Passport Photo Size & Dimensions Guide (All Countries)

One Wrong Millimeter and Your Application Gets Bounced

Passport photo dimensions vary by country, and the margins for error are razor-thin. A photo that's 51mm wide instead of 50mm, a head that measures 36mm instead of the required 35mm maximum, a file that's 239KB instead of the 240KB minimum — any of these will get your application returned with a form letter and a multi-week delay.

I've compiled the exact specifications for 50+ countries from official government sources. These numbers were verified in early 2026 and reflect the most recent updates, including several countries that changed their digital submission requirements in 2025. Bookmark this page — it's the reference I wish I'd had the last four times I dealt with international visa applications.

If you need to resize an existing photo to match specific dimensions, the image resizer tool handles exact pixel and physical dimension targeting without quality loss.

Major Countries: Complete Specifications

United States

Specification	Requirement
Print size	2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm)
Digital pixels	600 x 600 to 1200 x 1200
Head height (chin to crown)	1" to 1-3/8" (25-35 mm)
Eye height from bottom	1-1/8" to 1-3/8" (28-35 mm)
Background	White or off-white
File format	JPEG
File size	240 KB to 10 MB
Color depth	24-bit color
Aspect ratio	Square (1:1)

The US is unique in requiring a square photo. Most other countries use a rectangular format. Source: U.S. Department of State.

United Kingdom

Specification	Requirement
Print size	35 x 45 mm
Digital pixels	600 x 750 minimum
Head height	29-34 mm
Background	Plain light grey or cream
File format	JPEG
File size	50 KB to 10 MB

Key distinction: the UK requires light grey or cream, not white. A pure white background can cause rejection. The UK Government provides a photo checker tool that validates dimensions before submission.

Canada

Specification	Requirement
Print size	50 x 70 mm
Digital pixels	420 x 540 minimum
Face height	31-36 mm
Background	White
File format	JPEG
File size	Up to 4 MB

Canada uses the largest standard print size of any major country at 50 x 70 mm. This catches people off guard — most photo booths are calibrated for the more common 35 x 45 mm format.

European Countries

Country	Print Size	Head Height	Background	Notes
Germany	35 x 45 mm	32-36 mm	White	Biometric standard, strict face centering
France	35 x 45 mm	32-36 mm	Light grey or light blue	Face must fill 70-80% of height
Italy	35 x 45 mm	28-32 mm	White or light grey	Slightly smaller head requirement than most EU
Spain	26 x 32 mm	—	White	Smallest standard in Europe
Netherlands	35 x 45 mm	26-30 mm	Light grey	Grey background required, not white
Belgium	35 x 45 mm	—	White or light grey	Standard EU biometric
Switzerland	35 x 45 mm	30-36 mm	Light grey	Non-EU but follows similar specs
Sweden	35 x 45 mm	28-36 mm	Light, even background	Wide head height tolerance
Norway	35 x 40 mm	30-36 mm	Light grey	Slightly shorter than standard EU
Poland	35 x 45 mm	32-36 mm	Light grey	Standard EU biometric
Austria	35 x 45 mm	30-36 mm	White or light grey	Follows German standards closely
Portugal	35 x 45 mm	—	White	Standard EU format
Ireland	35 x 45 mm	—	White or light grey	Post-Brexit, independent requirements
Greece	40 x 60 mm	—	White	Larger than EU standard

Most EU countries follow the 35 x 45 mm standard, but Spain (26 x 32 mm), Norway (35 x 40 mm), and Greece (40 x 60 mm) are notable exceptions. Always check your specific country rather than assuming "EU standard."

Asia-Pacific

Country	Print Size	Head Height	Background	Notes
Australia	35 x 45 mm	32-36 mm	White	Both ears must be visible
Japan	35 x 45 mm	27-34 mm	White or light	Standard for passport; visas may differ
China	33 x 48 mm	28-33 mm	White	Unique dimensions, not EU standard
India	35 x 35 mm	25-35 mm	White	Square format like US but smaller
South Korea	35 x 45 mm	—	White	Standard international format
Singapore	35 x 45 mm	—	White	Digital submission preferred
New Zealand	35 x 45 mm	—	White or light grey	Similar to Australia
Thailand	35 x 45 mm	—	White	International standard
Philippines	35 x 45 mm	—	White	International standard
Indonesia	35 x 45 mm	—	Red	Red background for passport renewal
Malaysia	35 x 50 mm	—	White	Slightly taller than standard

Watch out for China (33 x 48 mm), India (35 x 35 mm square), and Indonesia (red background). These deviate significantly from the common 35 x 45 mm format that most other countries use.

Americas

Country	Print Size	Background	Notes
Mexico	35 x 45 mm	White	International standard
Brazil	50 x 70 mm	White	Same large format as Canada
Argentina	40 x 40 mm	White or light blue	Square format
Colombia	35 x 45 mm	White	International standard
Chile	35 x 45 mm	White	International standard

Middle East & Africa

Country	Print Size	Background	Notes
UAE	43 x 55 mm	White	Unique dimensions
Saudi Arabia	40 x 60 mm	White	Larger format
Israel	35 x 45 mm	White or light	International standard
South Africa	35 x 45 mm	White	International standard
Nigeria	35 x 45 mm	White	International standard
Egypt	40 x 60 mm	White	Larger format
Turkey	50 x 60 mm	White	Unique large dimensions

Digital Submission Requirements

More countries now accept (or require) digital photo submissions. These are the pixel and file size requirements for online applications:

Country	Min Pixels	Max Pixels	File Size	Format
US	600 x 600	1200 x 1200	240 KB - 10 MB	JPEG
UK	600 x 750	No max	50 KB - 10 MB	JPEG
Canada	420 x 540	No max	Up to 4 MB	JPEG
Australia	600 x 750	No max	80 KB - 5 MB	JPEG
Germany	413 x 531	No max	Up to 10 MB	JPEG
India	350 x 350	1000 x 1000	10 KB - 1 MB	JPEG
Japan	480 x 640	No max	Up to 2 MB	JPEG

The image resizer lets you target exact pixel dimensions and control output file size. Upload your photo, enter the required dimensions, and export at the right quality level to land within the file size range.

How to Measure Head Height Correctly

Head height is measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head (crown), not to the top of the hair. If you have voluminous hair, the crown is where the skull ends — not where the hair ends. This distinction trips up a lot of people.

1. Take the photo. Follow standard passport photo guidelines for lighting and positioning.
2. Open in any image editor. Even Preview on Mac or Photos on Windows works.
3. Calculate the scale. If your print size is 35 x 45 mm and your image is 600 x 750 pixels, then 1 mm = 600/35 = ~17.14 pixels. So a 32-36 mm head height requirement means 549-617 pixels in the image.
4. Measure in pixels. Draw a line from chin to crown and check the pixel distance against your calculated range.
5. Crop if needed. Adjust the crop to bring your head within the required range. The image resizer preserves quality while letting you make precise adjustments.

Common Dimension Mistakes by Country

These are the errors I see most frequently, based on years of dealing with travel documents:

• US applicants: Using 35 x 45 mm (standard international) instead of the US-specific 51 x 51 mm square format. The US is one of only a few countries that uses a square photo.
• UK applicants: Using a pure white background. The UK wants light grey or cream. This single mistake accounts for a large percentage of UK photo rejections.
• Canadian applicants: Printing at 35 x 45 mm instead of Canada's larger 50 x 70 mm format. Most print shops outside Canada aren't familiar with this size.
• Indian applicants: Uploading files larger than 1 MB. India has one of the tightest file size limits for digital submissions.
• Indonesian applicants: Using a white background instead of the required red background for passport renewal photos.

Visa Photo Dimensions (Different from Passport)

Visa photos often have different requirements than the issuing country's passport:. Check out our AI passport photos.

Visa Type	Dimensions	Background
US Visa (B1/B2, H1B, etc.)	2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm)	White
Schengen Visa	35 x 45 mm	White or light grey
Chinese Visa	33 x 48 mm	White
Indian Visa (e-Visa)	350 x 350 pixels (digital)	White
Japanese Visa	45 x 45 mm	White
Australian Visa	35 x 45 mm	White

Notice that Japan's visa photo (45 x 45 mm) is a different size than Japan's passport photo (35 x 45 mm). These inconsistencies exist across many countries — always verify the requirements for the specific document you're applying for.

Print Resolution Requirements

Even if your dimensions are correct, insufficient print resolution will cause rejection. Here's what each major country requires:

• US: 300 DPI minimum for prints (standard photo lab quality). Digital submissions at 600 x 600 pixels effectively exceed this for a 2x2 inch print.
• UK: No explicit DPI requirement, but photos must be "sharp and in focus." At 600 x 750 pixels for a 35 x 45 mm print, you're at approximately 435 DPI — well above what's needed.
• Canada: At least 420 x 540 pixels, which for a 50 x 70 mm print comes to only about 213 DPI. This is lower than ideal — I recommend shooting at higher resolution and letting the print shop handle the scaling.
• EU (general): Most EU countries require at least 300 DPI for print quality. Digital submissions at 600 x 750 pixels comfortably exceed this for the standard 35 x 45 mm format.

FAQ