How to take a passport photo at home with your phone

You don't need a studio. Any recent phone camera is sharp enough — what decides whether a photo is accepted is light, distance and pose.

1. Find soft, even light

Stand facing a window during the day, or under bright, even room light. Avoid a single lamp to one side: it casts shadows across your face, which most authorities reject.

• No shadows on your face or behind you
• No bright spots or glare on skin or glasses
• Turn off the flash if it creates hot spots

2. Get the distance right

Ask someone to take the photo from about 1–1.5 metres away, with the camera at eye level. Arm's-length selfies make the nose look larger and the face rounder, because the lens is too close.

Leave space around you: your whole head, hair and shoulders should be in the frame. If the photo is cropped too tightly, the shoulders get cut off when it's resized to the official format.

3. Pose like the rules say

• Face the camera straight on, head level (not tilted or turned)
• Neutral expression, eyes open, mouth closed
• Hair away from your eyes and face
• Remove glasses — some documents, such as the US passport, don't allow them at all
• No hats or headphones; religious head coverings are usually allowed if your face is fully visible

4. Don't worry about the wall

A plain, light wall helps, but it isn't required. We replace the background with the exact colour your document needs.

5. Skip filters and edits

Beauty mode, filters and retouching can get a photo rejected. Use the normal camera mode and upload the original.

Tip: Take several shots and upload the best one. The preview is free, so you can compare them before you pay.