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How to prepare a digital photo for an application

Application photos fail for predictable reasons: the wrong size, a background the form rejects, or a file that is too large. Getting the basics right first saves a rejected submission.

TangleOff editorial ·

  1. 1

    Find the exact requirement

    Check the authority's own page for the size, background, format and file-size limits. Printed sizes in millimetres and digital upload sizes in pixels are separate figures - do not assume one from the other.

    Our passport and visa photo pages link each figure to its source and show the date it was last checked.

  2. 2

    Start from a suitable photo

    Use a recent, front-facing photo with even lighting and a plain background. A good source needs far less correction than a poor one.

    Do not retouch or filter the photo if the authority asks for an unaltered image.

  3. 3

    Crop to the shape, then check the size

    Crop the photo to the required aspect ratio with the passport and application photo tool. The crop is centred, so line the face up near the middle first.

    Then check the exported file's pixel dimensions and file size. If the form also caps kilobytes, run the result through the image resizer.

  4. 4

    You still need to check the rules

    A crop fixes the shape of the photo, not whether it is accepted. Head size, background, expression and recency are judged by the authority, so confirm the current requirement before you submit.

Check important results yourself

Guides explain a method, not a guarantee. Confirm anything critical against the original source before you rely on it. More in Help.

Tools used in this guide