United Kingdom passport photo size in pixels
For a digital United Kingdom passport or visa photo, the size is 413 × 531 px at 300 DPI. The pixel size comes straight from the physical dimensions — divide millimeters by 25.4 and multiply by 300 — so 35 × 45 mm becomes 413 × 531 px. Some portals also accept 200 DPI, but 300 DPI is sharper and universally accepted.
For the digital passport application you upload a photo at least 600 × 750 px; for printed photos the size is 35 × 45 mm.
UK passport photos use the international 35 × 45 mm rectangle (about 413 × 531 px at 300 DPI). Online applications usually want a digital file of at least 600 × 750 pixels; printed photos for paper applications stay at 35 × 45 mm.
GOV.UK expects a plain light grey or cream background — pure white can fail automated checks. The face should be clear, with no sunglasses, and the photo should not be more than a month old for a new passport.
If you are applying from outside the UK, local visa centers may still follow the same 35 × 45 mm ICAO-style standard used across much of Europe.
How to make a compliant United Kingdom photo
You don't need a photo studio. Take a well-lit portrait against a plain light grey or cream background, then crop it to the exact size:
- Open the ID photo size tool — it runs in your browser, so your photo is never uploaded.
- Enter 413 × 531 px (or pick a preset) and drag to fit your head inside the frame.
- Export a ready-to-upload file. HEIC, JPG, and PNG all work as the input.
Before you submit
Dimensions are only part of the requirement. Always confirm the current rules — background color, head height, expression and glasses, and the maximum file size — on the official application before you submit. The size above gets the crop right; the rest is up to your document's guidelines.
Official source: GOV.UK