Baby and Infant Passport Photo Rules
What the US and UK accept for an infant's passport photo: which pose rules relax for a baby, which don't, and how to take one at home without a studio.
A baby's passport photo keeps the same size and background rules as an adult's, but the pose rules relax: for an infant, eyes that are not fully open are usually accepted, the child does not have to sit up or hold an expression, and no one else, not even a supporting hand, may show in the frame. Exactly which allowances apply depends on the country, and the two most parents search for, the United States and the United Kingdom, relax different things.
The first try matters more with a baby, because you cannot ask a newborn to hold still and go again. This guide covers what the U.S. Department of State and GOV.UK each accept, how to take the photo at home, and the mistakes that get infant photos sent back. For the reasoning behind adult photos, see what makes a passport photo biometric.
Which rules relax for a baby, and which don't
The two countries relax different parts of the pose, so a photo that passes in London can still be refused in the US. The table below is drawn straight from each authority's own guidance.
| United States | United Kingdom | |
|---|---|---|
| Eyes | A baby's eyes need not be entirely open; all other children's eyes must be open | Children under 1 do not need their eyes open |
| Expression and gaze | The child must face the camera with a neutral expression | Children under 6 do not have to look at the camera or hold a plain expression |
| Position | Lay the baby on their back on a plain white or off-white sheet | Children under 1 should lie on a plain light-coloured sheet, photographed from above |
| Supporting hands | No other person in the photo; the full face must be visible and unblocked by hands | An adult may support the head, but the hand must not be visible |
| Toys and dummies | Nothing else in the frame; no objects and no shadows | Not allowed — babies must not hold toys or use dummies |
The pattern is worth reading closely. The UK relaxes both the gaze and the expression for young children; the US relaxes only the eyes for infants and still asks that the child face the camera with a neutral expression. So a sleepy, glancing-away shot that GOV.UK would take can be the exact thing a US examiner rejects.
US infant passport photo requirements
For a US passport, an infant's photo is a 2 x 2 inch (51 x 51 mm) square on a plain white or off-white background, the same size and shape as an adult's — only the pose leniency differs. The State Department says it is fine if a baby's eyes are not entirely open, while all other children must have their eyes open. The child must be the only person in the photo, so you cannot appear holding them.
To get a supported head against a plain background, lay the baby on their back on a plain white or off-white sheet and shoot from directly above, or cover a car seat with the same sheet and photograph the child in it. Watch for shadows falling across the face, which is easy to do when you lean over a baby lying down. At 300 DPI a 2 x 2 inch photo is 600 x 600 pixels; the full spec is in US passport photo requirements.
UK infant passport photo requirements
For a UK passport, GOV.UK sets out clear allowances for the youngest applicants: children under 1 do not need their eyes open, and children under 6 do not have to look at the camera or hold a plain expression. Children under 1 should lie on a plain light-coloured sheet, photographed from above. An adult may steady the head, but the hand must not be visible in the shot.
The background must be plain and light-coloured, and the child must be alone — no toys and no dummies. A digital UK photo must be at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall and between 50KB and 10MB, per GOV.UK. A printed UK photo is the standard 35 x 45 mm rectangle, which is a different shape from the US square, so one photo cannot serve both.
How to take the photo at home
You do not need a studio. A bright room, a plain sheet, and a phone are enough:
- Spread a plain white sheet on the floor or over a car seat, with no folds or pattern that could read as a shadow.
- Lay the baby on their back and photograph straight down from above, keeping the phone level so the face is not tilted or foreshortened.
- Use soft, even daylight. Do not let your own shadow, or the phone's, fall across the face.
- Keep your hands and everyone else out of the frame. If you steady the head, do it from under the sheet where the hand will not show.
- Fill the frame with the head and shoulders, then check the eyes and expression against the rules above before you stop.
Our guide on taking a passport photo at home covers lighting and framing in more detail, and the same principles apply to a baby lying down.
What gets a baby's photo rejected
- A visible hand. The most common failure with infants — a thumb or fingers steadying the head that ended up inside the frame. Support from underneath the sheet instead.
- Shadows from shooting above. Leaning over a baby drops a shadow onto the face or the sheet. Move the light source, not just the camera.
- An off-white or patterned surface. A cream blanket or a textured sheet stops being a plain background. Use a smooth, light, single-colour sheet.
- A face turned away (US). The US still wants the child facing the camera; a profile shot that the UK would accept for an under-6 is refused.
- A toy or dummy (UK). GOV.UK bans both outright, even for a newborn who will not settle without one.
These are the infant-specific versions of the broader list in why passport photos get rejected.
Crop it to the exact size
Once you have a clean shot, the last step is cutting it to the country's exact dimensions. The US Passport Photo Maker locks the crop box to the 2 x 2 inch square and exports 600 x 600 pixels; the UK Passport Photo Maker outputs the 413 x 531 pixel (35 x 45 mm) rectangle. You drag the box to centre the baby's face, and the tool resizes to those exact numbers. Both run entirely in your browser, so a photo of your child is never uploaded to a server. For any other country, start from the Passport Photo Maker hub or check passport photo size by country.
FAQ
Can my baby's eyes be closed in a passport photo?
For a US photo it is fine if a baby's eyes are not entirely open, though all other children must have their eyes open. For a UK photo, children under 1 do not need their eyes open at all. Older children in both countries must have their eyes open.
Can I hold my baby for the photo?
No. The US requires the child to be the only person in the photo, and the UK allows an adult to support the head only if the hand is not visible. The usual fix is to lay the baby on a plain sheet, or on a sheet-covered car seat, and shoot from above.
Does my baby have to look at the camera or keep a neutral expression?
In the UK, children under 6 do not have to look at the camera or hold a plain expression. In the US, the child must still face the camera with a neutral expression, so aim for a calm, forward-facing moment.
What size does a baby's passport photo need to be?
The same as an adult's in that country: 2 x 2 inches (600 x 600 pixels at 300 DPI) for the US, and 35 x 45 mm (at least 600 x 750 pixels digitally) for the UK. There is no smaller size for infants.
Can I use a dummy or a toy to keep my baby calm?
Not in the photo itself. GOV.UK states babies must not be holding toys or using dummies, and the US requires nothing else in the frame. Settle the child first, then remove the dummy for the shot.