The passport photo size by country varies more than most people expect: some countries want a 2×2 inch square, others want 35×45mm, and each has its own pixel and DPI requirements for digital submission. Here’s the exact chart, plus how to hit each spec.
Why Passport Photo Sizes Differ by Country
Passport photo standards were never unified globally, so each country’s immigration authority set its own physical size, head-size ratio, and background rules independently. Consequently, a photo that’s perfectly compliant for a US passport can be the wrong shape entirely for a UK or Indian application. Knowing your destination country’s exact spec before you take the photo saves a rejected application and a repeat trip.
United States: 2×2 Inches
US passport photos must be 2×2 inches (51×51mm), with a head size between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches from chin to crown. For digital submission, the State Department wants a JPEG between 600×600 and 1200×1200 pixels, with a file size between 240KB and 5MB. Additionally, since January 2026, any AI-enhanced or filtered photo is automatically rejected, so standard camera mode only.
United Kingdom and Most of Europe: 35×45mm
The UK, most EU countries, Australia, and Japan use the 35×45mm format instead. At 300 DPI, that translates to 413×531 pixels. For UK digital passport applications specifically, the photo must be at least 600×750 pixels and under 6.5MB, with your head taking up 29–34mm of the frame’s 45mm height.
India: 2×2 Inches, Similar to the US
India uses the same 2×2 inch (51×51mm) physical size as the US, though the background and lighting requirements differ slightly in enforcement. As a result, a photo compliant with US specs is usually a safe starting point for an Indian passport application, though it’s worth double-checking the latest guidance from your regional passport office.
Canada: 50×70mm
Canada uses a taller 50×70mm format, larger than both the US and UK-style standards. The head height requirement is 31–36mm, measured from chin to crown, with the photo printed at 300 DPI for physical submission.
Quick Reference Table
United States: 2×2in (51×51mm), 600–1200px square. United Kingdom: 35×45mm, minimum 600×750px. European Union (most countries): 35×45mm, 413×531px at 300 DPI. India: 2×2in (51×51mm). Canada: 50×70mm, printed at 300 DPI. Australia and Japan: 35×45mm, matching the UK/EU standard.
Getting the Exact Pixel Dimensions Without Guessing
Manually cropping to an exact pixel size is easy to get wrong by a few pixels, which is enough to trigger a rejection at some submission portals. Our Passport Photo Maker is pre-configured for the most common country specs, so you don’t need to calculate DPI conversions or head-size ratios by hand. If your target size isn’t listed, the Crop Image tool lets you enter exact pixel dimensions directly for any country’s requirement.
Matching File Size Alongside Pixel Dimensions
Getting the pixel dimensions right is only half the requirement — most digital submission portals also cap the file size in KB or MB. Therefore, after cropping to the correct dimensions, run the photo through our Image Compressor to hit the exact file size limit without dropping below the minimum quality threshold some portals also enforce.
Common Mistakes When Matching a Country’s Spec
The most frequent error is cropping to the right aspect ratio but the wrong absolute pixel size, since a photo can look correctly proportioned on screen while still falling short of a portal’s minimum resolution requirement. Additionally, some applicants confuse the printed physical size in millimeters with the digital pixel size, submitting a photo that would print correctly at 300 DPI but fails a digital upload’s exact pixel check. As a result, it helps to treat the physical size and digital pixel size as two separate numbers to verify, rather than assuming one guarantees the other.
Head size is another common miss: even when the overall frame is the correct dimensions, a head that’s too large or too small within that frame triggers rejection independently of the file’s pixel dimensions. Checking both the outer frame size and the head-size ratio against your destination country’s chart avoids submitting a technically correct-sized photo that still gets rejected for framing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the standard passport photo size for the US?
US passport photos must be 2×2 inches (51×51mm), submitted digitally as a 600×600 to 1200×1200 pixel JPEG between 240KB and 5MB.
Is the UK passport photo size the same as the US?
No. The UK uses 35×45mm rather than the US’s 2×2 inch square, and requires a minimum of 600×750 pixels for digital submission.
What DPI should I use for a printed passport photo?
300 DPI is the standard for printed passport photos across nearly every country, producing a sharp result that meets most physical print requirements.
Does India use the same passport photo size as the US?
Yes, India uses the same 2×2 inch (51×51mm) physical size as the US, though it’s worth confirming current background and lighting rules with your regional passport office.
Can I use one photo for multiple countries’ passport applications?
Not directly, since the aspect ratios differ between 2×2 inch square and 35×45mm rectangular formats. You’ll need to crop the same source photo separately for each country’s exact dimensions.
Ready to get the exact size you need? Try our Passport Photo Maker, or use the Crop Image tool and Image Compressor for a custom country spec.
