How to Make a Passport Photo at Home (Free, 2026)
Step-by-step guide, no design skills required
Passport photos used to require a trip to a photo studio and a $15 fee. In 2026 you can take a compliant passport photo at home with a phone camera, a plain wall, and BGRemover's passport template. This guide covers the full workflow — from the source photo to a print-ready file at the correct size, head height, and background colour for your country.
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Passport photos used to require a trip to a photo studio, a $15 fee, and a 30-minute wait. In 2026, you can produce a compliant passport photo at home with a phone camera, a plain wall, and BGRemover's passport template. This guide covers the full workflow: from the source shot to a print-ready file at the correct size, head height, and background colour for the US, UK, Schengen, China, India, Canada, and Australia.
Country-by-country requirements
Every country has slightly different specs for the photo. The US, UK, Schengen, China, and India require a white background. Canada and Australia accept a light grey. Some Schengen visa applications require a specific shade of blue. The head height (measured from chin to top of the head) must be 70–80% of the frame. The print size is 2x2 inch (51x51 mm) for the US, 35x45 mm for most other countries. BGRemover's passport template applies the correct settings automatically based on the country you select.
Glasses are the #1 reason passport photos get rejected in 2026. The US, UK, Schengen, Canada, and Australia all banned glasses in passport photos between 2016 and 2022. Take them off before the shot — adding them back digitally is not allowed and the photo will be flagged by the auto-check.
Printing tips
Print on matte photo paper, not glossy — glossy paper produces glare that triggers rejections on the auto-check. Most home printers default to 300 DPI for photo paper; if in doubt, export the BGRemover file at 600x600 px (for 2x2 inch) and check the print preview. If your home printer cannot handle the small size, save the file to a USB stick and use a photo printing service — most will print 4x6 sheets with 2-4 passport photos per sheet.
Continue with these guides
Passport Photo Size Chart (2026)
Every country's spec on one page — size, head height, background.
How to Create a Transparent PNG
When you need a transparent signature or stamp alongside the photo.
How to Add a White Background to Any Photo
If your source photo has a coloured background, this is how to swap it.
Step-by-step
Set up the shot
Stand or sit against a plain white or off-white wall. The lighting should be even — use a window as a soft light source, or two lamps at 45° to either side of the camera. Avoid overhead lighting (it casts shadows under the eyes) and avoid backlighting (it puts a halo around the head). The camera should be at eye level, about 1.5 m (5 feet) away. Mount the phone on a tripod or stack of books to keep it stable.
Take the photo
Look directly at the camera with a neutral expression. Eyes open, mouth closed, no smile. Glasses off for most countries (US, UK, Schengen, Canada, Australia). Hair off the face so the forehead and ears are visible. Take 5–10 shots and pick the sharpest one. The photo should be at least 1500x1500 px — most modern phones deliver this easily.
Remove the background with BGRemover
Upload the photo to the BGRemover workspace and use the passport template. The template automatically removes the background and replaces it with the correct colour (white for US, UK, Schengen, China, India; light grey for Canada, Australia; specific blue for some Schengen visa applications). The template also crops the image to the correct aspect ratio and checks the head height.
Verify the size and head height
Open the export and check two things: the image dimensions (e.g., 600x600 px for a 2x2 inch photo at 300 DPI) and the head height (70–80% of the frame, measured from the chin to the top of the head). BGRemover's passport template handles both automatically. If the head is too small or too large, re-shoot with a tighter crop or move the camera further away.
Print at 300 DPI
Export the final image as a high-resolution JPG or PNG. Print on matte photo paper (glossy paper can cause glare that triggers rejections). The print size is 2x2 inch (51x51 mm) for US passports, 35x45 mm for most other countries. Most home printers can handle this size; if not, save the file to a USB stick and use a photo printing service.
Common questions
Quick answers about this workflow
Can I take a passport photo with my phone?
Yes. Most modern phones have at least a 12 MP camera, which is more than enough for a compliant passport photo. The key requirements are even lighting, a plain background, and a stable camera position (use a tripod or stack of books).
What if my head is the wrong size in the frame?
BGRemover's passport template enforces the head-height rule (70–80% of the frame) automatically. If the head is still wrong after the template, re-shoot with the camera closer (for a larger head) or further away (for a smaller head).
Do I need to print the photo at a specific DPI?
Yes — 300 DPI is the standard for passport photos. Lower DPI prints will look pixelated and may be rejected. Most home printers default to 300 DPI for photo paper; if in doubt, export the BGRemover file at 600x600 px (for 2x2 inch) and check the print preview before printing.
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