Guides

Every one of these exists because somebody searched for it with a form open or a rejection letter in hand. They are written for that moment.

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Why you should not let software retouch your passport photo

They have just used a tool that replaced their background with white, and something they half-read has made them wonder whether that will get the application rejected.

What a passport photo actually costs

They are about to pay a counter price and want to know whether it is the going rate or whether they are being had.

Printing passport photos on a 4 × 6 sheet

They have a photo and want six of them on paper without paying counter prices, and every guide they have found skips the step where the print comes out the wrong size.

Why passport photos get rejected

Their application came back, or they are about to send one and want to know what they are risking.

Passport photo sizes, and why the head height matters more

They have been given a size in millimetres or inches and want to know what it means for the photo they are about to take.

Can you smile in a passport photo?

They are about to take the photo, phone in hand, and cannot remember whether smiling is allowed.

Wearing glasses in a passport photo

They wear glasses every day and do not know whether to take them off, or whether a photo with them will be thrown out.

How to take a passport photo with your phone

They are holding a phone in a room and want a photo that will not be rejected, without a studio.

Passport photos for babies and newborns

They are trying to photograph a baby who will not sit up, look at the camera, or keep their eyes open, and they need to know which of those actually matters.

What colour should a passport photo background be?

They are looking for a wall to stand against and have assumed, as almost everyone does, that white is always right.

Passport photo pixels, DPI and print size

A portal has asked for pixel dimensions, or a print came out the wrong size, and the relationship between the two is not obvious.

Passport photo head size, explained

Their photo was rejected for framing, or they are trying to work out how far to stand from the camera.

Where does your photo actually go?

They are about to upload a photo of their own face to a site they have never heard of and have a moment of doubt.

Head coverings in passport photos

They wear a hijab, turban or medical covering daily and want to know whether their photo will pass, and what they must not cover.

Lighting a passport photo without shadows

Their photo has a shadow they cannot get rid of, or a checker has flagged uneven lighting and they do not know what to change.

Passport photo or visa photo?

They have a passport photo already and want to know whether it can be reused for a visa application.

Photos for an online passport renewal

They are mid-way through an online renewal and the photo step has rejected their file without explaining why.

Getting passport photos at a drugstore

They are deciding whether to drive to a counter, and want to know what they are paying for.

Taking a passport photo at home

They want the whole job done today without going anywhere, and need to know each step in order.

India passport photo size

They have been told two different sizes by two different sites and need to know which applies to the form in front of them.

Australia passport photo requirements

They are filling in an Australian application and need the size plus the endorsement rule nobody explains.

Green card and USCIS photo requirements

They are assembling a USCIS filing and want to be sure the photo will not be the thing that delays it.

Getting a passport photo under a file size limit

An upload form has rejected their file for being too large or too small and they are guessing at what to change.

What to wear for a passport photo

They are about to get changed for the photo and want to avoid the choice that gets it sent back.

The same thing, on your phone

Passport Photo: Photo Maker ID does this on iOS with the phone's own camera and an on-device background tool. It is free to download and the first export is free; after that it asks for Pro. This website has no limit.