Australian passport photo requirements

The rules at a glance

Photo size

35–40 mm wide × 45–50 mm high

Face height

32–36 mm, chin to crown

Background

Plain white or light grey

Recency

Less than 6 months old

Print quality

Good quality colour prints, dye sublimation (not inkjet)

Glasses

Not allowed

Expression

Neutral, mouth closed, looking at the camera

What gets photos rejected

• Print at a photo kiosk, not at home

  Home inkjet prints are not accepted. Photo kiosks and photo labs use the right printers.

• Face 32–36 mm

  From the bottom of your chin to the top of your head must measure 32–36 mm.

• No glasses

  Glasses must not be worn in the photo.

• Less than 6 months old

  Your photo must show how you look now.

• No digital enhancement

  Digitally enhanced photos are not accepted.

How to take it at home

1. Pick the right wall

   Stand about half a metre in front of a plain white or light grey wall with nothing on it. Step away from the wall so your shadow does not fall on it.

2. Face the light

   Stand facing a window or soft lamp so both sides of your face are evenly lit. Avoid overhead light, which casts shadows under the eyes.

3. Get someone to take it

   Ask someone to hold the phone at your eye level, about 1–1.5 m away. A selfie at arm's length makes the nose look bigger.

4. Check your face

   Remove glasses (they are not allowed), keep hair away from your eyes and look straight at the camera with a neutral face and your mouth closed.

5. Size and check it

   Use our photo maker to crop it to 35 × 45 mm and check every rule. We never edit your face or background.