How to Make a Passport or Visa Photo at Home
Photo studios typically charge a few hundred rupees for a set of passport photos, and you always seem to need more than they gave you. A single 4x6 print from a photo shop usually costs a fraction of that. Passport photo maker lets you take the photo at home, size it correctly for your document, and lay out a sheet of copies to print anywhere.
How it works
You choose the country and the document. The page applies that document's published size and head-height rules. Some examples:
- US passport: 2×2 inches, head 1 to 1⅜ inches.
- UK, Schengen and many others: 35×45 mm.
- Canada, China and others have their own presets.
You mark the top of your head and your chin, the guides show the allowed head range, and the photo is rendered at 300 dots per inch.
Steps
- Pick the passport or visa you're applying for.
- Open a photo or take one against a plain, light wall.
- Drag the guide lines to the top of your head (hair included) and your chin.
- Fine-tune the position.
- Download either the single photo for an online form, or the 4x6 print sheet.
Taking the photo
This is where most rejections come from, not the cropping:
- Background: most countries want plain white or off-white. The UK and a few others accept light grey or cream. A plain light wall works; patterned curtains don't.
- Light: even and from the front. Stand facing a window during the day. Avoid a single overhead bulb that throws shadows under your eyes and behind you.
- Distance: have someone else take it from about a metre and a half away, at eye level. Selfies distort your face and are often rejected.
- Expression and glasses: neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. Many countries now want glasses off entirely.
The page matches size and head height; light, background, expression and glasses are up to you, so check the official guidance for your document.
Printing it at the right size
The print sheet fits as many copies as possible on a standard 4x6 inch photo print, with thin cut lines. Order it as a normal photo print at actual size at any photo shop or online service. On a home printer, print at 100% with scaling turned off, otherwise the printer may shrink it to fit the margins and your photos come out too small.
Measure one printed photo with a ruler before cutting the rest. If a 35×45 mm photo measures 33 mm wide, scaling crept in.
Online applications
Many e-visa and passport portals ask for a digital photo with a set pixel size and a file size limit. Where the form specifies pixels, the page produces a matching JPG and keeps it under the size limit when one applies. If a portal still complains, Image Compressor can hit an exact KB target.
A worked example
Renewing an Indian passport for a family member living abroad? Pick the right preset, take the photo against a white door in morning light, place the guides, and download the print sheet. One 4x6 print typically gives several copies, enough for the application plus spares for the next form that asks.
Privacy
According to the tool page, your photo is sized inside the page and saved straight to your device. There are Google ads on the page, as across the site.
FAQ
Will my photo be accepted? Size and head height will match the preset. Acceptance also depends on lighting, background, expression and glasses, so follow the official rules.
How do I print at the right size? As a standard 4x6 photo print at actual size, or at 100% with scaling off on a home printer.
What background do I need? Usually plain white or off-white; some countries accept light grey or cream.
Can I use it for an online form? Yes, it can produce a JPG at the required pixel size and file limit.
Skip the studio queue. Make your next set with Passport photo maker.
— Alok Kumar Singh