More countries now accept digital passport photos online, so some applications no longer need prints. Digital photos have their own technical rules: file format, pixel dimensions, file size limits and colour space. Below are the countries that accept them, and how to prepare one.
Countries that accept digital photos
- United States: via the State Department online application
- United Kingdom: via the GOV.UK passport application
- India: Global Passport Seva (passports applied for abroad), plus the e-Visa and OCI portals
- Australia: online renewal, with a photo code from a photo provider (not a file you upload)
- Canada: online passport renewal, but only with the digital file from a commercial photographer (not a photo you take yourself); IEC work permit applications take a digital photo of yourself
- New Zealand: via the Department of Internal Affairs
- Germany: since May 2025, only digital photos sent by a certified photographer through a secure cloud, or taken at the passport office (not a photo you upload yourself)
- France: the ANTS pre-application has no photo upload; you hand in a printed photo from an authorised photographer or photo booth
Common digital requirements
- File format: JPEG (.jpg) is universally accepted
- Colour space: sRGB
- Resolution: 300 DPI equivalent (varies by country)
- No digital alterations or filters
- No heavy compression artefacts
- Must meet the same composition rules as printed photos
Digital requirements by country
United States
The US accepts digital photos between 600×600 and 1200×1200 pixels, in JPEG format, with a file size under 240 KB. The photo must be in sRGB colour space and not digitally altered.
United Kingdom
The UK accepts digital photos with a minimum width of 600 pixels and minimum height of 750 pixels. The file must be JPEG and under 10 MB.
India
For passports applied for abroad, Global Passport Seva asks for a 630×810 pixel colour photo with a white background (in India, the Passport Seva Kendra takes the photo). The e-Visa portal takes a square JPEG of 10 KB to 1 MB, and the OCI portal a square JPEG of up to 200 KB (200–900 px) with a light background that is not white.
Tips for submitting online
- Download the photo from CropPass at the correct pixel dimensions for your country
- Do not apply filters or beautification
- Make sure the photo is sharp and well lit
- Keep the original high-resolution file for resubmission
- Check the file size before uploading; many countries have strict limits
Printed or digital
Check your specific application form. Online applications typically accept digital uploads. Postal or in-person applications usually require printed photos. Some ask for both: a digital upload and printed copies for the appointment.