Passport Photo Size in Pixels
A passport photo has a pixel size only when a passport office takes a digital upload and publishes one. Here are those numbers, each from the government that sets it, and how print sizes convert.
A passport photo size in pixels exists only where a passport office accepts a digital upload and publishes one: the UK online application wants at least 600 x 750 pixels, Ireland's Passport Online at least 715 x 951, India's online application 630 x 810, and Canada's online renewal between 1,200 x 1,800 and 3,000 x 4,500. A printed passport photo is specified in millimetres or inches instead, so its pixel count depends on the print resolution. At 300 DPI, a 35 x 45 mm photo is 413 x 531 pixels.
So the first question is how you are applying. If you are printing, start from the millimetre size in passport photo size by country and convert it. If you are uploading, use the pixel figure your passport office publishes, which is often larger than the print conversion.
Passport photo pixel sizes set by passport offices
These are the digital specs we could trace to the issuing government itself. Each is worded differently: the UK and Ireland set a minimum, India gives a target size, and Canada sets a range with a floor and a ceiling.
| Country | Pixel size (width x height) | File | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (online) | At least 600 x 750 | 50 KB to 10 MB, in colour | GOV.UK |
| Ireland (Passport Online) | At least 715 x 951 | JPEG, up to 9 MB | Department of Foreign Affairs |
| India (online, per the ICAO photo guidelines circulated by Indian missions) | 630 x 810 | Up to 250 KB | High Commission of India, Wellington |
| Canada (online renewal) | 1,200 x 1,800 up to 3,000 x 4,500, in a 3:2 portrait shape | JPEG, 200 KB to 5 MB | Government of Canada |
The four are also different shapes. 600 x 750 is 4:5, 630 x 810 is 7:9, 715 x 951 is close to 3:4, and Canada's 3:2 portrait frame is the tallest of them. A file cropped for one does not automatically fit another, which is the same lesson the country guides teach for prints: UK, Ireland, India and Canada each cover their full rules. For a US renewal filed online, US passport renewal photo requirements covers what the State Department asks for.
How to convert a printed passport photo size to pixels
To convert a print size to pixels, divide the millimetres by 25.4 to get inches, then multiply by the print resolution in dots per inch: pixels = mm / 25.4 x DPI. A 35 x 45 mm photo at 300 DPI is 1.378 x 1.772 inches, which rounds to 413 x 531 pixels.
The results below are arithmetic, not official pixel specs. The print sizes come from each government; the pixel columns are what those sizes come to at two common print resolutions.
| Printed size | Used for | At 300 DPI | At 600 DPI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 x 45 mm | UK printed photo (GOV.UK) and many other countries | 413 x 531 px | 827 x 1,063 px |
| 2 x 2 in | US printed photo (U.S. Department of State) | 600 x 600 px | 1,200 x 1,200 px |
| 50 x 70 mm | Canada printed photo (Government of Canada) | 591 x 827 px | 1,181 x 1,654 px |
Both columns print at the same physical size. A 413 x 531 file and an 827 x 1,063 file each come out at 35 x 45 mm; the second simply packs twice as many dots into every inch. That is why a print size never fixes one pixel count, and why the DPI number saved inside a file changes nothing about its pixels. What is DPI and PPI vs DPI go further into the difference, and how to print passport photos covers getting the size right on paper.
Why a print-size file can fail an online upload
The 300 DPI conversion of a print size is usually smaller than the digital minimum. A 35 x 45 mm photo at 300 DPI is 413 x 531 pixels, below Ireland's 715 x 951 minimum and short of India's 630 x 810. A file made for printing can be too small for an upload even though it prints correctly.
Some online routes also limit where the photo can come from. GOV.UK offers two routes: a photo booth or shop that gives you a code to enter in the application, or a photo taken on your own device during the application with someone helping you. It also says not to crop the photo, because that is done for you. Canada's online renewal photo must be taken in person by a commercial photographer and must not be altered, so it is not a file you can make yourself at all. Read your own office's rules on the source of the photo before you resize anything.
Making a photo at an exact pixel size in your browser
Where a babapic page matches your spec, it does the crop and resize in one step. The Indian Passport Photo Maker outputs a 630 x 810 JPEG and compresses it to stay under the 250 KB cap. For prints, the country pages output the 300 DPI figures above: the standard 35 x 45 mm page and the UK page give 413 x 531, and the US page gives 600 x 600. The full list is on the Passport Photo Maker hub.
For any other pixel figure, two tools cover it. Skip them for the UK and Canada online routes: GOV.UK crops the photo itself, and Canada does not accept an altered file.
- Crop to the shape. In Crop Image, leave the ratio on Free and type a width and height in pixels that keep the proportion you need, such as 700 by 900 (7:9) for a 630 x 810 target. The box can also be dragged into place over your face.
- Resize to the exact pixels. In Resize Image, untick Lock aspect ratio and type both numbers. While the lock is ticked, typing one dimension rewrites the other to match your photo's proportions; unticked, both are used as typed. A JPG comes back as a JPG.
Crop first, so the resize does not stretch your face. Both tools run on your device, and the photo is never uploaded.
FAQ
What is the passport photo size in pixels?
It depends on the country and on whether you upload or print. Online, the UK asks for at least 600 x 750 pixels, Ireland at least 715 x 951, India 630 x 810, and Canada's renewal 1,200 x 1,800 to 3,000 x 4,500. A printed 35 x 45 mm photo is 413 x 531 pixels at 300 DPI.
How many pixels is 35 x 45 mm?
413 x 531 pixels at 300 DPI, or 827 x 1,063 at 600 DPI. The pixel count follows from the print resolution you choose, so there is no single answer without one.
Is 600 x 600 pixels a passport photo size?
It is what a 2 x 2 inch US print comes to at 300 DPI. It is a square, so it does not fit a 35 x 45 mm rectangle or any of the online specs in the first table.
Can a passport photo have too many pixels?
Yes, where a ceiling is set. Canada caps the online renewal photo at 3,000 x 4,500 pixels and 5 MB, and India caps the file at 250 KB. Check both ends of your office's range, not just the minimum.