Australia Passport Photo Size: Exact Specs & Rules (2026)

Australia's passport photo rules are stricter than most travellers expect. The Australian Passport Office (APO), run by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), accepts a printed photo between 35–40 mm wide and 45–50 mm high — a size range, not a single fixed dimension — and for standard applications it does not accept digital uploads: you hand over two identical hard-copy prints even when the renewal form is filled out online. The rule that trips up the most people is the chin-to-crown head height, which must land within 32–36 mm or the photo is rejected outright. As of 16 February 2026, the APO also runs a zero-tolerance policy on editing — any skin smoothing, red-eye fix, or digital background tidy-up causes immediate rejection. This guide gives you the exact APO specs so your photo passes first time.

Australia Passport Photo Dimensions

These specifications come straight from the Australian Passport Office, the DFAT body that issues every Australian passport. The official requirements are published on the APO's own site, passports.gov.au — always cross-check against that domain, because Australia's rules differ from the generic ICAO template in several important ways: the print size is a range, there is no digital-upload option for standard applications, and the paper and editing rules are tighter than almost any other country's.

The 35 × 45 mm size sits within the accepted range and matches the ICAO 9303 reference used by most countries, but Australia's defining quirk is that the APO publishes a tolerance band (35–40 mm × 45–50 mm) rather than one exact figure. The Australian Passport Office (DFAT) is also stricter than most nations on three points its scanners enforce automatically: the printed photo must be on heavy 200-gsm-plus glossy stock produced by dye-sublimation, the chin-to-crown face height must sit inside 32–36 mm, and — since 16 February 2026 — any digital editing at all is grounds for rejection. The authoritative, current values live on passports.gov.au; this table mirrors them.

How Australia Handles Digital Photos

This is where most applicants trip up. Unlike the UK or Schengen-area countries, the Australian Passport Office does not accept digital photo uploads for standard passport applications — domestic or overseas. Even if you start your application or renewal online, you must still provide two identical hard-copy printed photos. DFAT explicitly warns against mobile passport-photo apps and online photo services, citing security and identity-fraud risks, and its biometric scanners reject images that have been resampled, compressed, or retouched.

A narrow, recent exception exists. From 16 March 2026, the APO opened a temporary digital-upload portal only for Australians renewing passports at a handful of specified Middle East posts where embassies are closed — Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, and the UAE. The APO has not published file-size or format limits for that internal portal, so affected applicants simply match the standard 35–40 mm × 45–50 mm aspect ratio when capturing the image. For everyone applying within Australia, printed photos remain mandatory.

When you prepare the file you take to a printer, aim for roughly 827 × 1063 px so a 35 × 45 mm print lands at about 600 DPI. Check your image DPI before printing so the lab does not downscale it.

DFAT Photo Requirements

Beyond dimensions, DFAT has strict rules about what the photo actually looks like. These apply to both print and digital submissions.

Face and Expression

• Neutral expression with mouth closed — no smiling, frowning, or raised eyebrows
• Both eyes open and clearly visible, looking directly at the camera
• Face must be evenly lit with no shadows on the face or background
• No red-eye (retake the photo rather than using software correction)
• Head straight, not tilted or rotated

Glasses

Glasses are strictly prohibited in an Australian passport photo. DFAT made this a firm rule rather than a recommendation — and ordinary vision impairment is not an accepted reason to keep them on. The only exception is a certified medical condition preventing their removal (such as recent eye surgery), which requires a signed medical certificate. If glasses are worn on that basis, the frames cannot obscure any part of the eyes and there must be no glare or reflection on the lenses.

Head Coverings

Head coverings are only permitted for religious or medical reasons. Your full face from the bottom of your chin to the top of your forehead must remain visible. You may need to provide a statutory declaration if wearing a head covering.

Background

The background must be plain white or light grey — no patterns, no gradients, no shadows. DFAT is stricter on this than many countries. A cream or off-white wall that looks fine to your eye can trigger a rejection because it reads as a colour cast in the photo.

Important: for an Australian passport photo, the background must be correct in camera. Under the APO's zero-tolerance editing policy (effective 16 February 2026), all retouching is prohibited — including digitally brightening or replacing the background — because such edits corrupt the global biometric facial-matching systems DFAT relies on. Its scanners flag altered photos. Shoot against a genuinely clean white or light-grey wall from the start. For an Australian visa photo (Department of Home Affairs) or a non-Australian application that does allow it, you can remove the background and replace it with solid white before resizing to the correct dimensions.

Children and Infants

Babies and young children follow the same 35×45mm size. The main differences:

• Infants under 12 months do not need to have their eyes open
• No other person (including hands supporting the child) can appear in the frame
• A plain white sheet or towel works as a background for infants lying down

Common Rejection Reasons

DFAT publishes rejection statistics periodically. These are the most frequent causes:

1. Submitting a digital photo — the APO does not accept uploads for passports; an app-made or self-emailed photo instead of two printed copies is the most common Australia-specific rejection
2. Wrong dimensions — printed photo falls outside the 35–40 mm wide × 45–50 mm high range
3. Face too small or too large — chin-to-crown measurement falls outside the 32–36 mm range
4. Background issues — shadows, patterns, off-white tones, or visible objects behind the subject
5. Poor lighting — uneven illumination creating shadows on the face or under the chin
6. Expression problems — mouth open, teeth showing, or squinting
7. Photo too old — must be taken within the last 6 months
8. Wrong paper — matte or flimsy standard paper instead of high-gloss heavy-weight photo paper; inkjet prints rejected for visible ink lines
9. Retouching — any editing (skin smoothing, mole/blemish removal, red-eye correction, digital background replacement) is grounds for rejection

A rejection adds 2–4 weeks to your processing time. It is worth spending an extra five minutes getting the photo right.

How to Take an Australian Passport Photo at Home

You do not need to visit a pharmacy or photo booth. A smartphone with a decent camera and good lighting is enough.

What You Need

• A smartphone or camera with at least 5 MP resolution
• A plain white or light grey wall
• Natural light from a window (or two lamps positioned at 45-degree angles)
• A tripod or stable surface (avoid handheld selfies — the angle distorts proportions)

Step-by-Step

1. Set up the background. Stand about 30 cm in front of a plain white wall. Check that no shadows fall on the wall behind you.
2. Position the camera. Place it at eye level, roughly 1.2 metres away. Use a timer or ask someone to take the photo.
3. Lighting. Face the light source directly. Avoid overhead-only lighting, which creates shadows under the nose and chin. Two light sources at 45-degree angles from each side eliminate most shadows.
4. Take the photo. Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open, head straight. Take 5–10 shots so you can pick the best one.
5. Crop and resize the print file. Open your best photo in Pixotter's resize tool. Set the output to roughly 827 × 1063 pixels so a 35 × 45 mm print lands near 600 DPI. The tool runs entirely in your browser — your photo never leaves your device. Remember: this file is for the printer, because Australia accepts only printed passport photos.
6. Check the framing. Measure your face from the bottom of the chin to the crown of your skull (not the top of your hair). It must land between 32 mm and 36 mm in the final print — the single measurement DFAT checks most closely.
7. Verify DPI before printing. Make sure the file is high enough resolution that the print is sharp at 35 × 45 mm. Learn how to check image DPI if you are unsure.

Passport Photo vs Australian Visa Photo

A common source of confusion: an Australian passport photo and an Australian visa photo follow different rules and go to different agencies.

If you are applying for a passport, you need two identical printed photos handed in physically — there is no upload step. For an Australian visa through the Department of Home Affairs, a digital file is accepted instead.

For the printed passport photos, use high-gloss heavy-weight photo paper — the APO specifies a minimum of 200 gsm — and have them produced on a dye-sublimation photo printer where possible. DFAT's scanners routinely reject standard home inkjet prints because they pick up the ink lines, and the APO names dye-sublimation as the process its guidance expects. Set the printer to actual size, not "fit to page," which rescales the image. Our passport photo printer guide covers paper types, printer settings, and layout templates for printing compliant photos at home.

How Australian Specs Compare to Other Countries

If you travel frequently, you might wonder how Australian passport photo requirements stack up:

Australia and the Schengen area share the same physical dimensions but differ on background strictness and face framing percentages. If you need photos for a visa application, check the visa photo size guide for destination-specific requirements. We also have dedicated guides for Indian passport photo size, China passport photo size, and UK passport photo size.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size does an Australian passport photo have to be?

The Australian Passport Office accepts a printed photo within a range — 35–40 mm wide and 45–50 mm high. This is different from countries that mandate one fixed dimension. The widely used 35 × 45 mm size sits comfortably inside that range and is the safest target. The chin-to-crown head height must measure 32–36 mm regardless of which size in the range you use.

Does the Australian Passport Office accept digital passport photo uploads?

No. For a standard Australian passport application or renewal, DFAT requires two identical hard-copy printed photos handed in physically — there is no upload step, even when you complete the form online. A temporary digital pathway exists only for citizens applying from a small number of specified overseas posts. If you are in Australia, you must submit prints.

What is the 2026 Middle East digital passport photo exception in Australia?

From 16 March 2026, the Australian Passport Office opened a temporary digital-upload portal for Australians renewing their passports at specific Middle East posts where embassies are closed — Iraq, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar, and the UAE. It is the first time the APO has allowed digital photo submission, and it applies only to those affected locations. The APO has not published file-size or format limits for the portal, so affected applicants simply capture the image to the standard 35–40 mm × 45–50 mm aspect ratio. Everyone else in Australia or applying at other posts still submits two printed photos.

Can I wear glasses in an Australian passport photo?

No. Australia bans glasses in passport photos, and poor eyesight is not an accepted reason to keep them on. The only exception is a strict medical reason, such as recent eye surgery, which must be supported by medical documentation. Even then, the frames must not cover the eyes and there can be no lens glare.

Can I edit or retouch my Australian passport photo?

No. Since the APO's zero-tolerance editing policy took effect on 16 February 2026, all retouching of passport photos is prohibited — skin smoothing, removing moles or blemishes, red-eye correction, and digital background brightening or replacement are all grounds for immediate rejection, because they corrupt biometric facial matching. The Australian Passport Office uses scanners that detect alterations, so the photo must be taken correctly in camera against a genuinely plain background. Tools that remove the background are fine for an Australian visa photo or a non-passport use, but not for the passport photo itself.

What paper do Australian passport photos need to be printed on?

High-gloss, heavy-weight photo paper — the Australian Passport Office specifies a minimum of 200 gsm. It rejects matte paper, flimsy standard paper, and most home inkjet prints, because the scanners pick up inkjet ink lines. Dye-sublimation photo printing, available at post offices, pharmacies, and camera stores, is the process the APO's guidance expects and the reliable choice.

Do I need a guarantor to endorse my Australian passport photo?

For a full Australian passport application (not a simple PC7 renewal), yes — one of your two photos must be endorsed on the back by an eligible guarantor, who writes "This is a true photo of [your full name]" and signs in black ink. Let the ink dry so it does not smudge onto the front of the other print.

Can I smile in my Australian passport photo?

No. DFAT requires a neutral expression with your mouth closed. A slight, natural relaxation of the face is fine, but anything that could be described as a smile — especially showing teeth — will be rejected.

Are there different photo rules for children in Australia?

The size range is the same (35–40 mm × 45–50 mm). Children under 12 months do not need to have both eyes open or a neutral expression. No other person can appear in the frame, including hands supporting the child — a plain white sheet or towel works as a background for an infant lying down.

Get It Right the First Time

The fastest way to get your Australian passport photo accepted is to nail the specs from the start: shoot against a genuinely clean white or light-grey wall, keep the chin-to-crown height in the 32–36 mm window, and have two copies printed on high-gloss heavy-weight paper — Australia accepts printed photos only. Use Pixotter's resize tool to size the file you take to the printer. If you are instead preparing an Australian visa photo, where digital uploads are accepted, you can also remove background to get a clean white backdrop. Both tools run in your browser — nothing gets uploaded, and you get results in seconds.