Applying for your first passport? Or do you need passport photos for ID purposes? It is possible to print out your own passport size photos but you’ll need a printer, the right photographic paper and a passport compatible image.
Getting started
Before you can print a passport size picture you need an image. If you haven’t needed a passport photo in a while, you may not be aware of the rules for taking a UK passport compatible photo.
You’ll need to stand against a neutral background and you can’t wear anything that casts a shadow or obstructs your face. That includes glasses, a hat, head scarf, sunglasses on your head or even your own hair! No one else should be visible in the photo and you can’t smile or frown – your expression must be completely neutral.
Once you’ve nailed your photo, then you’re ready to print.
Perfect prints
Do you have a high resolution photo printer with colour accuracy? Then you’re ready to start. You’ll need photo quality paper of at least 200gsm and advanced photo software to scale your photo to exactly the right dimensions.
These are the steps you need to take to print your own photo:
• Check your printer handles borderless printing – your passport photos must be printed without a border
• Skin tones must be accurate so use the manual settings in a good quality photo editor to get it right
• Passport photos must be 45mm high and 35mm wide – you can’t use a bigger photo that’s been cut down to size
Windows and iOS operating systems offer basic photo editing, but for more control you may need to download a dedicated app or invest in photo editing software.
Forget the hassle, use an online service
Of course, there is an easier way to print out your passport photos. Just take a photo and then upload it to Paspic. We’ll print a perfect set of UK passport photos and deliver them free just about anywhere in the world. And because we check every photo for compatibility we have a 99.5% approval rate which gives you 100% peace of mind. Want to print out perfect passport photos every time? Then trust Paspic to get it right first time.
