HM Armed Forces Veteran Card photo maker
The Veteran Card application asks for a recent digital passport-style photo showing your head and shoulders, and GOV.UK links that request to its digital passport photo rules: at least 600 × 750 pixels, 50 KB to 10 MB, in colour and unaltered, on a plain light-coloured background. Frame one here and save it as a JPG.
- Free, no watermark
- Photo stays on your device
- No retouching
- Rules checked 11 November 2026
Veteran Card photo requirements
| Photo asked for | A recent digital passport-style photo, showing your head and shoulders |
|---|---|
| Rules it points to | GOV.UK digital passport photo rules |
| Minimum size | 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall |
| File size | At least 50 KB and no more than 10 MB |
| Background | Plain and light-coloured, in clear contrast to you |
| Quality | Clear, in focus, in colour, unaltered by computer software |
| Who needs to apply | Veterans who left the armed forces before December 2018 |
| Cost | Free |
Checked against the official source on 11 November 2026. Source: GOV.UK: Apply for a Veteran Card · GOV.UK: HM Armed Forces Veteran Card · GOV.UK: Get a digital version of your Veteran Card · GOV.UK: Get a passport photo (digital photos). Rules change without notice, so read the official page before you submit.
What the photo must show
- Your head and shoulders, with no other people or objects and no red eye.
- You facing forwards and looking straight at the camera, with a plain expression and your mouth closed.
- Eyes open and visible, with no hair in front of them.
- Nothing covering your face, and no head covering unless it is for religious or medical reasons.
- No shadows on your face or behind you.
- Avoid glasses unless you have to wear them. If you do, no sunglasses or tinted lenses, and the frames, glare, reflection or shadow must not cover your eyes.
Do you need to apply?
Only if you left the armed forces before December 2018. Service leavers since then get a Veteran Card in their service leavers' pack within 6 weeks of leaving. You can get a card if you served in the regulars or reserves of the Royal Navy, British Army, RAF or Royal Marines, and some people who served in the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, the Merchant Navy in support of the armed forces or another UK armed forces group may also qualify.
How the online application works
Applying online means proving your identity with GOV.UK One Login, which needs an email address and photo ID such as a UK passport or driving licence. You can only apply online for yourself; if you live outside the UK, online is the only route. Have your service number, National Insurance number, rough service dates and the photo ready. The card usually arrives within 10 weeks.
The digital Veteran Card
If you already have a card, you can add a digital version to the GOV.UK One Login app. GOV.UK says you might need to submit a photo that meets the rules for passport photos if the photo on your existing card is not clear enough.
Common problems with Veteran Card photos
- An old service photo instead of a recent one.
- A photo in uniform with a beret or cap. Head coverings are only allowed for religious or medical reasons.
- A photo cropped from a group or reunion picture, with other people in it.
- A file under 50 KB, often a copy shrunk by email or a messaging app.
- Glare on glasses, or tinted lenses.
- A busy or dark background instead of a plain light-coloured one.
✓ 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 Veteran Card photo
What photo do I need for a Veteran Card?
A recent digital passport-style photo showing your head and shoulders. GOV.UK links this to its digital passport photo rules: at least 600 × 750 pixels, 50 KB to 10 MB, colour, unaltered, plain light-coloured background.
Can I wear my beret in my Veteran Card photo?
No. The passport photo rules that the Veteran Card page links to do not allow a head covering unless it is for religious or medical reasons.
Do I need a new photo for the digital Veteran Card?
Only if the photo on your existing card is not clear enough. GOV.UK says you might then need to submit a photo that meets the rules for passport photos.
Is the Veteran Card free?
Yes. It is free to apply online or by post, and the card usually arrives within 10 weeks.
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