Passport Photo Sizes by Country: US, UK, Canada, India

Updated 13 October 2026 · 9 min read

"Passport size" means different things in different countries. A US passport photo is a 2 inch square, a UK photo is a 35 x 45 mm rectangle, and Canada uses a much larger 50 x 70 mm print. If you hold more than one citizenship, apply for a visa, or help family members abroad, using the wrong size is an easy mistake to make.

This guide compares the four sizes people ask us about most often: the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and India. Governments update their rules from time to time, so treat this as an overview and confirm on the official website before you apply.

One tool, all four sizes: crop, check head size, download or print a 4x6 sheet.

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Quick comparison

Country / document	Print size	Head size (chin to crown)	Where to check
US passport	2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm)	1 to 1-3/8 in (25-35 mm)	travel.state.gov
US visa (DS-160)	Digital, square 600-1200 px	50-69% of image height	travel.state.gov
UK passport	35 x 45 mm	29-34 mm	gov.uk
Canada passport	50 x 70 mm	31-36 mm	canada.ca
India visa	2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm), square digital	Face centered, filling most of the frame	indianvisaonline.gov.in
India passport	Check current Passport Seva guidance	Check current guidance	passportindia.gov.in

Pixel sizes for printing come from simple maths: pixels = (size in mm / 25.4) x DPI. At 300 DPI, a 2 inch photo is 600 x 600 pixels, 35 x 45 mm is about 413 x 531 pixels, and 50 x 70 mm is about 591 x 827 pixels.

United States: 2 x 2 inches

The US passport photo is a 2 x 2 inch square. Your head, measured from the bottom of the chin to the top of the hair, must be between 1 and 1-3/8 inches tall, which is 50% to 69% of the photo height. The background must be plain white or off-white, the photo must be in color, taken within the last 6 months, and glasses are not allowed. Head coverings are only allowed for religious or medical reasons with a signed statement.

For online passport renewal, you upload a digital photo, and the renewal page lists its file requirements. For US visas, the DS-160 form needs a square JPEG of 600 x 600 to 1200 x 1200 pixels, no larger than 240 KB, with the head at 50% to 69% of the image height and the eyes 56% to 69% up from the bottom. Read our full guide to DS-160 photo requirements.

United Kingdom: 35 x 45 mm

UK passport photos are 35 mm wide and 45 mm high, the same shape as many European passport photos. The head, from chin to crown, should be between 29 and 34 mm tall. Key points from the UK government guidance:

Plain cream or light grey background, with a clear contrast between face and background. Note that this is different from the US white or off-white rule.
Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open and clearly visible.
No glasses in new photos, and nothing covering the face; head coverings only for religious or medical reasons.
Taken within the last month, not edited.

Most UK applications are now made online. In that case you upload a digital photo, and the service has its own checks: the image must be at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall, and it must not be a cropped scan of a printed photo you already used. Many people use a photo booth or a shop that supplies a digital photo code. For paper forms, two identical printed photos are needed, and one must be countersigned in some cases.

Canada: 50 x 70 mm

Canada uses a noticeably larger photo: 50 mm wide by 70 mm high. The face, from chin to crown, must measure between 31 and 36 mm. The background must be plain white or light colored, the photo taken within the last 6 months, with a neutral expression and eyes open.

An important difference: Canadian passport photos for paper applications must be taken by a commercial photographer. The back of one photo must show the name and address of the studio and the date the photo was taken, and your guarantor may need to sign it. That means a home-printed photo is not suitable for a Canadian paper passport application. You can still use our tool to see how a 50 x 70 mm crop should look, or for online services that ask for a digital photo, but read the official requirements on canada.ca before using a home photo for anything official.

India: 2 x 2 inch for visas, check Passport Seva for passports

India is a common source of confusion because different documents use different sizes. In everyday Indian use, "passport size" often means 3.5 x 4.5 cm, which is what most studios print for school, college and job forms. We explain that in passport size photo dimensions in India.

For Indian visas, including e-Visa applications, the photo is a square, 2 x 2 inch style image. The e-Visa portal asks for a JPEG with equal width and height, a white or light background, and the face centered and filling most of the frame; it states its own pixel and file size limits on the upload page. Many Indian consulates abroad also ask for 2 x 2 inch prints for paper visa and OCI-related applications.

For the Indian passport itself, photo specifications are published by Passport Seva and have been revised over time. Before printing or uploading, check the latest instructions on passportindia.gov.in or ask at your Passport Seva Kendra or Indian mission abroad. The Crop Desk tool includes a 2 x 2 inch (51 x 51 mm) India preset for visa-style photos.

Comparing the shapes

If you only remember one thing, remember the shape:

Square: US passport, US visa, India visa.
Portrait, small: UK and much of Europe, 35 x 45 mm.
Portrait, large: Canada, 50 x 70 mm.

A photo cropped for one shape cannot be used for another by simply resizing. Stretching a square photo to 35 x 45 mm distorts the face. Always start from the original photo and crop again for the new size, keeping the head-size rule of that country.

Background colors are not the same

The US asks for white or off-white. The UK asks for cream or light grey. Canada asks for white or light colored. India visa photos generally use white or light backgrounds. A plain, evenly lit, very light background is acceptable in most cases, but read each country's wording carefully.

Printing several sizes on a 4 x 6 sheet

A standard 4 x 6 inch (10 x 15 cm) print is the cheapest way to get physical photos. With the Crop Desk tool, choose a preset and click Download 4x6 print sheet. It tiles as many copies as fit at 300 DPI:

2 x 2 inch (US, India): 6 copies
35 x 45 mm (UK): 8 copies
50 x 70 mm (Canada): 4 copies

Print at actual size, with no "fit to page" or borderless scaling, and measure one photo with a ruler before cutting.

Tips that apply everywhere

Have someone else take the photo from about 1 to 1.5 meters away at eye level.
Use soft daylight from a window in front of you, and stand away from the wall to avoid shadows.
Remove glasses, hats and headphones.
Use a recent photo. Several countries ask for photos taken within the last 6 months, and the UK asks for the last month.
Do not edit your appearance or replace the background.

Summary

US: 2 x 2 in, head 1 to 1-3/8 in. UK: 35 x 45 mm, head 29 to 34 mm. Canada: 50 x 70 mm, face 31 to 36 mm, taken by a commercial photographer. India: 2 x 2 in for visas, and check Passport Seva for the passport. Whatever you apply for, the official government page is the final word.

Crop a passport photo

Crop Desk is not affiliated with any government. Photo rules change; always confirm on the official website for your application.