UK Visa Photo
Standard 35×45mm UK visa photo.
Size & specifications
UK Visa Photo — requirements
| Printed size | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Digital size | 413 × 531 px |
| Head height | 29-34mm |
| Background | White/Light grey |
| Resolution | ≥ 300 DPI |
| Recency | — |
| Glasses / expression | — · — |
| Digital format | — |
One upload, two deliveries: the pixel-exact digital file and a 300 dpi print-ready sheet.
What each line means
Printed size — print at exactly 35 × 45 mm. A few millimetres off and most offices hand the form back before anything else is checked.
Digital size — the digital file must measure 413 × 531 px. Anything smaller gets refused by many online systems before a person sees it.
Head height — your head, crown to chin, should span 29-34mm. Too small reads distant; too large and the crop will not fit.
Background — a plain White/Light grey background, with no shadows or gradients. A wall lit unevenly is the fastest route to a refusal.
Resolution — 300 dpi keeps a face sharp in print. Below that, features soften and agencies ask for a retake.
Photo examples
What passes — and what gets rejected.
How to take a UK Visa Photo with your phone
The format and the head band
A UK visa photo is 35×45 mm, portrait, on a plain white or light-grey background. The head, crown to chin, must measure 29-34 mm. Visa staff check that measurement first, and it is the one home shots get wrong. Frame with a little headroom at eye level against a plain wall, then crop to the exact rectangle.
If you apply online
Online applications use a digital photo instead of prints. The file must be at least 600×750 px, which any recent phone clears. The main failures are a shadowed wall or a tilted head, and a human reviewer still inspects them.
Light, glasses, expression
Face a window and let the light fall evenly on your face. Use a neutral expression with your mouth closed, eyes on the lens, and no headwear. Remove glasses unless you cannot keep them off; if they stay on, your eyes must show clear of frames, glare and reflection. Tinted lenses are not allowed.
Darker clothing reads better against a light wall than a white top. A white top can merge with the background at the shoulders.
What the preset outputs
This page crops to 35×45 mm at 300 dpi and flattens the background to plain white or light grey, which you choose at download. Before the file is released, the compliance check runs on ratio, background and head position.
Why UK Visa Photo gets rejected
Size and head position first
Applications are rejected when the rectangle is off 35×45 mm or the head sits outside 29-34 mm. A head filling the frame edge to edge fails the same check. The permitted band leaves limited room.
Background and lighting faults
Patterned or dark backgrounds, shadows on the wall behind the head, glare on glasses and blur account for most of the remaining failures. A light wall with a visible gradient still fails, and so does a flash hotspot on one side of the face.
Other rejection reasons
A photo that is not recent, tinted glasses, or a face turned a few degrees off the camera can all lead to a returned application. The check here verifies ratio and background before download, so these less obvious faults can be found at home.
How it works
Photo tips
Frequently asked questions
What size is a UK Visa Photo?
The standard size is 35 × 45 mm (413 × 531 px at 300 DPI). The tool crops and scales your photo to exact requirements automatically.
Can I smile in the photo?
Requirements call for: a natural expression. When in doubt, keep a neutral face with both eyes open.
How recent must the photo be?
Old photos are a common rejection reason.
Is my photo private?
Yes. Uploaded photos are encrypted in transit and automatically deleted within 24 hours. We never share or resell uploads.
Can I take it with my phone?
Yes. Plain wall, even light, eye-level phone; the tool handles the exact crop and background colour.
Is the UK visa photo the same size as the UK passport photo?
Both are 35×45 mm on a plain white or light-grey background; the tool presets the same crop either way.