How to Make a Passport Photo at Home with Your Phone

You can make passport and visa photos at home: take a photo against a plain light wall, open the Passport Photo Maker, choose your country's document, and drag the photo until your head fits the guides. The tool crops it to the exact millimetre size and lays out as many copies as fit on a 4×6 in photo print, 5×7, A4 or Letter — one print gives you a full set to cut out.

Step 1: Take the photo

Most rejected photos fail on the basics, so get these right:

• Background: stand in front of a plain white or light grey wall, with no patterns, doors or shadows. Stand about a metre away from it so your shadow doesn't fall on it.
• Lighting: face a window during the day for soft, even light. Avoid overhead lights that cast shadows under your eyes and nose.
• Camera: have someone else take it, with the phone at your eye level, about 1–1.5 metres away. Don't use the selfie camera at arm's length — it distorts your face. Use the zoom slightly (2× on many phones) for a more natural face shape.
• Pose: face the camera straight on, neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open and visible. Hair away from your face.
• What to remove: hats, headphones and (for US and many other passports) glasses.

Take several shots and pick the sharpest.

Step 2: Crop to your country's size

1. Open the Passport Photo Maker.
2. Choose your Document — for example United States (2×2 in), United Kingdom, Schengen/EU, Canada, Australia, China, India, Malaysia or the generic 35×45 mm size.
3. Add your photo.
4. Drag the photo (or use the arrow keys) and zoom with plus and minus until the top of your head and your chin sit between the guides.
5. Choose the Print sheet: 4×6 in photo paper, 5×7, A4 or US Letter.
6. Choose the Print resolution — 300 DPI is standard for photo prints.
7. Download the sheet, or a single photo for online applications.

Step 3: Print it

• Photo kiosks and online print services (pharmacies, supermarkets, photo labs) print a 4×6 in photo cheaply. Upload the sheet and order it at actual size — no cropping, no "fit to frame".
• A home printer with glossy or matte photo paper also works; print at 100% scale.
• Cut along the grey guide lines with a sharp blade or scissors.

Online applications

Many passport and visa applications now take a digital photo instead of prints. Download the single cropped photo and check the requirements: some portals set a file-size limit (for example, under 240 KB) — Compress Image to KB handles that — and some specify exact pixel dimensions.

Fixing common problems

• Background not plain enough: the Background Changer can replace it with pure white — but check your authority's rules, as some don't allow edited photos.
• Photo too dark: brighten it gently with Brightness & Contrast. Don't retouch your face or remove marks: passport rules forbid altering your appearance.
• Head too small or too big: zoom until the head fits between the guides; the guides follow each authority's published head size.

Requirements change

The sizes and head heights in the tool follow each authority's published guidance at the time of writing, but rules change. Check the official website of your passport or visa office before printing, especially for unusual documents.

Frequently asked questions

Is a home-made photo accepted?

Yes, in most countries, as long as it meets the rules — size, background, lighting, expression and print quality. Professional studios charge mostly for convenience.

Is my photo uploaded?

No. The photo is cropped and laid out in your browser.

Can I wear glasses?

For US passports, no. Many other countries allow them only with no glare and the eyes fully visible — removing them is the safe choice.