Australia Passport
Last verified 2026-05-31 against Australian Passport Office (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade)Standards: ICAO Doc 9303 · ISO/IEC 19794-5Government-spec dimensions, head positioning, and file constraints.
- Pixel size
- 413 × 531 px
- Print size
- 35 × 45 mm · 300 DPI
- Background
- white#FFFFFF
- Face height
- 71–80% · target 77%
- Eye line
- 62%–74% from bottom
- File size limit
- 2 MB
Note: ICAO 9303; plain white background; head 32–36 mm; neutral expression; glasses not permitted
Dimensions
- Print size: 35 × 45 mm (DFAT accepts 35–40 mm wide × 45–50 mm high; 35 × 45 is the standard minimum), ICAO 9303 portrait format
- Pixel size: 413 × 531 px
- DPI: ≈ 300 DPI
- Submission format: The Australian Passport Office requires 2 identical printed photos lodged in person — it does not accept a digital photo upload for passports (even online renewal needs printed photos). When a JPEG is produced for printing, keep it ≤ 2 MB. (The 70 KB–3.5 MB JPEG ceiling some sources quote belongs to citizenship/visa applications, not passports.)
- Color mode: sRGB color only — no black-and-white or sepia
Head position
- Head height (chin to crown): 32–36 mm
- Head height as fraction of frame: ≈ 71%–80% (derived from the 32–36 mm figure; DFAT publishes the mm range, not a percentage)
- Head position: Directly facing camera; head upright, no tilt or rotation
- Shoulders: Square to camera, centred in the frame
Background
- Color: Plain white or very light grey
- Requirements: No shadows, no texture, no patterns, no objects, no other people behind the subject
Expression
- Expression must be neutral, mouth closed
- Both eyes open, looking directly at camera
- Hair must not cover the eyes or face
Accessories
- Eyeglasses: NOT permitted. Glasses must be removed (since the Australian rules tightened to disallow all glasses).
- Sunglasses / tinted lenses: Prohibited
- Religious head coverings: Permitted if worn daily for religious reasons; the full face from chin to forehead must be visible
- Hats / non-religious head coverings: Prohibited
Other rules
- Photo must be less than 6 months old and reflect current appearance
- No digital alterations, filters, or beautification
- Even, diffuse lighting; no red-eye, no shadows on the face or background
Notes
- Australia follows the ICAO 9303 head-height family (≈ 70%–80% of frame), the same as the ASEAN passports — do not reuse the lower US 50%–69% ratio.
Sources
Can I wear glasses in my Australian passport photo?
No — glasses are not permitted and must be removed for the photo. Sunglasses and tinted lenses are also prohibited.
Can I wear a head covering in the photo?
Head coverings worn daily for religious reasons are permitted, as long as the full face from chin to forehead is clearly visible. Hats and other non-religious head coverings are not allowed.
Can I smile in an Australian passport photo?
No — your expression must be neutral with your mouth closed and both eyes open, looking straight at the camera.
What background does the Australian passport photo need?
A plain white or very light grey background with no shadows, texture, patterns, or objects behind you.
What size and format does the Australian Passport Office require?
Print size 35 × 45 mm; pixel target 413 × 531 px at roughly 300 DPI; sRGB, color only. Passports need **2 identical printed photos** lodged in person — there is no digital photo upload for passports. Head height should be 32–36 mm (about 70–80% of the frame).
Live validation
against the actual rulebook.
Every crop is measured against the published tolerance ranges for the selected document. Pass or warn, in real time — no "submit and hope."
The same checks the authority will run — before you submit.
- Face height & eye line measured from the pupil midpoint with sub-pixel accuracy, clamped to the tolerance range your authority publishes.
- Background colour checked across a sampled grid — catches gradients and fringe from poor segmentation (ΔE < 3 against spec).
- File-size ceiling enforced per-spec — recompressed silently for sub-60 KB e-visa portals, lossless for print.
- Sharpness & expression guards warn on blur, closed eyes, or non-neutral expressions before you export.
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