Requirements hub
Passport photo requirements by country
Passport photo requirements go far beyond width × height. Governments specify head size as a percentage of the frame, eye position from the bottom, background colour, and whether you may smile or wear glasses. PicsForm stores these rules per document so you pick your country once and get a rule-checked file.
Example compliant crops
AI-generated illustrative portraits — not real applicants.
What every authority checks
- Print and pixel dimensions (e.g. 51×51 mm / 600×600 px or 35×45 mm / 413×531 px)
- Head height band — chin to crown as % of frame height
- Eye line — distance from bottom of photo to eye level
- Plain background colour (white or light grey)
- Neutral expression, both eyes open, no glasses (in most markets)
- Digital file size and format when uploading online
Major formats in our catalog
United States uses a 2×2 inch square (51×51 mm, 600×600 px @ 300 DPI) with white background and head height 50–69% of the frame. UK, Schengen, India, Australia, and most of Europe use 35×45 mm portrait photos — background and head bands differ by country. Canada passport uses 50×70 mm; Brazil and Spain use 30×40 mm.
How PicsForm applies requirements
Select your document from the requirements catalog. Upload a portrait; our pipeline scores background, crop, head height, and eye line against that document’s published bands. Hard failures block checkout until fixed.
Official specifications
- US Passport (51×51 mm) →
- US Visa / DS-160 (51×51 mm) →
- UK Passport (35×45 mm) →
- Schengen Visa (35×45 mm) →
- Indian Passport (35×45 mm) →
- Canadian Passport (50×70 mm) →
- Australian Passport (35×45 mm) →
- German Passport / Biometric (35×45 mm) →
- French Passport / ID (35×45 mm) →
- Japanese Passport (35×45 mm) →
- Chinese Visa (33×48 mm) →
- UAE Visa / Emirates ID (35×45 mm) →
Official sources
Frequently asked questions
- Are passport photo requirements the same worldwide?
- No. The US square 2×2 format differs from the ICAO-style 35×45 mm used across Europe and much of Asia. Always match the document you are applying for.
- What is head height in a passport photo?
- It is the vertical size of your head (chin to crown) as a percentage of the total photo height. US passport requires roughly 50–69%; many 35×45 mm documents require a larger head fraction.
- Do I need a professional photographer?
- Not for digital applications. A clear phone photo against a plain wall plus PicsForm compliance checks is enough for most online portals.
- Where do PicsForm specs come from?
- Each document links to an official government source. We track millimetres, pixels, and appearance rules from those published pages.
Related guides
PicsForm matches published requirements; always confirm current rules on the official portal.