Passport and ID photo sizes, and how to print them at home

A document photo is the one picture where centimetres matter more than pixels. Here are the common sizes, the usual rules, and how to print them correctly.

Updated October 9, 2026 · 4 min read

Document photos are rejected more often than people expect, and almost always for the same few reasons: wrong size, head too small or too large, a busy background, or a photo that was printed at the wrong scale. All of these can be avoided at home.

The most common sizes

35 × 45 mm — the most widespread format: Schengen visas, passports in the United Kingdom and most of the European Union, and many other countries that follow the international (ICAO) standard.
2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm) — United States passports and visas.
3 × 4 cm — the classic Brazilian format, still requested for many documents, enrolments and registration forms.
26 × 32 mm — Spanish national identity card (DNI) and other Spanish documents.

Requirements change and differ by document, so always confirm the size on the website of the authority issuing it. Some documents — including several passports — no longer accept printed photos at all, because the photo is taken at the counter.

Rules almost every authority applies

Head size. The face should fill most of the height. For the 35 × 45 mm format, the distance from chin to crown is usually around 32–36 mm; for the US format, between 1 and 1⅜ inches (25–35 mm).
Plain, light background — white, off-white or light grey, with no shadows or patterns.
Looking straight at the camera with a neutral expression and the mouth closed.
Even lighting, with no shadows across the face and no flash glare.
No glasses for US passports, and increasingly elsewhere; no hats unless worn for religious reasons.
Recent — typically taken within the last six months.

Taking the photo at home

Stand about half a metre in front of a plain light wall, facing a window so daylight falls evenly on your face.
Ask someone to take the photo from about 1.5 metres away, with the camera at your eye level. Shooting from too close distorts the face.
Do not use portrait mode or beauty filters: authorities reject edited faces.
Take several shots and pick the sharpest one with both eyes clearly open.

Getting the size right: why pixels are not enough

A document photo only works if it comes out at the right physical size. A file of “1080 pixels wide” says nothing about how large it will be on paper. What matters is the size in millimetres combined with the printing resolution: a 3 × 4 cm photo at 300 DPI, for example, is exactly 354 × 472 pixels.

The safest way to print is a full sheet with several copies already placed at the exact size, with cut marks. Print it at 100% scale — “fit to page” in the print dialog will silently shrink or enlarge every photo. A 10 × 15 cm sheet can be printed at any photo shop for very little; an A4 sheet works on a home printer, ideally on photo paper.

Before you print

Measure one copy with a ruler after printing. If it is off by more than a millimetre, check the scale setting.
Make sure the background has no visible edges or shadows behind the head.
Check the requirements one more time on the official website — especially for visas, which are the strictest.

Make a document photo at the exact size

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Frequently asked questions

Can I take my document photo with a phone?

Yes, for most documents that accept a printed or uploaded photo. Use the main camera rather than the selfie camera, from about 1.5 metres away, in daylight, with portrait mode and filters switched off.

Should I smile?

Most authorities ask for a neutral expression with the mouth closed. A slight natural expression is usually fine; a broad smile is a common reason for rejection.

What paper should I print on?

Photo paper gives the most durable result. At a photo shop, ask for a standard 10 × 15 cm print of a sheet with several copies: it is cheaper than buying a pack of ID photos.

Can I upload the photo instead of printing it?

Many online applications ask for a digital file with minimum pixel dimensions and a maximum file size. Check those numbers on the application page and export the photo accordingly.