Independent guide to official photo rules

Not affiliated with the Australian Passport Office or any other government agency

Taking and Printing Your Own Passport Photo

What you need to know before taking your own passport photo: the APO's view on apps, how to set up the shot, and the printing rule that catches people out.

Based on official sources · last checked

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Quick answer

Can I take my own Australian passport photo at home?

Yes, if it meets every rule: 35–40 × 45–50 mm, face 32–36 mm, plain white or light grey background, no glasses. It must be printed by dye sublimation on glossy paper of at least 200 gsm, not inkjet, and the Australian Passport Office does not recommend online photo services or apps.

You can take a photo that meets the Australian passport photo rules yourself, but two official points matter before you start. The Australian Passport Office does not recommend online passport photo services or mobile apps, warning they may expose you to identity fraud. And every print must be made by dye sublimation on glossy paper of at least 200 gsm, so a home inkjet printer will not do.

The APO's position

"We do not recommend using an online passport photo service or a mobile app. These may put you in danger of identity fraud."

If you still decide to prepare your own photo, keep the original file private, use a provider you trust, and check the result against every rule below.

How to set up your own passport photo

  1. Find a plain background. Stand about half a metre in front of a plain white or light grey wall, with nothing behind you.
    A man stands about half a metre in front of a white wall while a friend photographs him with a phone held at eye level
    Half a metre in front of a plain wall, camera about 2 m away
  2. Light your face evenly. Face a window in soft daylight, or use two lamps on either side. Avoid overhead lights and flash, which cause shadows and glare.
    A man faces a large window so soft daylight falls evenly on his face, with a white wall behind him
    Soft daylight from a window lights the face evenly
    Rejected photo example: shadows on face
    Light from one side leaves shadows
  3. Ask someone else to take it. They should stand back a couple of metres and zoom in slightly, with the camera at your eye level. Close-up phone shots distort your features, which the APO lists as unacceptable.
    A helper holds a phone upright at eye level to photograph a man standing in front of a white wall
    Phone upright at eye level, a couple of metres away
    Rejected photo example: mirror-image selfie
    Selfie: mirror image
  4. Get the pose right. Glasses off, hair away from your face, head straight, neutral expression, eyes open.
    Correct photo example
    Glasses off, head straight, neutral
    Rejected photo example: wearing glasses
    Glasses on
    Rejected photo example: hair covering eyes
    Hair over the eyes
    Rejected photo example: open-mouth smile
    Open-mouth smile
  5. Leave room to crop. Include your head and the top of your shoulders, with space around them, so the photo can be cropped to 35–40 × 45–50 mm with your face measuring 32–36 mm.
    A man photographed from the waist up in front of a white wall, before the photo is cropped
    Straight from the phone, with room to crop
    Correct photo example
    Cropped, face 32–36 mm
Correct photo example
Correct
Rejected photo example: head too large
Head too large
Rejected photo example: shadows on face
Shadows on face
Rejected photo example: glare on glasses
Glare on glasses

Cropping, not editing

You may crop and resize the photo, and the APO's camera operator guide allows brightness and contrast adjustments only. Do not retouch skin, remove moles, wrinkles, scars or red eye, smooth your face or replace the background.

Make my photo

Printing your photos

Do

  • Print at a photo lab or kiosk that uses dye-sublimation printing
  • Use heavy-weight glossy photo paper, at least 200 gsm
  • Order two identical photos, 35–40 × 45–50 mm each, with no border cut-offs

Don't

  • Print on a home inkjet printer or plain paper
  • Submit prints with lines, streaks or ink marks
  • Use a photo older than 6 months

Photos for online passport renewal

The APO now offers online renewal for eligible adults in Australia. According to its online renewal page, you get your photos taken by a participating provider and enter the photo code printed with them, such as on Australia Post or ID Station photos, to retrieve the digital image. You upload only your signature. Check the APO's online renewal page for current eligibility and steps before you have photos taken.

Taking your own passport photo: FAQ

The rules do not require a professional photographer, but the photo must meet every APO requirement and be printed by dye sublimation on glossy paper of at least 200 gsm. The APO says it does not recommend online passport photo services or mobile apps.

Not on an inkjet printer. The APO requires dye-sublimation prints on heavy-weight glossy paper.

The APO's online renewal page describes retrieving your digital photo with a photo code from a participating photo provider, such as Australia Post, rather than uploading your own file.

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Official sources

Last checked . Requirements and fees can change, so always confirm with the issuing agency before you apply. This site is independent and not affiliated with any government agency.