Many portals reject photos that are too large, too dark or on the wrong background. Always check the exact rules in your guide or on the official website first.
Take the photo
- Stand in front of a plain white wall, about half a metre away from it, so you do not cast a shadow.
- Face a window so daylight falls evenly on your face. Do not use the flash.
- Ask someone to hold the phone at your eye level, about one metre away.
- Look straight at the camera with a neutral expression. Keep both ears and your full face visible.
- Take several photos and choose the sharpest one.
Common rules to check
- Recent photo, taken in the last six months.
- No filters, no beauty mode and no edits to your face.
- Glasses only if there is no glare. Head coverings for religious reasons are usually allowed if your face is fully visible.
Make it the right size
Open the Document Toolkit and choose Resize a photo. Pick Passport photo, under 200 KB, or enter the size your portal asks for. The tool crops to the passport shape from the centre, so keep your face in the middle of the photo.