Australian passport and ID photos
This page covers the Australian Passport Office photo for an Australian passport. Australia’s official photo rules in the sources here are for passports; they do not set separate photo sizes for other ID documents.
Which photo this page covers
The Australian Passport Office photo is for an Australian passport application or renewal. You need to provide two printed photos with your application.[1][2]
The source pages listed here do not give photo requirements for other Australian ID documents, visas, or travel documents. Check the authority handling your application before using a passport photo for another purpose.
Size and print
Each photo must be 35–40 mm wide and 45–50 mm high. Your face, measured from chin to crown, must be 32–36 mm tall.[1]
The Passport Office requires a colour print made using dye sublimation, on glossy paper of at least 200 gsm. The photo must be less than six months old; the guidance does not set an exact pixel size or file-size limit.[1]
The listed 35×45 mm size is one size within the official width and height ranges. When you use the tool above, check the crop against the required face height too.
Face, background, and expression
Use a plain white or light grey background that contrasts with your face. Face the camera straight on, centre your face, and keep your eyes open and your expression neutral. Anyone over three years old must face the camera this way; a child under three may have their mouth open.[1]
Keep the edges of your face visible. The Passport Office says a photo can fail if it is blurred, grainy, too close or far away, unevenly lit, shadowed, reflected, retouched, or has red-eye. Hair must not cover the edges of your face.[1]
Glasses and head coverings
You must not wear glasses unless you cannot remove them for medical reasons. Vision impairment alone is not an acceptable reason. If you have a medical reason, your frames must not cover your eyes and your lenses must not reflect light.[1]
You may wear a plain religious head covering if you usually cover your head for religious reasons. It must leave your face visible from chin to forehead, including both sides of your face. The rules also allow a medical exemption process: provide a medical certificate or complete a B-11 form if a medical condition prevents you meeting the photo guidelines.[1]
Taking and submitting your photos
For an easier, sharper photo, stand facing a window in soft daylight and ask someone to take it from about eye level. Step back far enough to avoid a distorted close-up, then crop the image without smoothing skin or changing your features. These are practical tips, not extra Passport Office rules.
For an adult passport application or renewal made in Australia, bring two passport photos when you lodge the application at a participating post office. For a paper application, the guarantor must sign the back of one photo and write, “This is a true photo of[your full name]”. For a renewal, write your full name on the back of one photo in black pen.[2]
Check before you lodge
Compare the printed photos with the size and face-height ranges, and check that the paper is glossy and heavy enough. The Passport Office may ask you for a new photo if the images do not meet its guidelines, so the authority makes the final decision.[1]
The tool above can crop a photo and arrange a print sheet. Before lodging your application, confirm the printed photos meet the official print and framing rules.[1]
Frequently asked questions
What size is an Australian passport photo?
The required range is 35–40 mm wide and 45–50 mm high. Face height from chin to crown must be 32–36 mm.[1]
Can I wear glasses in an Australian passport photo?
Only if you cannot remove them for medical reasons. Vision impairment alone is not an acceptable reason; frames must not cover your eyes and lenses must not reflect light.[1]
What background should an Australian passport photo have?
Use plain white or light grey, with enough contrast against your face.[1]
How many passport photos do I need?
Provide two photos with an Australian passport application or renewal.[1][2]
Can I smile in an Australian passport photo?
The photo must show a neutral expression. The Passport Office says children under three may have their mouth open.[1]
Can I use the same photo for an Australian visa or other ID?
The sources here specify Australian Passport Office requirements. They do not establish photo rules for visas or other ID documents, so check the authority for that application.