Residence Permit Photo — United Kingdom Requirements

Photo Dimensions

Size: 35 × 45 mm

Digital File Specifications

Minimum width: 600 px

Minimum file size: 50 KB

Maximum file size: 10240 KB

Tips for Getting the Right Size

• Use idpic.app to automatically crop and resize your photo to the exact required dimensions — no manual calculation needed.
• Keep your face centred in the frame with your head fully visible from crown to chin.
• When printing, ensure you print at 100% scale (not "fit to page") to preserve the correct dimensions.
• Your face should fill the correct proportion of the photo. idpic.app shows a face guide overlay to help you position correctly.

Background Specification

Plain white or light grey background required. The background must be a single, uniform, light colour — either white or a neutral light grey. No patterns, gradients, or shadows.

How to Get the Right Background

• Stand at least 50 cm from the wall to prevent shadows falling on the background.
• Use even, diffuse lighting — a window or softbox pointed at the background helps.
• A plain white or light-coloured wall, a white sheet, or a dedicated photo backdrop all work well.
• Use idpic.app to automatically replace your background with the correct colour — no manual editing required.

Glasses requirements

Glasses are not allowed for this photo. This includes prescription glasses, sunglasses, and tinted lenses. Remove all eyewear before taking your photo. This is the official requirement for the United Kingdom.

Tips for Taking Your Photo

• Remove all glasses — including prescription glasses — before taking the photo.
• Contact lenses are fine and do not need to be removed.
• If you wear glasses regularly, check that there are no indentations on your nose from the frames.

Common Rejection Reasons

• Wrong background. United Kingdom Residence Permit photos require a plain Plain light background with no shadows, patterns, or objects. Retake the photo against a flat, evenly lit backdrop.
• Wearing glasses. Glasses are not permitted in United Kingdom Residence Permit photos. Remove all eyewear before taking the photo.
• Head covering. Hats, caps, and other head coverings are not permitted in United Kingdom Residence Permit photos, even for fashion or warmth. Remove any head covering before the photo.
• Face size out of range. Your face must fill between 64% and 76% of the photo height. Move closer to or further from the camera and recrop.
• Photo too old. United Kingdom Residence Permit photos must be taken within the last 1 months. Take a new photo if yours is older.
• Digital file doesn't meet spec. Online submissions must match the exact pixel dimensions and file size the portal requires. Re-export your photo at the correct size before uploading.
• Low resolution or blurry. Your photo must be sharp and at least 300 pixels on its shortest side. Use good lighting and hold the camera steady.
• Shadows. Shadows across your face or on the background — often from overhead lighting or a nearby wall — are a common rejection reason. Use soft, even lighting from the front.
• Wrong expression. Smiling, frowning, closed eyes, or an open mouth can cause rejection. Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed and both eyes open, looking directly at the camera.
• Wrong paper or printing. Home-printed photos on regular paper, or prints with a glossy coating that catches light, are often rejected. Print on quality matte photo paper at full size and 100% scale.

About photo requirements

A biometric residence permit photo is taken as part of the immigration application rather than supplied loose, and for most routes the photograph is captured at a UK Visa and Citizenship Application Services centre alongside fingerprints. Where a photo is uploaded instead, it is checked against the same standard used for the digital passport service.

The photo must show the full face against a plain light background, with no head covering other than for religious reasons and no glasses. Because the image is enrolled biometrically rather than simply printed, sharpness and even lighting matter more than for a paper application: the face is measured, not just looked at.

Submitting the photo

Applicants using the ID Check app photograph themselves through the app, which captures and validates the image in one step. Applicants attending an appointment have the photo taken on site, so preparation matters mainly for appearance rather than file format — remove glasses and tie back hair before you arrive.

Common issues

Uploads fail for reflections in glasses, hair across the eyes, and backgrounds with visible objects or shadow. Where the app captures the photo, the most common problem is uneven lighting in the room rather than anything about the file itself.

Head covering rules

Head coverings, hats, and scarves are not permitted for this photo. An exception is made for head coverings worn for religious or medical reasons, but the face from chin to forehead must remain fully visible with no shadows cast on the face.