UK ETA and UK visa photo maker
A UK ETA or UK visa photo is a portrait JPG at least 600 × 750 pixels and between 50 KB and 6 MB, showing your head, shoulders and upper body against a plain, light background. You need it when you apply online rather than in the app.
- Free, no watermark
- Photo stays on your device
- No retouching
- Rules checked 11 November 2026
UK ETA and visa digital photo requirements
| Minimum size | 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall |
|---|---|
| File size | At least 50 KB and no more than 6 MB |
| File format | JPG |
| Orientation | Portrait |
| Framing | Head, shoulders and upper body |
| Background | Plain and light-coloured, in clear contrast with you |
| Device | The photo can be from a phone or tablet |
| Editing | Must not be altered by computer software or by other means, such as a filter |
Checked against the official source on 11 November 2026. Source: GOV.UK: How to take a photo for a visa application or permission · GOV.UK: Apply for an electronic travel authorisation (ETA). Rules change without notice, so read the official page before you submit.
What the photo must show
- A clear colour photo, in focus, taken in a well-lit room.
- You facing the camera with a plain expression, mouth closed and eyes open.
- No hair over your eyes and no shadows on your face.
- No other people or objects, and your shoulders and torso clothed.
- Not mirrored or flipped. Some phone front cameras save a mirrored image, so check the setting or use the back camera.
- Avoid glasses unless you have to wear them. No sunglasses or tinted lenses, and no frames, glare or reflection over the eyes.
- Head coverings only for religious or medical reasons.
- Children must be alone in the picture. Children under 6 need not look at the camera, and babies under 1 may have their eyes closed.
App or upload?
The UK ETA app photographs your face itself, so no file is needed there. The photo rules on this page matter when you apply through the website, or when a visa or immigration application asks you to upload a face photo. In both cases it has to be a new picture, not a copy of the one in your passport.
A wider frame than a passport photo
GOV.UK asks for your head, shoulders and upper body, so the head takes up much less of the frame than in a 35 × 45 mm passport print. The tool on this page leaves that space. It does not replace the background or adjust the image, because GOV.UK treats any alteration by software, including a filter, as a reason to refuse the photo.
Common problems with ETA and visa photos
- Uploading a scan or phone picture of the passport photo page.
- A mirrored selfie from a front camera.
- A filter or beauty mode left switched on.
- A file under 50 KB, often a copy shrunk by a messaging app.
- A photo cropped to the face only, without shoulders and upper body.
✓ 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 UK ETA and visa photo
What size is the UK ETA photo?
A UK ETA photo must be at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall, saved as a JPG of at least 50 KB and no more than 6 MB.
Can I use my passport photo for a UK ETA?
No. GOV.UK says the photo must not be the same photo as the one in your passport or identity card, and it must not be a scan or a photograph of another photo.
Can I take the UK ETA photo with my phone?
Yes. GOV.UK says the photo can be from a phone or tablet. Having another person take it gives a better result than a selfie, and avoids a mirrored image.
Is this the same as the UK passport photo?
No. A UK passport application has its own photo rules and an upper file limit of 10 MB. See the UK passport photo page for those.
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