What to Wear in a Passport Photo
Clothing rules for passport photos, straight from the US State Department, HM Passport Office and IRCC - including the uniform ban and the white-shirt trap.
For a passport photo, wear everyday clothing in a plain, mid-to-dark colour that stands out from a light background. Do not wear a uniform or camouflage for a US passport, take off hats and headphones, and keep a head covering only if you wear it for religious or medical reasons with your full face visible. Most countries do not publish a dress code at all. What they do publish is a short list of things that hide your face or blend into the backdrop, and clothing is where people trip over it.
The rules below come from the issuing authorities themselves: the US State Department's passport manual, the UK's HM Passport Office, Canada's IRCC, and the Philippines' DFA.
What colour should you wear in a passport photo?
Wear a colour that contrasts with a white or light background, which in practice means a mid-tone or dark top. The US accepts a plain white, off-white or light-coloured background, the UK asks for a plain light-coloured one, and Canada asks for white or light-coloured. A white shirt against that backdrop leaves your shoulders with no edge.
Canada is the one authority that says this outright. IRCC's passport photo page tells applicants to avoid light-coloured clothing because it can blend into the background and get the photo rejected. The UK's photo rules name no clothing at all, but they do require you to be in clear contrast to the background, which a white top against a cream wall can fail for the same reason.
For the background side of the same problem, see passport photo background colour rules.
Can you wear a uniform or camouflage?
Not in a US passport photo. The State Department's own adjudication manual, 8 FAM 402.1-4, says photos showing a US Uniformed Services uniform, or military or law-enforcement-style clothing (which usually includes camouflage), are not acceptable for a regular passport book or card. The stated reason is protection: a uniform could mark the bearer as a target for people hostile to the military or police.
The manual lists three reasonable exceptions:
- children aged 15 and younger;
- a civilian uniform that helps identification, such as an airline pilot who will travel abroad in it;
- a pattern that cannot be read as military, such as a camouflage headband or bib, or a whimsical camouflage made of elephants.
One detail worth knowing before you lean on that last exception: the manual notes the current passport prints the photo in black and white, so a pink camouflage that is obviously playful in colour may not look that way on the document. Ordinary clothing removes the question.
Can you wear a hat, scarf or head covering?
Only for religious or medical reasons, and your whole face must stay visible. All three authorities agree on that much.
- United States. Hats, wide headbands, scarves, bows, turbans and large skullcaps are prohibited unless worn for medical or religious purposes. A religious covering must be tied to a sincerely held belief and worn continuously in public; a medical one includes hair loss from treatment. Either must not hide any part of the face, even by shadow, and must be one uniform colour with no pattern and no visible perforations. In unclear cases you may be asked for a signed statement.
- United Kingdom. No head covering unless it is for religious or medical reasons, and no hair in front of your eyes.
- Canada. Hats and head coverings worn daily for religious beliefs or medical reasons are accepted if your full face is clearly visible and the covering casts no shadow on it. Anything else comes off.
The US pattern rule is the one people miss: a printed or lace-edged religious scarf can still be refused even though wearing a scarf is allowed. A plain, solid-colour covering avoids it.
Jewellery, hair clips, headphones and tattoos
The US manual is the most detailed source here. Flat hair clips, bobby pins and thin headbands are fine if they lie flat and hide nothing. Facial piercings and hearing devices may be worn as long as they do not cover the face. Headphones and Bluetooth earpieces may not. Tattoos do not need to be covered, because they are permanent and help identify you.
Other countries can be stricter. The Philippines' DFA, which captures the photo at your appointment, requires a top with a collar and sleeves and does not allow earrings or necklaces during capture; its photo guidelines and the Philippines passport photo guide cover the rest. Glasses follow their own country-by-country rules, set out in smiling and glasses in passport photos.
Rules by country at a glance
| Authority | Clothing | Head coverings |
|---|---|---|
| US State Department | No uniforms or military/police-style clothing, including camouflage (limited exceptions) | Religious or medical only; face fully visible; plain, one colour |
| UK HM Passport Office | No clothing rule; you must be in clear contrast to the background | Religious or medical only |
| Canada IRCC | Avoid light-coloured clothing | Worn daily for religious or medical reasons; full face visible, no shadows |
| Philippines DFA | Collar and sleeves; no sleeveless or collarless tops | No caps or headgear |
For any other country, check its own passport authority's photo page. Most of the world shares the 35 x 45 mm size, but dress rules are set locally.
After the shot: sizing it
Clothing is fixed when you press the shutter, so get it right then. If the top is wrong, reshoot rather than edit, since digitally altered photos are one of the ways passport photos get rejected. Once you have a good shot, start from your country's page to crop and size it: the US passport photo maker outputs 600 x 600 pixels, the UK one 413 x 531, and the Canada one 600 x 840. You drag the crop box to position your head, and the whole job runs in your browser with nothing uploaded. These tools crop and resize only. They do not change your clothing or the background, so neither can fix a white shirt on a white wall. Other countries are on the Passport Photo Maker hub, and taking a passport photo at home covers the lighting and setup.
FAQ
Can I wear a white shirt in a passport photo?
It is risky. Canada's IRCC warns that light-coloured clothing can blend into the background and lead to a rejection, and the UK requires clear contrast with the background. A mid-tone or dark top is the safe choice.
Can I wear my military uniform in a US passport photo?
No, not for a regular passport book or card. The State Department's manual bars US Uniformed Services uniforms and military or law-enforcement-style clothing, including camouflage, with narrow exceptions such as children 15 and under.
Can I wear a hijab, turban or other religious head covering?
Yes, in the US, UK and Canada, if it is worn for religious reasons and your full face is visible. The US also requires the covering to be one uniform colour with no pattern, and may ask for a signed statement if it is unclear.
Do I have to remove earrings or piercings?
Not for a US passport, as long as they do not hide your face. The Philippines does not allow earrings or necklaces during its on-site capture, so check your own country's rules.
Do I need to cover my tattoos?
Not for a US passport. The State Department's manual says tattoos do not need to be covered with clothing or makeup, because they help identify you.