UK Passport Photo Size: 35 × 45 mm = 413 × 531 Pixels
Published July 2026 · 4 min read · ID Photos
The answer first: UK passport photos are 35 mm wide × 45 mm tall (3.5 × 4.5 cm) — at 300 DPI that is 413 × 531 pixels. Digital applications accept a JPEG between 50 KB and 10 MB. The same 35 × 45 mm format is used across the EU and Schengen area, so one correctly-sized photo covers the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and most of Europe.
| Parameter | UK requirement | EU / Schengen |
|---|---|---|
| Physical size | 35 × 45 mm | 35 × 45 mm |
| Pixels at 300 DPI | 413 × 531 px | 413 × 531 px (min 400 × 514) |
| Digital file | JPEG · 50 KB – 10 MB | Varies by country; JPEG standard |
| Face height | 70–80% of frame (29–34 mm) | 70–80% (ICAO 9303 biometric) |
| Background | Plain cream or white | White or light grey, uniform |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed | Neutral (biometric requirement) |
| Glasses | Not allowed | Not allowed |
UK passport photo measurements in every unit
People ask for this in millimetres, centimetres, inches and pixels depending on what they are about to do with it, so here is all four. The official figure is the millimetre one — everything else is derived from it.
| Measurement | Millimetres | Centimetres | Inches | Pixels at 300 DPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Photo size | 35 × 45 mm | 3.5 × 4.5 cm | 1.38 × 1.77 in | 413 × 531 px |
| Head height (chin to crown) | 29–34 mm | 2.9–3.4 cm | 1.14–1.34 in | 343–402 px |
| Minimum accepted (digital) | — | — | — | 600 × 750 px |
| Photo size at 600 DPI | 35 × 45 mm | 3.5 × 4.5 cm | 1.38 × 1.77 in | 827 × 1063 px |
The inch figures are awkward numbers because the UK standard was never designed around inches — 35 × 45 mm simply does not divide neatly. If a US-made printing service asks you for inches, give it 1.38 × 1.77 and let it round, or better, give it the pixel dimensions instead. Pixels are unambiguous.
You can check any of this yourself with the DPI to pixels calculator — put in 35 × 45 mm at 300 DPI and it returns 413 × 531.
Printed photos and digital photos are judged differently
This catches people out. There are two separate UK passport routes and they have different rules.
If you are posting a printed photo, the 35 × 45 mm physical size is the thing that matters. Print it at 300 DPI so it comes out the right size on paper, and do not trim it yourself — print two on standard photo paper and cut carefully, or the aspect ratio drifts.
If you are applying online, physical size is irrelevant. What matters is the pixel count and file size: at least 600 × 750 px, and a JPEG between 50 KB and 10 MB. Note that this digital minimum is larger than the 413 × 531 px you would get from a straight 300 DPI conversion. That is deliberate — the automated face-recognition check wants more pixels to work with than a print needs.
So for an online application, do not shrink your photo down to 413 × 531. Upload something closer to 900 × 1157 px, keep the 35:45 ratio, and you satisfy both the ratio and the resolution floor.
Make a compliant 35×45 photo in your browser
The free Passport Photo tool outputs the UK/EU standard directly: upload any photo, position your face within the 70–80% guides, download a 413 × 531 px JPEG at 300 DPI. It runs entirely in your browser, so an ID photo containing your biometric face data is never uploaded anywhere. Under the 50 KB digital minimum? That only happens with tiny source images — use the Upscale tool first, then re-crop.
Get an exact 413×531 px UK passport photo
Pick the UK preset and the tool outputs 35×45 mm at 300 DPI — the exact pixel size above. It crops and resizes only, never retouches, which is what the rules require. Your photo stays in your browser.
What the UK automated checker rejects
The gov.uk online service runs an automated check before a human sees your photo. The usual failures: shadows on the background (shoot in diffuse daylight facing a window, never with flash against the wall), face too small or too large (the 70–80% rule), head tilted, and cream backgrounds photographed as grey under poor light. A plain white wall in indirect daylight passes most reliably.
Country quirks within the 35×45 standard
Germany requires eyes symmetrically positioned and applies the biometric template strictly. France requires the photo be under 6 months old and prints a specific background shade reference. Ireland's online service accepts 35 × 45 mm scans between 715 × 951 px and 2096 × 2800 px. When in doubt, the physical 35 × 45 mm format at 300 DPI satisfies the paper application in every EU member state.
Applying elsewhere? See the US 2×2 inch guide, the India 51×51 mm guide, or the all-countries reference.
Babies and young children
The size is identical — 35 × 45 mm, same head-height proportions. What changes is which rules get relaxed.
- Children under 6 do not have to look directly at the camera or hold a neutral expression.
- Children under 1 do not need their eyes open, and may have their head supported — though nobody else’s hands or face can appear in the shot.
- The plain background rule does not bend. Laying the baby on a plain cream or white sheet, photographed from directly above, is the standard trick and it works well.
- No toys, no dummies, no car seat visible.
The head-height proportion is where baby photos usually fail. A baby’s head is proportionally larger but photographers instinctively frame wide, leaving the face too small in frame. Crop tighter than feels natural.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the UK passport photo size in pixels?
413 × 531 pixels — that is 35 × 45 mm at 300 DPI. For the digital UK application the JPEG must be between 50 KB and 10 MB. The same 35 × 45 mm size applies to EU and Schengen passports.
What is the UK passport photo size in cm?
3.5 × 4.5 cm (35 × 45 mm) — width by height. The face from chin to crown must occupy 70–80% of the frame height, roughly 29–34 mm.
Is the EU passport photo the same size as the UK?
Yes — 35 × 45 mm is the ICAO-derived standard used by the UK and nearly all EU/Schengen countries including Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Netherlands and Poland. Some countries add extra rules, like Germany's eye-position symmetry requirement.
How do I make a 35x45 mm photo at home for free?
Use the free Passport Photo tool: select the UK/EU standard, upload a photo taken against a plain light background, position your face inside the guides, and download a 413 × 531 px JPEG at 300 DPI. Nothing is uploaded — it runs in your browser.
What size are passport photos in the UK?
35 mm wide by 45 mm tall — the same size used across the EU and Schengen area. In other units that is 3.5 x 4.5 cm, 1.38 x 1.77 inches, or 413 x 531 pixels at 300 DPI.
What is the UK passport photo size in inches?
1.38 x 1.77 inches. It is an untidy number because the British standard is defined in millimetres as 35 x 45 mm, and that does not convert cleanly. If a print service needs a precise value, give it the pixel dimensions instead — 413 x 531 px at 300 DPI.
What are the UK passport photo measurements for the face?
The head must measure 29 to 34 mm from chin to crown, which is 70 to 80 percent of the 45 mm frame height. At 300 DPI that is 343 to 402 pixels. Too small is the single most common reason the gov.uk automated checker rejects a photo.
Is a British passport photo the same size as an EU one?
Yes. Both use 35 x 45 mm, derived from the ICAO 9303 biometric standard, so one correctly sized photo works for the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and most of Europe. Individual countries occasionally add extra rules on top, but the dimensions do not change.