Under-1s can sleep. Get the online file or 45×35 mm prints, checked in seconds.
No photo yet? Try one of these:
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Lying on a plain light sheet, photographed from above. Babies under 1 don't need their eyes open.
Head, shoulders and upper body left in. GOV.UK asks you not to crop – the passport service does it.
Cream background, head 29–34 mm, laid out on a 6×4 in sheet to print on non-glossy photo paper.
1Smooth white or cream sheet, baby on their back, photo from straight above in daylight. Keep hands and dummies out and take a burst.
We check shadows, hands, dummies, tilt and blur, and tell you how to reshoot anything that fails. Only the background is tidied.
3Applying online? Upload the uncropped digital file. Using a paper form? Print the 6×4 sheet on non-glossy photo paper and cut out two identical 45×35 mm photos.
GOV.UK says babies under 1 don't need their eyes open, and children under 6 don't need to look straight at the camera or have a neutral expression. Our eyes-open check is switched off for UK babies under 1, so a sleeping newborn isn't flagged.
For online applications, GOV.UK asks for the head, shoulders and upper body in the photo and says not to crop it – the system does that. We keep the full frame, export at least 600×750 px within 50 KB–10 MB, and never flip the image.
You can support your baby's head, but your hand must not be visible. Dummies and toys aren't allowed. Since 8 December 2025, child photos with a white bar along the bottom are no longer accepted, so we never pad a tight photo with white – we ask for a retake instead.
Paper forms need two identical printed photos, 45 mm high by 35 mm wide, with the head 29–34 mm from crown to chin on a plain cream or light grey background. We lay them out on a 6×4 in sheet with cut lines.
| Rule | Official requirement |
|---|---|
| Digital photo size | At least 600 px wide × 750 px tallSource |
| Digital file size | 50 KB – 10 MBSource |
| Digital framing | Head, shoulders and upper body – do not crop, it will be done for youSource |
| Digital background | Plain, light-coloured, with clear contrast; no shadows or other objectsSource |
| Printed photo size | 45 mm high × 35 mm wide, not cut from a larger photoSource |
| Printed head size | 29–34 mm from crown to chinSource |
| Printed background | Plain cream or light greySource |
| Printed copies | 2 identical photos, colour, no border, not glued to the formSource |
| Photo paper | Professional quality; glossy or textured paper is not acceptedSource |
| Eyes | Under 1: don't need to be openSource |
| Hands, dummies, toys | Hand must not be visible; no dummies or toysSource |
| White bar at the bottom | Not accepted on child photos from 8 December 2025Source |
| Mirrored photos | Not acceptedSource |
| How recent | Taken in the last monthSource |
Online application – a digital photo of at least 600×750 px (50 KB–10 MB) on a plain light background, showing the head, shoulders and upper body. Don't crop it: the passport service does. (GOV.UK)
Paper form – two identical colour prints, 45×35 mm, head 29–34 mm from crown to chin, plain cream or light grey background, no border. (GOV.UK)
Either way, the photo must be taken in the last month. Since 8 December 2025, child photos with a white strip along the bottom are rejected, and so are mirrored (flipped) images – use the rear camera. (HM Passport Office photo standards)
Parents on UK forums often report that the online check warns about a baby's gaze, tilt or shadows on photos that are later accepted. A warning isn't a rejection, but fixing shadows and creases before you upload means fewer warnings. We're not part of HM Passport Office – it makes the final decision.
