Passport Photo Sizes: Check the Application, Not Just the Country
A photo can have the right outer dimensions and still be rejected. Authorities also assess the original capture, head position, expression, lighting, background, age of the photograph, and printing method. Pixemon helps arrange print layouts; it cannot certify any of those requirements.
Printed sizes with official sources
This reference distinguishes the application types we could verify. Follow the linked authority page for the complete instructions and check it again before submitting. Specifications were checked on October 1, 2026.
| Application | Printed size (width × height) | Important limitation and official source |
|---|---|---|
| United States passport | 2 × 2 inches (50.8 × 50.8 mm; commonly rounded to 51 mm) | No digital alteration. Check head size, lighting and recent-photo rules at the US Department of State. |
| United Kingdom passport | 35 × 45 mm | Printed applications have different instructions from digital applications. Read GOV.UK printed-photo rules. |
| Canada passport (printed application) | 50 × 70 mm | A commercial photographer and professional printing are required; photos must be unaltered. Pixemon is not a replacement for that service. See Canada's photo requirements. |
| China passport | 33 × 48 mm | Check the application channel and composition requirements with the Chinese Embassy photo specification. |
| India OCI | 2 × 2 inches | This is an OCI specification, not a claim about every Indian passport or visa application. See the OCI photo specification (PDF). |
| Custom layouts | 40 × 60 mm and 20 × 25 mm | Generic dimensions only. The former UAE label was removed because a universal 40 × 60 mm requirement was not verified. Check your exact service at the UAE ICP. |
There is no single international passport-photo preset
Country groups can hide important differences. A 35 × 45 mm outer frame does not establish a universal head height, background color, or accepted method of printing. A country's passport, visa, and overseas citizenship applications may use different specifications. India OCI, for example, should not be treated as a generic Indian passport rule.
The Australian Passport Office gives a printed width range of 35–40 mm and height range of 45–50 mm, alongside composition and printing requirements. That is not a reason to label one preset “Australia / New Zealand / Japan.” Check each issuing authority and application separately.
Do not digitally change an official portrait
Clothing replacement, skin retouching, reshaping, and AI background replacement can make a photo unsuitable for an official document. The US Department of State instructs applicants not to digitally alter passport photos. Canada's guidance also excludes altered photos and gives examples including changes to clothing and appearance.
Pixemon's attire controls are useful for creative portraits and profile images, not for correcting a passport submission. If the original background, clothes, shadows, or facial appearance do not meet the requirements, take another photo. Do not assume a subtle edit is acceptable because it is hard to see.
Paper measurements and digital uploads are different
Two inches is exactly 50.8 mm. Government guidance often rounds that measurement to 51 mm; Pixemon's 2-inch layouts use 50.8 mm. At 300 pixels per inch, a 2-inch box uses 600 pixels. Rounding pixel counts for metric dimensions is normal, but changing printer scale after export changes the physical result.
An online application may instead require a minimum pixel size, particular aspect ratio, file format, maximum file size, or photographer-supplied code. Do not upload a sheet containing several copies when the portal asks for one portrait. Use the digital instructions for that application rather than converting a paper measurement into a guessed upload rule.
Printing checks that prevent avoidable mistakes
- Confirm that self-prepared prints are permitted. Canada requires a commercial photographer and professional prints for the printed application covered above.
- Check paper dimensions. A 4 × 6 inch sheet is 101.6 × 152.4 mm, and can differ from a lab's nominal 100 × 150 mm product.
- Ask the printer to avoid automatic cropping or image enhancement. Disable fit-to-page and borderless enlargement when those settings change the intended size.
- Measure a finished photo and inspect the crop. Check head height against the authority's rule, not against another country's example.
- Read instructions about the reverse of the photo, photographer details, dates, signatures, and number of copies before cutting or submitting.
Eight 35 × 45 mm photos on one 4 × 6 sheet
Pixemon’s 2x4 Print Grid places eight 35 × 45 mm photos on an exact 4 × 6 inch sheet (152.4 × 101.6 mm), with 2 mm gaps for cutting. Eight photos of this size fill most of the sheet, so the white edge around them is narrow: about 3 mm at the sides and 5 mm at the top and bottom. Many home printers cannot print that close to the edge in their normal mode, and some will clip the outer photos. Print one test sheet first, and if the outer photos are cut, use a photo kiosk or lab, or print fewer copies per sheet with the 1- or 2-photo layouts.
What the custom presets mean
The 40 × 60 mm and 20 × 25 mm layouts are generic print sizes. We removed the UAE name from 40 × 60 mm because we could not verify it as a universal requirement. The layout's internal saved identifier remains unchanged so existing links continue to work; its visible name no longer suggests official endorsement.
If your required size is absent, do not choose the nearest-looking preset. Use a custom layout only after checking the exact specification, or use an approved photographer. Read how the print layout tool works before exporting.