets and little bags in the photo.
• The frame must include the entire head, neck and upper shoulders of the baby.
• You should make sure there are no shadows on your child’s shoulders and face, or in the background.
• Parents should avoid dressing their babies in white or black clothing when taking passport photos.

Last update: 18/05/2022