Getting the head size right
Every country sets a photo size and a range for how tall the head should be, measured from the chin to the top of the hair. The guides show that range for the country you pick: the top line is where the head should start and the shaded band is where the chin should land. Move and zoom the photo until both line up and the face is centred. Fit to my face does a first pass for you when a face can be found.
Taking a photo that passes
- Stand about a metre from a plain, light wall, with soft light from in front so there are no shadows on the face or behind you.
- Look straight at the camera with a neutral expression, mouth closed and eyes open. Many countries, including the US, no longer allow glasses.
- Ask someone else to take it from eye level rather than taking a selfie at arm's length, which distorts the face.
- Keep the photo recent and unedited apart from cropping and the background. Changing your features is not allowed.
Printing at home or in a shop
The print sheet fits as many copies as possible on a 4 × 6 in or 10 × 15 cm photo, with thin marks showing where to cut. Most pharmacies and photo kiosks print that size cheaply. Print at 100% or actual size, so a 35 × 45 mm photo comes out at 35 × 45 mm. For online applications, use the single photo instead; some countries ask for a minimum pixel size, which the saved photo meets at 300 dots per inch.