Official requirements
| Print size | Accepted range 35–40 mm wide × 45–50 mm high; the standard 35 × 45 mm (our export, 413 × 531 px at 300 DPI) is inside the range |
|---|---|
| Face height | 32–36 mm from the bottom of the chin to the crown of the head |
| Background | Plain white or light grey, no shadows or objects |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed, no smiling, eyes open and looking directly at the camera |
| Glasses | Not recommended, and allowed only when they cannot be removed for medical reasons; your eyes must stay visible with no reflections |
| Head coverings | Plain coverings for religious reasons are allowed if no part of the face is hidden |
| Recency | Taken within the last 6 months |
| Print requirements | Two identical colour prints on high-quality glossy photo paper; the back of one photo carries the guarantor’s “This is a true photo of …” statement and signature |
| Alteration | Photos must not be digitally altered or retouched — no filters, no skin smoothing, no background replacement |
How to take a compliant Australia Passport photo at home
- Use a plain wall in the required background colour if you can — replacing a background digitally is a fallback, not the first choice, and a couple of authorities (Australia, and Canada for digital uploads) require an unaltered photo.
- Stand roughly half a metre in front of the wall so your shadow does not fall on it, and face a window or another even light source so both sides of your face are lit the same.
- Have someone else take the photo from about 1.5 metres away, holding the phone at your eye level. Arm’s-length selfies widen the face and tilt it, and are a quiet cause of rejections.
- Shoot head and shoulders with clear space on every side of your head. The maker scales and centres you; a tight original crop leaves it nothing to work with.
- Look straight at the lens, keep your head level, close your mouth unless your spec allows a natural smile, and take several shots — then use the sharpest one with no shadow on the face or the wall.
Then open the passport photo maker with the Australia Passport preset selected, drag your photo until the top of your head sits between the dashed crown lines, your chin rests on the lower line and your eyes fall inside the shaded band, and download the photo at exactly 413 × 531 pixels — or a print sheet with the copies laid out at 35 × 45 mm (accepted range 35–40 × 45–50 mm) each.
Common reasons Australia Passport photos are rejected
- Any digital retouching — Australia refuses manipulated photos, including replaced backgrounds and smoothed skin.
- Smiling or a raised-eyebrow expression; the mouth must be closed and neutral.
- Face outside the 32–36 mm band, or the print outside the 35–40 × 45–50 mm range.
- Inkjet or matte home prints for the passport itself — the Passport Office wants dye-sublimation prints on glossy paper, which means a photo lab or booth.
- Glasses worn without a medical reason, or reflections hiding the eyes.
- Shadows, red eye, or hair covering the eyes or the edges of the face.
Honest limit of this tool for Australia: use it to get the size and composition right, and to prepare digital files for visa and citizenship portals that accept uploads. For the passport application itself, take the composition to a photo lab for glossy dye-sublimation prints — and because Australia rejects altered photos, photograph yourself against a plain light wall and do not use the background-replacement button for this document.
Open the maker with the Australia Passport preset
Frequently asked questions
What size is an Australian passport photo?
The accepted print range is 35–40 mm wide × 45–50 mm high, with the face measuring 32–36 mm from chin to crown. The widely used 35 × 45 mm size is inside that range and is what this preset exports.
Can I wear glasses in an Australian passport photo?
Only if you cannot remove them for medical reasons. The Passport Office advises against glasses because reflections cause rejections; if worn, your eyes must remain fully visible.
Can I print Australian passport photos at home?
Not for the passport application: prints must be dye-sublimation on glossy photo paper, which home inkjets do not produce. Print shops and Australia Post outlets do. The print sheets here are still useful for checking composition and for other documents.
Can a digital photo be used for an Australian passport?
Passport applications are lodged with printed photos. Digital files are used for online visa and citizenship applications, which is where the exported JPG applies.