1. Pick the right spot
Stand about an arm's length from a plain white or light wall. Face a window so daylight lights your face evenly. Avoid lamps behind you or to one side, because they cause shadows on your face and on the wall.
2. Set up the camera
Ask someone to take the photo with the phone at eye level, about one to two meters away. Selfies bend the face and are more likely to be rejected. Use the back camera, keep the phone upright, and do not use filters, beauty modes or flash.
3. Pose and expression
- Look straight at the camera with your head level.
- Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed and both eyes open.
- Keep your hair off your face and wear nothing on your head unless you have a religious or medical reason.
- Glasses are generally not allowed, so check your country's rules.
4. Crop to the right size
Each country uses a different size. Upload your photo to the tool for your country, drag it until your head fits the guide, and download the result.
5. Check before you submit
PicFitter fixes the size and shape, but it does not check head size, lighting or background. Compare your photo with the official requirements for your country, and see our passport photo size chart for the key numbers.
Common reasons photos are rejected
- Shadows on the face or the wall behind you
- Head too small or too large in the frame
- Smiling, or mouth open
- A blurry or heavily edited photo
- Wrong dimensions or file size