Photo standards: caseworker guidance
Tells HM Passport Office staff about the quality, style and appearance required of passport photographs.
Documents
Details
This guidance tells HM Passport Office staff about the quality, style and appearance required of passport photographs in order to meet the standard set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and in what cases exceptions may be made.
Updates to this page
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Guidance has been updated in the following sections: DAP examiner: resolving a basic photo scanning issue, DAP examiner: no photo standards task, bars on photos, eyes: looking at the camera, adding a photo to an application, mirror images.
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Details of the updates can be found in the 'Changes from last version of this guidance' within the document.
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A list of updates is in the 'changes from last version of this guidance' section.
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Updated the guidance to version 36.0.
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Guidance updated as detailed on page 5.
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Updates to the guidance.
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Accessible version added.
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Updated document with minor formatting changes throughout.
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First published.
Update history
2025-12-18 16:47
Guidance has been updated in the following sections: DAP examiner: resolving a basic photo scanning issue, DAP examiner: no photo standards task, bars on photos, eyes: looking at the camera, adding a photo to an application, mirror images.
2025-09-30 16:26
Details of the updates can be found in the ‘Changes from last version of this guidance’ within the document.
2025-07-24 15:02
A list of updates is in the ‘changes from last version of this guidance’ section.
2025-03-25 14:08
Updated the guidance to version 36.0.
2024-03-27 08:43
Guidance updated as detailed on page 5.
2022-10-25 10:13
Updates to the guidance.
2022-09-29 15:53
Accessible version added.