Australian Passport Photo: 35×45 mm, Head 32–36 mm
The Australian Passport Office accepts photos 35–40 mm wide and 45–50 mm high, with the head measuring 32–36 mm from chin to crown. This tool outputs 827 × 1063 px — 35 × 45 mm at 600 DPI, at the bottom of that range and sharp enough for the print quality DFAT expects. It runs in your browser, so your photo is never uploaded.
Passport photo rules change over time. Always confirm the current requirements with the official issuing authority before you submit. This tool prepares your file; it cannot guarantee acceptance.
The head measurement matters more than the size
Australia is unusual among major passport authorities in publishing a range rather than one fixed size. Most countries name a single number — 2 × 2 inches, 35 × 45 mm, 50 × 70 mm — and reject anything else.
The reason is that the real requirement is your head height: 32 to 36 mm from the bottom of your chin to the crown of your head. That is what the biometric system reads. As long as the head falls in that band and the photo sits inside the outer bounds, the exact border dimensions have some tolerance.
In practice this means the most common rejection is not a wrong photo size — it is a head that is too small because the photo was taken from too far away. Fill the frame.
Two things this tool cannot do for you
The guarantor endorsement. A printed application needs two identical photos, and one must be signed on the back by your guarantor confirming it is a true likeness. That is a physical signature on a physical print. No online tool can produce it, and any service claiming to make your application complete is glossing over this.
The print itself. DFAT expects photo-quality prints. Home inkjet output on ordinary paper is a routine rejection reason. Take the file to a photo lab or pharmacy print counter and ask for 35 × 45 mm.
The good news: unlike Canada, Australia does not require a commercial photographer to take the picture. You can shoot it yourself, size it here, and have a lab print it.
Official Australian passport photo specifications
| Requirement | Specification |
|---|---|
| Width | 35 mm to 40 mm |
| Height | 45 mm to 50 mm |
| Head height | 32 mm to 36 mm, chin to crown |
| This tool outputs | 827 × 1063 px, 35 × 45 mm at 600 DPI |
| Background | Plain white or light grey, no shadows |
| Glasses | Not permitted, medical certificate only |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open, head straight |
| Age of photo | Taken within the last 6 months |
| Printed application | Two identical photos, one endorsed by a guarantor |
| Online renewal | One digital photo, eligible adults only |
How to make an Australian passport photo
- Take or choose a photo from the last six months: face the camera squarely, plain white or light grey wall, even lighting, no glasses, neutral expression.
- Stand well clear of the wall so your head casts no shadow behind you.
- Upload it here — the output is locked to 827 × 1063 px, which is 35 × 45 mm at 600 DPI.
- Position the crop so your head measures roughly three quarters of the frame height, which lands inside the 32-36 mm range once printed.
- Click Resize & compress, download the JPEG, then have it printed at a photo lab at 35 × 45 mm — or upload it directly if you are renewing online.
Why Australian passport photos get rejected
- Head too small in the frame — under the 32 mm minimum, usually from standing too far back.
- Wearing glasses, including clear prescription lenses.
- Home inkjet prints on paper that is not photo quality.
- Shadows on the face or on the background behind the head.
- Light clothing that blends into a white background with no contrast.
- Smiling or an open mouth — the expression must be neutral.
- Head tilted or turned rather than square to the camera.
- A photo older than six months.
One honest note: this tool sizes and compresses your file correctly, which removes the most common technical rejection. It cannot judge your head position, lighting or expression, it cannot print for you, and it cannot obtain your guarantor endorsement. Check your photo against the official rules at passports.gov.au before you lodge your application.
Australian passport photo — FAQ
What size is an Australian passport photo?
The Australian Passport Office accepts a range rather than a single fixed size: 35 to 40 mm wide and 45 to 50 mm high. The 35 × 45 mm size sits at the bottom of that range and is what most photo services produce, which is why it is treated as the standard. What matters more than the outer dimensions is the head height, which must be 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown.
Why does Australia give a size range when other countries do not?
Because the head measurement is the real requirement. The Australian Passport Office cares that your face occupies the correct proportion of the frame for biometric matching, so it allows some flexibility in the border dimensions as long as the head height falls inside 32 to 36 mm. Countries that specify a single exact size are effectively fixing both at once.
Can I wear glasses?
No. Glasses are not accepted in Australian passport photos at all, including clear prescription lenses. The only exception requires a supporting medical certificate. This is stricter than several other countries and catches out people who wear glasses daily and forget to remove them.
Do I need one photo or two?
For a printed application you need two identical photos, and one of them must be endorsed on the back by your guarantor confirming it is a true likeness of you. That endorsement is a physical signature — no online tool can produce it, including this one. Eligible adults renewing online upload a single digital photo instead.
Can I renew online and upload a photo?
Eligible adults can renew at passports.gov.au and upload a digital photo meeting the same specifications. Check your eligibility on the official site — not every renewal qualifies, and first-time applications never do.
Can I print the photo at home?
It is risky. The Australian Passport Office expects photo-quality prints, and home inkjet output on plain or lightweight paper is a common rejection reason. Take the file this tool produces to a photo lab or pharmacy print counter instead. Unlike Canada, Australia does not require a commercial photographer to take the picture — only that the print quality is good.
How recent must the photo be?
It must be taken within the last six months and reflect your current appearance.
Is my photo uploaded to a server?
No. The photo is cropped and compressed entirely inside your browser. For an identity document that matters — nothing is transmitted, stored or seen by anyone but you.
Passport photo sizes by country
Every country sets its own pixel size, file size and background rules. Each page below locks the tool to that exact official spec.
Other tools
Shot on an iPhone? Convert HEIC to JPG first. Need a different exact size? Use the resize tool.