ICAO Passport Photo Requirements — Biometric Compliance Checker

ICAO Doc 9303 requires biometric passport photos to be 35 × 45 mm with a plain white or off-white background, neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes fully open, and face height of 70–80% of the frame. The photo must be at least 300 DPI with no shadows, no head coverings (unless religious), and face looking straight at the camera. Over 180 countries follow these ICAO standards for machine-readable travel documents.

ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) Doc 9303 is the global standard for biometric passport photos. Most countries in the world follow these requirements — browse passport photo requirements by country to see your country's specs. Here's what ICAO compliance means, what the specifications are, and how to check your photo for free using our ICAO photo app.

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What is ICAO and why does it matter?

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) sets the global standards for machine-readable travel documents, including passports. ICAO Doc 9303 defines exactly what a biometric passport photo must look like so that automated facial recognition systems at border control can reliably verify identity. Most countries — including the UK, EU member states, Australia, Canada, and over 180 others — follow ICAO standards. The US follows ICAO biometric requirements but uses its own 2×2 inch format. The full standard is published as ICAO Doc 9303.

ICAO photo specifications at a glance

Size

35 × 45 mm (standard ICAO size)

Background

Plain white or off-white

Expression

Neutral, mouth closed

Eyes

Open, clearly visible; glasses policy set by each issuing country

Face height

70–80% of printed photo height (50–69% for digital chip encoding)

Chin-to-crown

25–35 mm

Head position

Straight, looking directly at camera

Print quality

Minimum 300 DPI, no pixelation

ICAO photo dimensions by country

While ICAO Doc 9303 sets the biometric standard, each country chooses its own photo dimensions within the allowed range (35 × 45 mm to 50 × 70 mm). Here are the most common formats:

Country / Region	Photo Size	Face Height	Background	Min. DPI
EU / Schengen	35 × 45 mm	70–80%	Plain light	300
United Kingdom	35 × 45 mm	64–76%	Plain light	300
United States	2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm)	50–69%	White	300
Canada	50 × 70 mm	44–51%	Plain light	300
Australia	35 × 45 mm	70–80%	Plain light	300
India	2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm)	70–80%	White	300

View passport photo requirements for all countries →

How to create an ICAO-compliant photo step by step

1
Use a plain white or off-white background
ICAO requires a plain, light-coloured background with no patterns, textures, or shadows. White is the most universally accepted colour.
- Stand 50 cm (20 in) from the wall to avoid background shadows
- Light grey is accepted by most ICAO-compliant countries
- Avoid cream, beige, or coloured backgrounds
- idpic.app automatically replaces the background with the correct colour
2
Ensure even, shadow-free lighting
ICAO standards explicitly prohibit shadows on the face or background. Even, diffused light is required.
- Face a large window — natural daylight is ideal
- No flash — it creates harsh shadows and uneven exposure
- No direct sunlight — it creates shadows under the nose and chin
- If you are indoors, use two lamps at 45° on either side.
3
Position your head and face correctly
ICAO has specific face position requirements. The face must be centred, straight, and fill 70–80% of the frame height.
- Look directly at the camera — no turning or tilting
- Neutral expression: mouth closed, eyes fully open
- Check your country's glasses policy — ICAO leaves this to each issuing state
- Hair must not cover eyes, eyebrows, or face outline
- No head coverings unless worn for religious reasons
4
Check your photo with the ICAO compliance checker
Open your photo in idpic.app. The AI checks all ICAO requirements automatically: background, face position, eye openness, expression, brightness, and resolution.
- No account needed — free for every photo
- Your photo never leaves your device
- Supports all ICAO-compliant countries and document types
- Download the validated photo ready for printing or digital submission

ICAO photo compliance checklist

Face height is 70–80% of printed photo height
Background is plain white or off-white, no patterns
No shadows on face or background
Neutral expression, mouth closed
Eyes fully open and clearly visible
Glasses: check your country's rules (many countries prohibit)
No head coverings (unless religious)
Hair does not cover eyes, eyebrows, or face outline
Even lighting, no overexposure or underexposure
Minimum 300 DPI, no pixelation or compression artefacts

8 most common ICAO rejection reasons

Glasses — many countries ban glasses; ICAO defers to each issuing state
Shadows on face or background
Face height less than 70% or more than 80% of frame height
Head tilted, turned, or chin raised
Smiling or open mouth
Eyes not fully open or not looking at camera
Patterned or coloured background
Low resolution — below 300 DPI

Frequently asked questions

Does my passport photo need to be ICAO compliant?

If you are applying for a biometric passport (which most countries now issue), yes. ICAO Doc 9303 is the international standard for biometric passport photos. Most countries in the world follow ICAO standards, with a few exceptions — notably the US, which uses its own 2×2 inch format that meets ICAO biometric requirements but differs in size.

What does biometric passport photo mean?

A biometric passport photo is one that meets the ICAO Doc 9303 standard for machine-readable travel documents. It must meet specific requirements for face position (70–80% of frame height), expression (neutral), eyes (open), and background (white or off-white) so that facial recognition software can accurately match the photo to the holder. Glasses policy varies by country — many ban them entirely, while others allow prescription glasses with conditions.

Is 35×45 mm the same as ICAO?

35×45 mm is the most common ICAO-compliant size, used in the UK, EU, Australia, and many other countries. However, ICAO Doc 9303 technically allows sizes between 35×45 mm and 50×70 mm. Each country sets its own exact size within this range — which is why the US uses 51×51 mm and some countries use 40×50 mm. Always check your specific country's requirements.

What is the face height requirement in an ICAO photo?

For printed biometric photos, ICAO Doc 9303 Part 3 requires the face (chin to crown) to occupy 70–80% of the total photo height — on a standard 45 mm tall photo, that's 31.5–36 mm. For the digital image stored on the passport chip, Part 9 specifies a smaller range of 50–69% to allow more background context for automated facial recognition. Most countries enforce the 70–80% rule for the printed photo you submit. idpic.app measures this automatically and tells you if your face is too small or too large in the frame.

Will my photo pass the ICAO checker?

idpic.app checks your photo against all key ICAO requirements: face position, face height ratio, eye openness, expression, background colour and uniformity, shadows, and image quality. If your photo fails any check, the app shows you exactly what needs to be fixed and lets you retake or try again.

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