CitizenCard photo maker
CitizenCard lets you upload your own photo, including a smartphone selfie, as long as it follows passport photo rules. Frame a close-up of your head and upper shoulders here and save a JPG at a size the upload accepts.
- Free, no watermark
- Photo stays on your device
- No retouching
- Rules checked 11 November 2026
CitizenCard photo requirements
| File format | JPG |
|---|---|
| Minimum resolution | 1280 × 720 or 720 × 1280 pixels |
| Maximum file size | 25 MB |
| Framing | Close-up of your full head and upper shoulders |
| Background | Plain and light-coloured |
| How recent | Taken within the last six months |
| Selfies | Allowed, if the photo follows passport photo requirements |
| Editing | Unaltered by software or filters, and not created or altered using AI |
| Paper application | A booth or professional print, 45 × 35 mm, not trimmed from a larger photo |
Checked against the issuing organisation's own page on 11 November 2026. Source: CitizenCard: Photo guidance. Rules change without notice, so read the official page before you submit.
What the photo must show
- A clear colour photo, in focus, with no other people or objects.
- You facing forward with a neutral expression and your mouth closed.
- Eyes visible with no glare. No sunglasses or tinted glasses.
- No hair over your eyes, nothing covering your face, and no shadows.
- No head covering unless it is worn for religious or medical reasons. CitizenCard counts caps, fashion hair accessories and glasses pushed up on the head.
- A genuine photograph of you. Photos changed with editing software or social media filters are not accepted.
Three ways to supply the photo online
CitizenCard accepts a professional digital photo, a scan of a photo booth print, or a self-portrait taken on a smartphone that follows passport photo requirements. The third option is unusual: most identity documents refuse selfies. If you take one, hold the phone at arm's length at eye level, or better, prop it up and use the timer so the camera is further away and your face is not distorted.
Why the photo matters on a proof-of-age card
A CitizenCard is shown to door staff and shop assistants who compare the picture with your face in a few seconds. A recent, plain, well-lit photo is in your own interest: a heavily filtered or old picture is the kind that gets a card questioned.
Who issues the card
CitizenCard is a not-for-profit company accredited under the UK's PASS proof-of-age scheme. It is not a government body, and the rules on this page are its own.
Common problems with CitizenCard photos
- A social media filter or beauty mode.
- A cap, headband or sunglasses on the head.
- A small image saved from social media, below the minimum resolution.
- A group photo cropped down to one face.
- A PNG or HEIC file. The upload asks for a JPG, which this tool always saves.
✓ Good: plain background, even light, neutral face
✕ Shadow on the wall and face
✕ Busy background
✕ Glare on glasses
✕ Selfie taken too close
✕ Too dark, orange light
More on this in why ID photos get rejected. The examples use an off-white wall. The background row in the table above gives the exact colour this document asks for.
How to use this tool
- Ask someone to take the photo from about 1.5 m, at eye level, in even daylight in front of a plain wall.
- Add the photo above. The tool finds your face and frames it to the size on this page.
- Check the green lines: one on the top of your head, one on your chin. Drag or zoom to adjust.
- Read the automatic checks, then download. Nothing in the photo is retouched, only cropped and resized.
Questions about the CitizenCard photo
Can I use a selfie for my CitizenCard?
Yes. CitizenCard's photo guidance allows a self-portrait taken on a smartphone, provided it follows passport photo requirements: plain light background, neutral expression, nothing covering the face.
What size does a CitizenCard photo need to be?
For an online application, a JPG with a minimum resolution of 1280 × 720 or 720 × 1280 pixels and a maximum file size of 25 MB. A paper application needs a 45 × 35 mm print.
Can I wear glasses in a CitizenCard photo?
Yes, if your eyes are visible and there is no glare. Sunglasses and tinted glasses are not allowed.
Is CitizenCard a government ID?
No. It is issued by a not-for-profit company accredited under PASS, the UK proof-of-age standards scheme.
Guides for this photo
- Why passport and ID photos get rejectedThe reasons authorities list themselves, and how to avoid each
- How to take a passport photo at homeDistance, light, background and pose, step by step
- Are edited or AI passport photos allowed?What ten authorities say about retouching, filters and AI
- Can I take my own passport photo?Where a home photo is accepted, and where it is not