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Passport Photo Rules by Country: Smiling, Glasses, Background Colour and Head Coverings

By Ayush Patnaik, founder of AccioPix

Published October 24, 2026 · 13 min read

Can you smile in a passport photo? You can on a US passport, but only with your mouth shut. The UK, Canada, Australia, Germany and France ask for a neutral face. India expects a natural look with no grin. Glasses must come off almost everywhere. The right background colour changes at each border.

Below are the rules people get rejected for. They come from each government's own page on 24 October 2026: expression, glasses, background, head coverings, shadows, retouching, hair and babies. Dimensions are a different matter. Find them for every country in the passport photo size guide.

The smile rule, country by country

Out of the seven countries here, only the US allows a smile. The State Department's photo page says: "You can smile in your photo. Just make sure your eyes are open and your mouth is closed." It also tells you to avoid "exaggerated facial expressions". A smile with your mouth shut passes. If the lips part, it does not.

Everywhere else the answer is no. GOV.UK asks for "a plain expression and your mouth closed". Canada says a neutral expression means you're not smiling or frowning, and adds that "The International Civil Aviation Organization recommends that passport photos show a neutral expression". The Australian Passport Office wants a neutral face from anyone over 3 years old. Germany's Interior Ministry photo sample sheet (July 2025) asks for a neutral face with the mouth closed, and shows laughing as a reason for rejection. France asks for the same.

India sits in between. The Passport Seva guideline for ICAO-compliant photos asks for a natural expression with the mouth not open. The application instruction booklet adds: no grinning, frowning or raised eyebrows.

There is a practical reason for this strictness. The Australian page explains: "Many countries, including Australia, use biometric technology to match your face against the image on your passport."

Babies and young children

The rules soften for babies and young children. Each country eases them in its own way.

• United States: a baby does not need fully open eyes, but an older child does. The child must keep a neutral face, so the adult allowance for smiling does not apply. No one else may appear in the photo. No hand or dummy may hide the face. Lay the child on a plain white or off-white sheet, or drape one over a car seat.
• United Kingdom: children under 6 do not have to look straight at the camera. They do not need to keep a plain expression. Under one, the eyes can be closed. You can hold the head with your hand, but your hand must not show. Leave out toys and dummies.
• Canada: newborns can show different expressions. A car seat works if a white blanket covers it behind the head, and no hands may show.
• Australia: children under 3 can have an open mouth. No one else can be seen.
• Germany: according to the Federal Foreign Office sample sheet, children aged 5 and under do not need to hold a neutral face or look at the camera. Babies under one do not have to keep their eyes open.
• India: the booklet says you do not need a photograph when applying at a Passport Seva Kendra or a Post Office Passport Seva Kendra. A print is needed only at a District Passport Cell, a Speed Post centre or a Citizen Service Centre.

Passport photo rules by country, side by side

Passport photo rules by country vary most on five points: expression, glasses, background, head coverings and editing. The table summarises each government's rule. Links appear in the sections below. The full list is at the end.

Each country has its own page for photo size, head height, and upload limits. That page opens the tool set to that passport: United States, United Kingdom, India, Canada, Germany, France and Australia. Member states issue passports in the EU, so the rules stay national. A Schengen visa photo follows the consulate you apply to. The German Schengen visa preset is one example, and the visa photo maker handles the rest.

Passport photo with glasses: off, with three exceptions

Four of these seven countries will reject a passport photo with glasses: the US, the UK, India and Australia. The US page tells you to "Take off any eyeglasses, sunglasses, or tinted glasses", and forbids resting them on your head. If you cannot take them off for medical reasons, send a signed note from your doctor. Australia goes further: "Vision impairment alone is not an acceptable reason to wear glasses in your photo." For a medical exemption there, you need a medical certificate or a B-11 form.

In the UK, the rule is "Do not wear glasses in your photo unless you have to do so." If you must wear them, the lenses cannot be tinted. The frames, glare, reflections, and shadows must stay clear of your eyes. India's 2025 Passport Seva guideline says glasses are "to be taken off to avoid reflections". The older application booklet suggested tilting the head slightly to kill glare instead. The newer guideline is the one to follow.

Canada, Germany and France are exceptions. Canada permits glasses if your eyes show clearly and no glare hits the lenses. It rejects sunglasses and tinted glasses, prescription or not. Germany's sample sheet turns away frames across the eyes, lenses that are too dark, and reflections. France makes glasses optional. If you wear them, the frame must be thin and cannot hide the eyes. The lenses must be clear, without reflections.

Passport photo background colour: white is not universal

Passport photo background colour varies the most from country to country. The US asks for white or off-white, "free of shadows, and plain without texture, objects, or lines". If you do not have a white wall, the State Department suggests hanging a white sheet or blanket and standing several feet in front. India's guideline says plainly that the background should be white. Its booklet asks for a dark dress against it.

The UK divides its rule into two. Printed photos take a plain cream or light grey background. Digital photos for an online application require a plain light-coloured backdrop, and you must be "in clear contrast to the background". Canada accepts plain white or light-coloured backdrops. It notes that light clothes can blend into them and get the photo rejected. Australia asks for plain white or light grey that contrasts with your face.

Germany favours grey. The sheet from the Federal Foreign Office calls for one bright colour, ideally neutral grey. It wants medium grey behind light hair and light grey behind dark hair. France is the trap for anyone who thinks white is safe. Its official page says the background must be plain and light, and gives light blue or light grey as examples. It states: "Le fond blanc est interdit." White is forbidden.

Head coverings, hair and shadows

Almost every country here permits head coverings for religious reasons, so long as the whole face shows. India and Germany require the face to be visible from the chin to the forehead, with both side edges in view. The US accepts medical reasons as well. It requires a signed statement that the covering is religious attire worn daily in public, or a doctor's statement for a medical case. The fabric must be one colour, free from patterns or small holes. Australia also insists on plain cloth, "without patterns (even small patterns)". France is the exception. Its page states that the head must be bare, with no hat, scarf or headband, and lists no exception.

In every country here, hair cannot cover the eyes. In several, it must stay off the face as well. Canada and Australia both want the edges of the face visible. France accepts a fringe if it leaves the eyes clear, but wants the ears uncovered. India's booklet asks for both ears visible too. The US lets hair run past the edges of the photo, as long as the whole head shows.

Each of these pages forbids shadows. The UK will not accept shadows "on your face or behind you". Canada calls out shadows around the ears, on the background, and across the face or shoulders. The US warns that overhead lights, or lights set too far to the side, cast shadows across the face. India asks for even light with no flash reflections or red eye. A light in front of you and a wall a few feet behind you usually takes care of it.

The rules differ for small items. The US forbids uniforms, camouflage, and headphones. It allows jewellery and piercings if they do not cover the face. Australia allows a hearing aid, but you must take out wireless earbuds. Germany's Federal Foreign Office sheet says no bit of a uniform may show.

Retouching, filters and background swaps

Every country here that mentions retouching forbids it. The US warns: "Do not change your photo using computer software, phone apps or filters. We check all photos to ensure they were not digitally enhanced or altered." Both the UK and India demand photos "unaltered by computer software". Australia excludes "any retouching, such as removing moles, wrinkles or scars". Germany's sample sheet rules out retouching and soft-focus filters.

Canada provides the longest list. Its page bars "photo editing software, filters, and AI tools". Its definition of an altered photo includes changes to colour, brightness, contrast, or sharpness, fixing glare or red eye, and "changing the background, including removing shadows". Its example is plain: "cutting and pasting your image against a white background". The US lists this same case among its unacceptable examples, where a retouching tool cut away the backdrop. It also turns down a photo made from an earlier one with digital technology.

This holds for every tool that replaces the background, ours included. For a US or Canadian passport, the safe choice is a real white wall and an unedited shot. Phone portrait modes and beauty filters are edits as well.

Five ways a good photo still gets rejected

Rejected photos are common. The State Department notes this on its page: "Unacceptable photos are the number one reason why we put passport applications on hold." Here are five mistakes that are easy to avoid.

1. Using an old photo. In the UK, your photo must be from the last month. The US, Canada and Australia allow 6 months. France asks for less than 6 months. A shot from last year's visa is too old almost everywhere.
2. Leaving the glasses on. Even where glasses are allowed, glare on the lenses fails the picture. Take them off, unless you are applying to Canada, Germany or France and the lenses are clear.
3. Choosing the wrong shade of background. White works for the US and India. France rejects it. A UK print needs cream or light grey. Check the country before you book a booth.
4. Standing against the wall. When you stand near the wall, your head casts a shadow behind you. Walk a few feet forward, as the US page advises. Light your face from the front.
5. Shooting in portrait or beauty mode. Blurred backgrounds, smoothed skin, and filters count as edits. Australia lists skin smoothing in its examples of unacceptable photos. The US checks each picture for digital changes.

The passport photo maker: who it suits, and who should skip it

The passport photo maker is a free tool. It crops your picture to one country's rules and checks it before you download. Choose the country and the document. Add a front-facing photo. The tool measures the head and eye line against that document's ranges. It runs inside your browser, so the photo is never uploaded.

The checklist looks at head height, eye line, centring, and tilt. It straightens a small tilt for you. It checks whether you face the camera, keep your eyes open, and hold a neutral expression. It also checks the top of the head, resolution, and sharpness. A smile or an open mouth triggers a warning. It sets the background to the document's colour. You get a JPG, a print sheet on 4×6 in, 5×7 in, A4 or US Letter paper, or the exact file an online form asks for. It does not check for glasses, shadows on the face, head coverings, or hair across the face. You have to get those right before you take the photo.

Who it suits:

• Online visa and ID forms that demand an upload with exact pixel dimensions under a file-size limit.
• A check before you pay for prints: head size, eye line, tilt, expression, and focus, tested against the country you chose.
• Prints made at a photo lab from a sheet of duplicates, if the country allows a picture you shot yourself.

Who should skip it:

• US and Canadian passports. Both governments view a swapped background as an alteration. The maker replaces the background. Use a real white wall and keep the photo untouched.
• Canadian paper applications, where a commercial photographer or studio must take the photo in person. The studio's name, address and the date go on the back.
• Australian passports. The Passport Office advises against "an online passport photo service or a mobile app". It asks for dye-sublimation prints on glossy paper of at least 200 gsm.
• Indian passports applied for at a Passport Seva Kendra, where you don't need a photo.

The tool page gives the same warning. It offers no guarantee of acceptance. The official page is the authority. Studios that take ID photos at the counter work from these same tables every day. If you also shoot weddings and events, AccioPix handles delivery. Upload the event once. Each guest finds their own photos with a selfie on WhatsApp, at ₹0.20 a photo (see pricing). The page on AccioPix for photographers shows how your name travels with the album.

Frequently asked questions

Can you smile in a passport photo?

Only for a US passport. The State Department allows a smile if your eyes are open and your mouth stays shut. The UK, Canada, Australia, Germany and France all want a neutral expression with a closed mouth. India asks for a natural expression with no grin. Most of these countries make exceptions for young children.

Can you wear glasses in a passport photo?

Usually, you cannot. The US, Australia and India tell you to remove glasses. The UK allows them only if you must wear them. The US and Australia make an exception for medical reasons, backed by paperwork. Canada, Germany and France take normal glasses if your eyes are fully visible, the frames do not cover them, and the lenses show no tint or glare.

What background colour does a passport photo need?

The rules depend on the country. The US takes white or off-white. India asks for white. For printed photos, the UK needs cream or light grey. For digital photos, it asks for a plain light-coloured background. Canada accepts white or light-coloured. Australia allows white or light grey. Germany prefers a neutral grey. France bans white altogether.

Can you wear a head covering in a passport photo?

Yes, in most of these countries, for religious or medical needs. Your face must still be clear from the chin to the forehead. Both edges must be visible, without shadows. The US asks for a signed statement. The US and Australia want a plain covering with no pattern. France's official page says the head must be bare.

Can a passport photo be edited or retouched?

No. The US, UK, India, Canada, Germany and Australia all ask for an original, untouched photo. The US forbids software, phone apps and filters. Canada treats AI tools and background swaps as alterations. Australia turns down retouching like wiping out moles, wrinkles or scars. If the light or the background is bad, take the picture again.

What are the US passport photo requirements?

Provide one colour photo measuring 2 by 2 inches, taken in the last 6 months. The distance from chin to crown must be 1 to 1 3/8 inches. Look straight at the camera with eyes open. Keep a neutral face or a closed-mouth smile. The background must be plain white or off-white. No headphones, uniforms or filters. Remove hats and glasses unless a signed note covers a medical or religious reason.

References

• Australian Passport Office, Passport photos. Read 24 October 2026.
• Bundesministerium des Innern, Fotomustertafel: Qualitätsmerkmale biometrischer Fotos für Dokumente, July 2025, article BMI24037. Read 24 October 2026.
• Federal Foreign Office (Auswärtiges Amt), Sample photos. Read 24 October 2026.
• GOV.UK, Get a passport photo: digital photos and printed photos. Read 24 October 2026.
• Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, Passport photo requirements, page dated 23 September 2026. Read 24 October 2026.
• Ministry of External Affairs, Passport Seva, Guidelines for ICAO compliant photographs for passport applications. Read 24 October 2026.
• Ministry of External Affairs, Passport Seva, Instruction booklet for passport application form, V3.0, Table 1. Read 24 October 2026.
• Service Public (DILA), Quelle photo fournir pour un titre d'identité (passeport, carte d'identité...) ?, verified 8 October 2026. Read 24 October 2026.
• U.S. Department of State, Passport photos, last updated 24 March 2026. Read 24 October 2026.