Australia Passport Photo Requirements

The Australian Passport Office asks for two identical prints and applies its rules to both. Their guidance is unusually specific about lighting and about hair not obscuring the face, and photos are commonly returned for red-eye or for a background that is not genuinely plain.

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The official specification

Photo size35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in)
Pixel dimensions413 × 531 px
Resolution300 DPI
Head height7080% of the photo height
BackgroundPlain, #ffffff

Source: Australian Passport Office (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade). Requirements change — confirm there before you submit.

Rules that catch people out

Two identical prints

One is endorsed by your guarantor. They must be genuinely identical — two photos from the same session but different frames are not accepted.

Plain, light-coloured background

White or very light grey. The background must be uniform, and the outline of your head and shoulders must be clearly distinguishable from it.

Neutral expression, mouth closed

Eyes open and clearly visible. Both edges of the face must be visible, so hair should be tucked back if it falls forward.

Even lighting with no red-eye

A direct flash is the usual cause of both red-eye and a hard shadow behind the head. Diffuse, even light from the front works better.

No glasses unless medically necessary

If worn, the eyes must be fully visible with no reflection and the frames must not cross the eyes.

Why australia passport photos get rejected

  • Red-eye from a direct camera flash
  • Hair falling across the edge of the face or over an eye
  • Two prints that are not genuinely identical frames
  • Shadow behind the head from a single front-facing light
  • A background that looks white in person but photographs as pale blue or grey

Printing and submitting

Print both copies at the same time from the same file to guarantee they are identical. The guarantor endorses the back of one. Take the digital file with you when printing in case the shop's kiosk crops it differently.

Ready to make yours?

The tool crops to 35×45 mm at 300 DPI and checks head height and background before it releases the file.

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Other photo requirements

This guide is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Acceptance is always decided by the issuing authority.