Most countries require passport photos with a plain, light-coloured background — usually white. A trip to a photo booth at the Post Office or a Timpson's costs £8-12, and a professional photographer charges significantly more. But you can take the photo at home and fix the background yourself using remove-bg.io.
The catch is getting the background colour right. Here's what each country actually requires, plus how to avoid the most common rejection reasons.
Important: Requirements change. Always verify your country's current passport photo specifications on the official government website before submitting. The information below is accurate as of early 2026 but should be double-checked.
Background Requirements by Country
Most countries require a white or light-coloured background for passport photos, though the exact colour and dimensions vary by country.
United Kingdom
HM Passport Office has specific requirements:
- Plain light grey or cream background — pure white is accepted but not required
- Photo size: 35x45mm
- Head height: 29-34mm from chin to crown
- No shadows on the face or background
- Taken within the last month (for new applications)
- Neutral expression, mouth closed
- No filters, no retouching that alters appearance
- Both eyes must be open and visible
- No headwear unless for religious or medical reasons
The UK is notably stricter than many countries about photo quality. HM Passport Office uses automated checking and will reject photos that don't meet specifications exactly.
For online applications: Digital photos must be at least 600x750 pixels. The photo checker on the gov.uk website will tell you immediately if your photo meets the requirements.
United States
U.S. State Department requires white or off-white background:
- Photo size: 2x2 inches (51x51mm)
- Head height: 1 inch to 1-3/8 inches from chin to top of head
- No shadows on face or background
- Taken within the last 6 months
- Neutral expression, both eyes open
European Union (Schengen Visa)
Each EU country sets its own specifics, but most follow ICAO standards:
- Plain, uniform background (white, light grey, or light blue depending on country)
- Photo size: 35x45mm
- Face should cover roughly 70-80% of the photo height
- Check the specific embassy requirements for the country you're applying to
Canada
- White or light-coloured background
- Photo size: 50x70mm
- Neutral expression, mouth closed
- Glasses no longer accepted — check current rules
Australia
- Plain white or light grey background
- Photo size: 35x45mm
- Head and shoulders only, centred
- No shadows, no texture in background
Ireland
- White or light grey background
- Photo size: 35x45mm
- Irish Passport Online accepts digital uploads with automated checking
Taking the Photo
Any modern smartphone will do — today's phone cameras are more than sufficient. A few things matter:
Lighting is the single most important factor. Stand facing a window so natural light falls evenly on your face. Avoid overhead lighting that creates shadows under your eyes and nose. If you can see shadows on your face in the phone preview, change position.
The background behind you doesn't matter. Stand in front of any wall — you're removing the background anyway. A single-colour wall makes the AI's job easier, but it works on any background.
Have someone else take it. Selfies can work, but it's hard to keep your arm out of frame and get the proportions right. Use a timer or ask someone to take it.
Shoulders visible, face centred. Most passport offices want to see your shoulders. Don't crop tighter than that.
Replacing the Background
Upload your photo to the Background Remover. Once the background is removed, select the right colour:
- Light grey or cream for UK passports — use the Change Background Colour tool and select a soft light grey
- White for US, Canada, Australia, and most countries — use the White Background tool
- Light blue for certain EU countries — same tool, different colour
Download at full resolution. No watermarks, no account needed.
Why Passport Photos Get Rejected
The most common rejection reasons are shadows on the background, wrong background colour, uneven lighting on the face, incorrect dimensions, and wearing glasses in countries that prohibit them.
From processing thousands of passport photo queries, these are the most frequent rejection causes within your control:
Shadows on the Background
This is the number one issue. If your original photo has a shadow cast on the wall behind you, AI background removal strips that out completely — it's actually one of the best reasons to remove and replace the background rather than trying to shoot against a white wall.
Wrong Background Colour
Pure white when the country wants light grey (UK), or off-white when they want pure white (US). Check the exact requirements.
Uneven Lighting on the Face
One-sided lighting, harsh shadows under the nose, or one side of the face noticeably darker than the other. No amount of background processing fixes this — you'll need to retake with better lighting.
Incorrect Dimensions
Every country has specific size requirements. Resize your photo to the correct dimensions before printing.
Glasses
Many countries (including Canada since 2023) no longer accept photos with glasses. When in doubt, remove them.
Printing
Once you have your digital photo with the correct background:
- At home: Print at the required size on photo paper. For UK passports, print at 35x45mm on 6x4 photo paper (you can fit multiple prints). Use 300 DPI or higher.
- At a chemist or supermarket: Boots, Tesco, and Sainsbury's photo kiosks accept custom-sized prints. Bring your photo on a USB or email it to yourself.
- Online services: Some online printing services accept passport photo uploads and post you the prints.
For a family of four, doing this at home saves £30-50 compared to photo booth prices — and you can retake as many times as you like until you're happy.
FAQ
Will my passport photo be accepted? Background removal gives you a clean, compliant background. But passport compliance also depends on face positioning, expression, lighting, and dimensions — all of which depend on how you took the original photo. The background is just one component.
What resolution do I need? Most passport offices require at least 600x600 pixels (which is 300 DPI at 2x2 inches). Modern phone cameras typically shoot at 3000x4000 pixels or higher, so resolution is rarely an issue.
Can I use a selfie? Technically yes, but the rear camera has better resolution and it's easier to get the proportions right. A photo taken by someone else, or using a timer with the phone propped up, gives better results.