Passport photo how-to
Passport crops are not Instagram squares. You need the right millimetre size, face-height band, and centred head — Passprint applies country presets so the crop matches official rules.
Offices reject photos when the head is too small, cut off at the chin, or the image is stretched to fit a template. Crop to the official aspect ratio — never squeeze the face. Confirm destination size on the passport photo size hub first, then use this guide for framing mechanics, or let Passprint apply a country preset automatically. Passprint automates the entire workflow from upload to print-ready sheet in just a few clicks.
ICAO guidance and many countries expect the chin-to-crown distance to fill most of the image height (often around 70–80%). A tiny face in a large frame fails automated checks.
Forcing a 35×45 mm portrait into a square 2×2 template (or the reverse) without a proper crop warps proportions. Always crop to the destination size, then resize at 300 DPI.
Ears should normally be visible; leave a small margin above the hair. Centre the face horizontally so one shoulder is not cropped tighter than the other.
Lock the correct aspect ratio before you move the crop box. The diagram shows how one portrait feeds 35×45, 2×2, and 50×70 outputs without stretching.
| Spec | 35×45 mm | 2×2 in (US) | 50×70 mm (Canada) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Outer size | 35×45 mm | 2×2 in (51×51 mm) | 50×70 mm |
| Aspect ratio | 7:9 portrait | 1:1 square | 5:7 portrait |
| Face / head height | ~70–80% of height (ICAO-style) | 1–1⅜ in chin to crown | 31–36 mm chin to crown |
| Approx. pixels @ 300 DPI | 413×531 px | 600×600 px | 591×827 px |
| Typical markets | India, UK, Schengen+ | US passport & visa | Canada IRCC |
| Open size guide | 35×45 mm guide | 2×2 in guide | 50×70 mm guide |
Look up the destination before you crop: India, the UK, and Schengen often use 35×45 mm; the United States uses 2×2 inches; Canada uses 50×70 mm with a published face-height millimetre range. Cropping to the wrong outer size wastes the whole workflow. Use the size hub and country guides as the source of truth for dimensions.
Use a fixed-ratio crop matching the official dimensions. Do not stretch or squish the image to fill a box — that changes face proportions and is easy for reviewers to spot. If you only have a square US crop and need 35×45, return to the original uncropped portrait and re-crop; never stretch the square.
Place the head in the middle of the frame horizontally. Aim for chin-to-crown filling the band your country or ICAO expects, with a little space above the hair. Canada’s 31–36 mm face height is especially strict — a generic “zoom until it looks good” crop often fails IRCC even when the outer 50×70 size is correct.
Keep both ears visible when hairstyle allows. Avoid cutting the crown or chin. Shoulders should appear balanced; uneven side margins make the photo look off-centre. Jewelry and hair that obscure the jawline can also cause problems after a tight crop.
Printed passport photos should be sharp at 300 DPI. Digital uploads may list minimum or maximum pixel dimensions — check the form before submitting. Export from Passprint at print quality, then downscale only if a portal requires a smaller JPEG.
You can crop before or after whitening the background if you re-check face height afterward. Background swaps can slightly change perceived edges around hair. Passprint applies background replacement and crop in one workflow so head size stays aligned with the selected preset.
Moving from US 2×2 to India/UK 35×45 (or Canada 50×70) requires a fresh crop from the original file. Aspect ratios differ; “fit to frame” stretch tools are the wrong approach. Keep the master portrait and re-run the correct Passprint preset for each destination.
Free editors work if you lock aspect ratio, measure face height carefully, and export at the right DPI. Passprint is faster because country presets and face detection handle millimetre sizing and multi-copy print layout together — useful when you process more than one application size.
If you are still confirming the destination, try a standard 35×45 preset as a starting point for international rectangle countries, then switch once you open the matching size or country page. Always verify against official references linked on those pages before you submit.
Upload once and let Passprint frame the face to millimetre size — then arrange a print sheet.
Open passport photo makerStep-by-step
Confirm the destination size first, crop without stretching, check face height, then export at print resolution — or let Passprint apply the preset automatically.
Look up your destination: India/UK/Schengen often use 35×45 mm; the US uses 2×2 in; Canada uses 50×70 mm. Cropping to the wrong size wastes the whole workflow.
Use a fixed-ratio crop matching the official dimensions. Do not stretch or squish the image to fill a box — that changes face proportions.
Place the head in the middle of the frame. Aim for chin-to-crown filling the band your country or ICAO expects, with a little space above the hair.
Printed passport photos should be sharp at 300 DPI. Digital uploads may also require minimum pixel dimensions — check the form before submitting.
Upload once, pick a country or size preset, and Passprint frames the face, applies the millimetre crop, and builds a multi-copy print sheet.
Passport Size Photos
A4 · 210 × 297 mm · 35 × 45 mm
Look up your destination: India/UK/Schengen often use 35×45 mm; the US uses 2×2 in; Canada uses 50×70 mm. Cropping to the wrong size wastes the whole workflow.
Use a fixed-ratio crop matching the official dimensions. Do not stretch or squish the image to fill a box — that changes face proportions.
Place the head in the middle of the frame. Aim for chin-to-crown filling the band your country or ICAO expects, with a little space above the hair.
Printed passport photos should be sharp at 300 DPI. Digital uploads may also require minimum pixel dimensions — check the form before submitting.
Passport Size Photos
A4 · 210 × 297 mm · 35 × 45 mm
Upload once, pick a country or size preset, and Passprint frames the face, applies the millimetre crop, and builds a multi-copy print sheet.
Country presets apply the right aspect ratio and face-height band so you do not stretch portraits into the wrong template.
India, UK, US, Canada, Schengen, and standard size pages share the same framing engine.
Head size lands in the ICAO band before you export.
Place multiple copies on one A4 sheet once the single crop is correct.
Correct cropping means the right dimensions, face height, and resolution — not just cutting a rectangle around the face.
Official references
Passprint uses AI-assisted processing for background replacement, face framing, and sizing. Final acceptance is decided by the issuing authority — always verify against the official references on this page and inspect your printed sheet before submission.
Last reviewed: July 31, 2026
Face-height framing for India, UK, US, Canada, and more — plus A4 print layouts.
