How to make a passport photo at home
- Take the photo. Stand about 1.5 m in front of a plain light wall, look straight into the camera with a neutral expression and your mouth closed. Use daylight from the front so there are no shadows on the face or the wall. Ask someone else to take it at eye level; selfies distort the face.
- Choose the document and drop the photo. The editor shows the exact photo shape with two guide lines: the top of the head and the chin.
- Align the head. Drag the photo and zoom until the top of the head (including hair) touches the upper line and the chin sits in the green band, centred on the vertical line. Or pick a background and press Auto-align.
- Download the single photo for online applications, or a print sheet with several photos for a photo lab.
Sizes by country
- EU, Schengen, Germany, Australia, Japan: 35 × 45 mm, head 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown.
- United Kingdom: 35 × 45 mm, head 29 to 34 mm, plain light grey or cream background.
- USA: 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm), head 1 to 1 3/8 inches (25 to 35 mm), white or off-white background. Online visa forms ask for 600 × 600 pixels or more.
- Canada: 50 × 70 mm, head 31 to 36 mm, white or light background.
- China visa: 33 × 48 mm, head 28 to 33 mm, white background.
Rules change from time to time and some offices have extra requirements, so always check the current rules on the official website of the issuing authority before you submit. Germany, for example, now requires photos for passports and ID cards to be sent digitally by a certified photographer or taken at the office, so a home photo is mainly useful for visas, other documents and countries that accept printed photos.
Printing the photos
The 10 × 15 cm sheet fits the standard photo print size of every drugstore and online photo service, which usually costs only a few cents. It holds 8 photos at 35 × 45 mm or 2 US photos, with thin grey cut lines. The A4 sheet is for your own printer. Print at 100 % without “fit to page” so the size stays exact; the files carry a 300 dpi tag.
Background
Most countries want a plain white or light background without shadows. Choose White or Light grey and the AI replaces the wall behind you. For this step a reduced copy of the photo is sent to our own server, processed in memory and never stored; aligning, cropping and printing all happen in your browser. If your online form has a file size limit, use the image compressor afterwards.
Frequently asked questions
Can I make a passport photo at home?
Yes, for many documents. Take a well-lit photo in front of a plain wall, align it here with the head guides and print the 10 by 15 cm sheet at a photo lab. Always check the current official rules for your document first.
What size is a US passport photo?
2 by 2 inches (51 by 51 mm) with the head 1 to 1 3/8 inches from chin to top of the hair, on a white or off-white background. Digital uploads need at least 600 by 600 pixels.
What size is a passport photo in Europe and the UK?
35 by 45 mm. The head should measure 32 to 36 mm in most EU countries and 29 to 34 mm in the UK, from the chin to the top of the head.
How do I get a white background?
Choose White or Light grey as the background. The AI cuts you out and puts you on a clean background, then you can press Auto-align to position the head automatically.
How do I print passport photos cheaply?
Download the 10 by 15 cm print sheet and order it as a normal photo print at a drugstore or online lab. You get up to 8 passport photos for the price of one print.
Is my photo stored?
No. Editing runs in your browser. Only when you change the background is a reduced copy processed on our server, in memory, and it is discarded immediately.