Passport Photo Sizes: Schengen, US, UK and Canada Compared

Four applications, four sets of rules, and a photo that looks almost identical. A Schengen visa photo and a UK passport photo are both 35 × 45 mm, but the head size and the fine print are not always the same. A US photo is square and uses a different head measurement. Canada uses a larger print with a head range in millimetres.

The practical approach is to choose the destination first, then the size and crop. Do not take one photo and assume it will work everywhere. This guide compares the four common cases and points out where the differences actually matter.

Quick comparison

• Schengen (short-stay visa): 35 × 45 mm, head about 70–80 % of the height (roughly 32–36 mm), plain light background.
• United States: 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm), head 1–1 3/8 inches (25–35 mm) from chin to top, white or off-white background.
• United Kingdom: 35 × 45 mm, head 29–34 mm from chin to top, plain light background.
• Canada: 50 × 70 mm, head 31–36 mm from chin to top, white or light background.

These are the sizes used by OpenToola’s presets. Always confirm the current rules with the authority handling your application; a consulate can add requirements that are not in the general guidance.

Schengen: the 35 × 45 mm standard

Most Schengen countries ask for a 35 × 45 mm photo with a light background. The face should occupy 70–80 % of the photo height, which usually means a head height of about 32–36 mm from chin to top.

The photo should be recent, in colour, and printed on high-quality paper. The expression should be neutral, the mouth closed, and the eyes visible. Glasses are allowed in some countries if the eyes are clearly visible and there is no glare, but several consulates now prefer or require no glasses. Check the specific country’s checklist, not just the Schengen-wide guidance.

A Schengen visa application often asks for two photos. One is attached to the form; the other may be kept by the consulate. Keep a digital copy in case the application is transferred or a second copy is requested.

United States: square, with a different head measure

The US passport and visa photo is 2 × 2 inches, or 51 × 51 mm. The head must be between 1 and 1 3/8 inches (25–35 mm) from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. The eyes should be between 1 1/8 and 1 3/8 inches (28–35 mm) from the bottom of the photo.

The background should be white or off-white. The photo must be recent, in colour, and taken in front of a plain background. Glasses are not allowed in US passport and visa photos, with very limited exceptions; remove them.

For a digital upload, the State Department typically accepts a square JPEG between 600 × 600 and 1200 × 1200 pixels, with a file size limit that is often 240 KB for the DS-160. The exact limit can change; check the upload page before you compress. A print photo still needs to be 2 × 2 inches.

United Kingdom: similar paper, different head size

A UK passport photo is 35 × 45 mm, but the head should be 29–34 mm from chin to top, slightly smaller than the Schengen range. The background should be plain light grey, cream or white, depending on the current guidance.

The expression should be neutral, with the mouth closed and the eyes open. Glasses are generally not allowed in UK passport photos; remove them unless you have a medical exemption. Head coverings are allowed for religious or medical reasons if the face is fully visible.

Digital UK passport photos have their own pixel and file size requirements, and the online application may crop the image. Check the current GOV.UK guidance before uploading. A photo that is correct for a printed application may not meet the digital dimensions.

Canada: the largest print

A Canadian passport photo is 50 × 70 mm, with the head 31–36 mm from chin to top. The background should be white or light. The photo must be taken within the last six months.

Canadian passport applications often require one photo to be stamped and dated by the photographer on the back, with the photographer’s name and address. A home-printed photo may not satisfy that requirement, even if the dimensions are correct. Check the current instructions for the application type; some forms have different rules.

For a digital application, follow the specific pixel and file size instructions. Do not assume the print size can be uploaded directly without resizing.

Where the differences bite

The most common mistake is using a 35 × 45 mm crop for a US application because the photo “looks like a passport photo”. The US needs a square image and a different head proportion. A square crop printed at 35 × 45 mm will be rejected.

The second mistake is cropping the head too large. A close-up portrait may look better, but it can exceed the head-height range. Leave a little space above the hair and below the chin, then measure.

The third is the background. A photo taken against a cream wall may look white on a phone screen but grey on paper. Use a plain white or light background and check the colour at 100 %.

The fourth is glasses. Rules have tightened in several countries. If the current guidance says no glasses, do not rely on an old photo where the glasses were accepted.

Digital upload rules

A digital photo is not just a scanned print. Portals often require a JPEG with specific dimensions, a maximum file size and a plain background. Some crop the image automatically; others reject it if the face is not centred.

Start with a high-resolution original, crop to the required proportions, and export at the portal’s preferred size. Do not upscale a small image; it will look soft. Do not apply filters or beauty retouching. Check the file size after export; a 1200 × 1200 JPEG can be small, but a PNG of the same image may be several times larger.

If the portal rejects the photo, read the error message. “Face not centred”, “background not plain” and “image too small” are different problems. Fix the specific issue instead of trying random crops.

Children and family applications

Children need their own photo, even babies. The head-size range may be different for children, and some countries allow a smaller head proportion for infants. A photo of a baby lying on a white sheet, taken from above, is often the easiest.

For a family application, each person needs a separate photo. Do not crop one group photo into several faces; the resolution and the background will be poor. Take each photo separately with the same light and background.

Printing and checking

Print at actual size, on photo paper, and check the dimensions with a ruler. A photo printed at 98 % can be a millimetre too small. Cut carefully; a visible border or a staple can cause a rejection.

For a US photo, check the head height and the eye position with a ruler. For Schengen and the UK, check the head height range. For Canada, check whether the photographer’s stamp is required.

Keep the original image and a copy of the cropped file. If the application is rejected, you can re-crop without retaking the photo.

Using the presets without guessing

The preset only sets the canvas size. It does not know the current rules of the consulate. Use it to get the proportions and the print size, then compare the result with the official example. If the official example shows the head at 32 mm and your head is at 36 mm, adjust the crop even if the preset says the photo is the right size.

Write the destination on the file name: us-passport-2x2.jpg, schengen-visa-35x45.jpg, canada-passport-50x70.jpg. When you have several applications, this prevents sending the wrong file.

If the application is rejected

Read the reason before changing the photo. “Head too large” means recrop, not retake. “Background not plain” may require a new photo. “Image too small” means a higher-resolution original. “Glasses” means remove them and retake.

If the rejection is about the printed size, measure the print with a ruler. If it is about the digital dimensions, check the pixel count, not just the file size. A photo can be under 240 KB and still be 500 × 500 pixels, which is too small for a US upload.

Which photo for which application?

A passport application and a visa application may use different rules even for the same country. A US passport photo and a US visa photo are both 2 × 2 inches, but the upload requirements can differ. A Schengen visa photo and a Schengen residence permit photo may also differ.

Check the document type, not only the country. The consulate’s checklist is more specific than a general “passport photo” page. When in doubt, take a photo that satisfies the stricter of the two requirements and keep the original for re-cropping.

Privacy

OpenToola crops and formats the photo in the browser. The image is not uploaded and is not stored in an account. That is useful for identity documents, but it does not make a shared computer safe. Delete the downloaded files after printing or uploading, and avoid taking passport photos on a public machine.

Tools mentioned

• Passport Photo
• Resize Image
• Compress Image
• OpenToola Guides