Passport Photo Maker

How to use it

1. Open a well-lit, front-facing photo with a plain background.
2. Pick the size and position the frame around your head and shoulders.
3. Download the single photo, or a 10 × 15 cm sheet for printing.

Good to know

Each authority has rules on head size, background and expression. Check the requirements of the office that will receive the photo, since this tool sets the dimensions but cannot verify compliance.

Print the sheet at 100% with no scaling. Fit to page will change the photo's size.

Sizes, pixels and copies per sheet

Every photo is exported at 300 DPI, which is the usual print standard. The sheet is a 10 × 15 cm (4 × 6 inch) print, with thin outlines to cut along. The number of copies depends on the size you choose.

Taking a photo that will be accepted

• Stand about half a metre in front of a plain, light wall to avoid shadows behind you.
• Have someone else take the picture from about 1.5 metres away, with the camera at eye level. Close-up selfies distort the face.
• Face a window or use soft, even light, so that neither side of your face is in shadow.
• Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed and your eyes open.
• US rules do not allow glasses in the photo, and many other countries restrict them too.

Getting the head size right

Authorities care about how large the head is within the frame, not only about the photo size. A 35 × 45 mm picture commonly needs the distance from chin to crown to be about 32 to 36 mm, or 70 to 80% of the height. For a US 2 × 2 inch picture, the head should be 25 to 35 mm. Drag the corner handle until yours fits, then check the current rules of the office you are applying to.

This tool only crops. It does not change the background or retouch you, and editing a face or background can itself be grounds for rejection.

Questions