Digital Passport Photo Rules: US, UK & Canada
Updated 11 November 2026 · Metro Research editorial team · How we test
Applying online means uploading a photo file instead of mailing prints, and each country has its own file rules. Here are the rules as published by each government. Always check the official page before you upload, because these rules change.
At a glance
| United States (online renewal) | United Kingdom (online) | Canada (online renewal) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| File type | JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF | JPG | JPEG / JPG |
| File size | 54 KB – 10 MB | 50 KB – 10 MB | 200 KB – 5 MB |
| Pixel size | No fixed size; you crop inside the application | At least 600 wide × 750 tall | 1,200 × 1,800 to 3,000 × 4,500 (3:2 portrait) |
| Who takes it | Someone else (no selfies) | Someone else; a booth or shop can give you a code | A commercial photographer only |
| Editing allowed? | No filters or retouching | No: must be unaltered by software | No: any change, including cropping or resizing, is rejected |
United States
The State Department's online renewal accepts JPG, JPEG, PNG, HEIC or HEIF files between 54 KB and 10 MB, so a photo straight from a modern phone usually works. You position and crop the photo inside the application. Note the minimum: very heavily compressed files under 54 KB are rejected. Visa applications (DS-160) use different rules: a square JPEG of at most 240 KB.
United Kingdom
GOV.UK asks for a clear, color photo that is at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall, between 50 KB and 10 MB, and unaltered by computer software. Someone else must take it; many photo booths and shops give you a digital code instead of a file.
Canada
Canada's online renewal requires the original file from a commercial photographer: a 3:2 portrait JPEG between 1,200 × 1,800 and 3,000 × 4,500 pixels and 200 KB to 5 MB. The government says photos changed in any way, including cropping, resizing or using editing software, will be rejected. Do not run a Canadian passport photo through any resizer or compressor, including ours.
Can Metro Research tools help?
For passports, only in limited cases: converting a US renewal photo that is over 10 MB, or preparing a visa photo that must be under 240 KB. For UK and Canadian passports, use the file exactly as taken or supplied. We do not check faces, backgrounds or biometrics, and no tool can guarantee acceptance.
Official sources
- U.S. Department of State: Uploading a digital photo
- GOV.UK: Photos for passports
- Government of Canada: Digital passport photos
Frequently asked questions
Can I take my own passport photo for online renewal?+
In the US and UK it can be taken at home, but by someone else: selfies are not accepted. In Canada, online renewal photos must come from a commercial photographer.
Why was my digital passport photo rejected for file size?+
Each country sets a minimum as well as a maximum: 54 KB in the US, 50 KB in the UK and 200 KB in Canada. Over-compressed files fail as easily as oversized ones.
Can I resize my passport photo to meet the rules?+
Check the official rules first. Canada rejects any altered photo, including resized ones, and the UK requires photos unaltered by software.
Written for the current Metro Research tools. Spot an error? See our quality and corrections policy.