Digital Passport Photos — Sizes & Rules for Online Applications
More and more countries let you renew or apply online with a digital photo. The rules are different from print: specific pixel counts, file size limits, and "no editing" policies. Here's what the main countries require — and how to produce a compliant file free, in your browser.
Quick comparison
| Country | Digital format | Pixels | File size | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US (online renewal) | JPEG | 600×600 – 1200×1200 | up to 10 MB | Square; head 25–35 mm equivalent; no glasses |
| UK (online) | JPEG-type | min 600×750 | 50 KB – 10 MB | Unaltered, taken within last month; don't crop — the portal crops |
| Canada (online renewal) | JPEG | 1200×1800 – 3000×4500 (3:2 portrait) | 200 KB – 5 MB | Chin-to-crown 45–50% of height; must be straight from the camera, not scanned |
| Australia | varies by portal | print-quality scan/photo | — | Requirements are defined for prints and refined by the portal |
| Schengen / EU visas | usually print | 35×45 mm | — | Most consulates want a physical photo; some portals accept the same spec digitally |
The universal digital rules
- No editing beyond cropping/positioning. Filters, AI retouching, background removal: banned by Canada, Australia, the US, and others. Cropping and sizing (what our tool does) is accepted — altering your appearance is not.
- Colour, recent, original. Taken recently (1–6 months depending on country) and exported from the original capture — not a scan of a printed photo.
- Watch the aspect ratio. A US square photo will not fit a UK/Japan 35×45 slot. Always start from the right format.
- Keep file size inside the limits. Portals reject oversized or undersized files; use our compress tool if a portal caps at, say, 200 KB.
How to make your digital photo (free)
- Take a straight-on photo against a plain light background — see how to take a passport photo at home.
- Open the maker and pick your country. The tool: - fits your head to the official guide, - exports the exact pixel sizes listed above, - shows the estimated file size before you download.
- Upload the file your portal asks for. If it's too big, run it through the compress-to-KB tool.
Why "in-browser" matters for your digital photo
A passport photo is a core identity document. When a site processes it "in the cloud", your face is uploaded to a server. On this site, nothing is uploaded — the photo is processed by your own device, which is both safer for you and simpler to trust. You can even disconnect from the internet after the page loads and the tools keep working.
Ready to make your photo? Use the free in-browser maker — nothing is uploaded.