Irish passport photo maker
Passport Online accepts a photo taken at home, as long as someone else takes it and it meets the Passport Service's rules. Frame yours here from head to mid torso and save it above 715 × 951 pixels and under 9 MB. Applying on a paper form? Switch to printed photos: 4 identical photos between 35 × 45 mm and 38 × 50 mm, framed the same way.
- Free, no watermark
- Photo stays on your device
- No retouching
- Rules checked 11 November 2026
Passport Online photo requirements
| Online file | JPEG, at least 715 × 951 pixels, 9 MB or less |
|---|---|
| Framing | Head to mid torso, with visible space between your head and shoulders and the edge of the photo |
| Background | Completely plain: light grey, white or cream, with enough contrast and no objects |
| How recent | Taken in the last six months |
| Who takes it | Someone else. You cannot take a selfie |
| Editing | Must not be digitally enhanced or changed |
| Printed photos (paper form) | 4 identical photos, between 35 × 45 mm and 38 × 50 mm, on photo-quality paper with a white, unglazed back |
| Witness | Writes the form number on the back of 2 of the 4 photos, then signs and stamps them |
Checked against the official source on 11 November 2026. Source: Department of Foreign Affairs: Passport photo guidelines. Rules change without notice, so read the official page before you submit.
What the photo must show
- Look straight at the camera with a neutral expression. Do not smile, and keep your mouth closed.
- No head tilt, no shadows on your face or behind your head, and no red eye.
- Online: in colour; it is converted to black and white. Printed photos: black and white is recommended, but colour is accepted.
- Glasses are allowed if the frames do not cover any part of your eyes and there is no glare. No dark glasses or sunglasses.
- Head coverings only for religious or medical reasons, with your full facial features visible.
- No uniforms or clothing with insignia.
- Not a scan of a printed photo. Scans are not accepted online.
- For a baby: lying on a plain white surface, with no supporting hands visible and no soother.
Three ways to get the photo
The Passport Service accepts a photo taken at home by another person, a digital file from a photo shop, or a photo code from a participating booth or shop. A home photo costs nothing, but it has to pass two checks: the online system checks the file when you upload it, and a member of staff reviews it afterwards. A photo can pass the first and still be refused at the second.
Why selfies are refused
The guidelines say plainly: “You cannot take a selfie.” Applicants who send one are asked for another photo. A phone held at arm's length distorts the face, and the guidelines also rule out zoom. Ask someone to stand back, hold the camera at your eye level, and include you down to mid torso.
Paper applications
A paper application for a passport book needs four identical printed photos no more than six months old, between 35 × 45 mm and 38 × 50 mm, printed on photo-quality paper with a white, unglazed back and no ink marks or creases. Choose Paper form above the tool to make them. The witness writes the form number on the back of two of them, then signs and stamps them. The rules for what the photo shows are the same as online.
Why Irish passport photos are sent back
- A selfie. The guidelines say applicants who submit selfies will be asked to provide another photo.
- Cropped too tightly. The photo should show you down to mid torso, not just the face.
- A smile or open mouth.
- Shadows on the wall behind the head, or objects in the background.
- A scan or a photo of a printed photo.
- Paper form: the witness did not write the form number, sign and stamp two of the photos. The Passport Service then asks for a new form and new photos.
✓ 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 Irish passport photo
Can I take my own Irish passport photo at home?
Yes, for Passport Online, but another person must take it. The guidelines say you cannot take a selfie, and the photo must show you from head to mid torso against a plain light background.
What size is the Irish passport photo in pixels?
An Irish passport photo for Passport Online must be at least 715 pixels wide and 951 pixels high, and no larger than 9 MB. There is no maximum pixel size.
Can I wear glasses in an Irish passport photo?
Yes, if the frames do not cover any part of your eyes and there is no glare on the lenses. Dark glasses and sunglasses are not allowed.
What size is an Irish passport photo for a paper application?
Between 35 × 45 mm and 38 × 50 mm. You need 4 identical printed photos, no more than six months old, showing you from head to mid torso against a plain light grey, white or cream background.
Should printed Irish passport photos be black and white?
The Passport Service recommends black and white for printed photos, because the photo is printed in black and white in the passport, but it also accepts colour. For Passport Online, submit a colour photo.
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
- How to print passport photos on 4 × 6 paperHow many fit, the settings to use, and the right paper
- Can I take my own passport photo?Where a home photo is accepted, and where it is not