UK visa photo requirements for online applications

The official rules

GOV.UK: at least 600×750 pixels, JPG, 50 KB to 6 MB; plain light-coloured background; head, shoulders and upper body visible; plain expression with mouth closed and eyes open; avoid glasses (never sunglasses or tinted lenses, and frames or glare must not cover the eyes); no head covering unless for religious or medical reasons.

The photo can be taken on a phone or tablet but must not be altered by computer software or filters, and must not be mirrored or flipped.

Children and babies

Children under 6 do not need to look straight at the camera or have a neutral expression. Babies under 1 do not need their eyes open; you can support the head, but your hand must not be visible. Lay a baby on a light-coloured sheet and photograph from above; no toys or dummies in the photo.

Making one

GOV.UK gives no exact head-size number, so pixtidy frames the head and shoulders with the head at 40–55% of the photo height, checks background, lighting and focus, and exports a JPG inside the 50 KB–6 MB window.

UK ETA photos follow the same rules

Visitors who need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) rather than a visa — usually people from Europe, the USA, Australia or Canada — upload a photo of their face when they apply online. GOV.UK says it must follow the same rules for digital photos of faces; on the UK ETA app you scan your face with the phone camera instead.