Most passport authorities want a plain, light background. The US, UK and Canadian authorities also want a photo that hasn't been edited, so the background has to be right when the photo is taken, not fixed afterwards. Don't use a background remover, ours included, on a passport photo.
Here's what each authority requires, how to get the background right in the photo itself, and what gets photos rejected.
Important: Requirements change. Always check your country's official passport photo page before you submit. The rules below are quoted from each authority's own pages, checked between July and September 2026.
Background Requirements by Country
Most authorities require a plain white or light-colored background, but the exact shade differs by country, and the US, UK and Canada all prohibit editing the photo.
United States
The U.S. State Department requires a plain white or off-white background free of shadows, textures, or objects, and a photo that hasn't been edited. The full specs:
- Photo size: 2x2 inches (51x51mm)
- Head height: 1 inch to 1-3/8 inches (25-35mm) from chin to top of head
- No shadows on your face or the background
- Taken within the last 6 months
- Neutral expression, both eyes open, mouth closed
- No glasses: take off eyeglasses, sunglasses and tinted glasses (unless you can't remove them for medical reasons, in which case include a signed note from your doctor)
- No digital changes: "Do not change your photo using computer software, phone apps or filters, or artificial intelligence." If the background is wrong, the State Department's advice is to "Fix your lighting and background and take a new photo."
United Kingdom
GOV.UK sets one background for printed photos and another for digital ones:
- Printed photos: a "plain cream or light grey background", 45mm high by 35mm wide
- Digital photos for online applications: a "plain light-coloured background"
- No shadows on your face or behind you
- Face forwards, plain expression, mouth closed
- Taken in the last month
- Printed or digital, the photo must be "unaltered by computer software"
Schengen Area (Schengen Visa)
The European Commission's Schengen visa page asks for "A photo in compliance with ICAO standards." For the exact size and background color, check the requirements of the consulate you are applying to.
Canada
The Government of Canada says its requirements "are different from those of other countries":
- Plain white or light-colored background
- Photo size: 50mm wide by 70mm high
- Neutral expression, mouth closed, not smiling
- Glasses are accepted if your eyes are clearly visible and there is no glare on the lenses; sunglasses and tinted glasses are not
- Taken in person by a commercial photographer or photo studio. Canada doesn't accept photos printed at home.
- No editing of any kind: the photo must be "an original photo that isn't altered or edited in any way", and "This includes photo editing software, filters, and AI tools." Canada lists "changing the background, including removing shadows" as an example of an altered photo, and says: "We'll reject your application if the photos have been altered in any way."
India
The Passport Seva instruction booklet says:
- No photo is needed at a Passport Seva Kendra (PSK) or Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK): "Photograph is NOT REQUIRED for applications submitted at Passport Seva Kendra (PSK), Post Office Passport Seva Kendra (POPSK)."
- At other collection centers (District Passport Cells, Speed Post Centres and Citizen Service Centres), paste a recent color photo measuring 4.5cm by 3.5cm, with a plain white background
- Head in the center of the frame, with both ears visible
- "Photograph in computer print will not be accepted." It should be printed on good quality photo paper.
Taking the Photo
If your country lets you take your own photo (Canada, for example, requires a commercial photographer), a phone camera can work if the photo is sharp and well lit. A few things matter:
Pay most attention to lighting. Stand facing a window so natural light falls evenly on your face. Avoid overhead room lights that create shadows under your eyes and nose. If you can see shadows on your face in the phone's preview, adjust your position.
Get the background right in the photo itself. Don't fix it afterwards. For a US photo, stand several feet in front of a plain white or off-white wall; the State Department suggests using "a white blanket or sheet to cover a non-white wall." Standing away from the wall keeps your shadow off it. For other countries, use the color your authority asks for.
Have someone else take it. Selfies are hard to frame, and your arm tends to creep into the shot. The UK requires a helper even when you take the photo on your own device.
Shoulders visible, face centered. The US, UK and Canadian rules all ask for your head and shoulders in the photo. Leave some space around them; for a UK online application, don't crop the photo at all: GOV.UK says "Do not crop your photo - it will be done for you."
Can You Replace the Background Afterwards?
No, not for a US, UK or Canadian passport. All three prohibit editing a passport photo with software, and Canada gives "cutting and pasting your image against a white background" as an example of an altered photo. India's booklet doesn't mention editing, but it needs no photo at all at a PSK or POPSK. Don't use a background remover, ours included, on a passport or visa photo. If the background is wrong, take the photo again in front of a better wall, or go to a photo studio.
Background removal is the right tool for photos without these rules, such as a profile picture, a team page or a product listing. For those, the Background Remover is free, with no watermarks and no account needed.
Why Passport Photos Get Rejected
The U.S. State Department says unacceptable photos are the number one reason it puts passport applications on hold. These are the problems to check before you submit.
Shadows on the background. Don't remove them in software: Canada lists "changing the background, including removing shadows" as an alteration, and the US says to "Fix your lighting and background and take a new photo." Stand further from the wall and light your face from the front.
Wrong background color. The US accepts white or off-white, but a printed UK photo needs cream or light gray. Check your country's rule before you take the photo.
Poor lighting on the face. Uneven lighting, harsh shadows under the nose, or one side of the face darker than the other. Editing the photo isn't allowed and won't fix this. Retake it with better lighting.
Wrong size. Each country sets its own: 2x2 inches in the US, 45mm high by 35mm wide for a printed UK photo, 50mm wide by 70mm high in Canada. Get the size right when the photo is taken and printed; the US says "Do not stretch or compress your image to resize it."
Glasses. The rules differ. The US asks you to take off all glasses (unless you can't remove them for medical reasons, in which case include a signed note from your doctor), the UK says not to wear them unless you have to, and Canada accepts them if your eyes are clearly visible with no glare on the lenses.
Printing
Check whether your country accepts photos you print yourself:
- Canada doesn't accept photos printed at home. Use a commercial photographer or photo studio.
- UK printed photos must be "printed to a professional standard" on plain white photographic paper.
- India doesn't accept a "photograph in computer print" at the centers that need a photo.
- US photos should be printed "on matte or glossy photo-quality paper", with no visible printer dots.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my passport photo be accepted? Only the issuing authority decides. Your best chance is an unedited photo that meets every rule on your authority's page: background, size, lighting, expression and glasses. Editing the background won't help, because the US, the UK and Canada all prohibit edited photos.
Can I remove or change the background of a passport photo? Not for a US, UK or Canadian passport. The US says "Do not change your photo using computer software, phone apps or filters, or artificial intelligence." The UK requires photos "unaltered by computer software", and Canada rejects applications whose photos have been altered. Retake the photo in front of a plain wall instead.
Can I take the photo myself? It depends on the country. In the US, a friend or family member can take it, or you can have it taken at an acceptance facility or any company that offers photo services. Canada requires a commercial photographer or photo studio. The UK lets you take a digital photo on your own device during an online application, but you'll need someone to help you, and it says photos from a booth or shop are more likely to be approved. Where you can take your own photo, a rear-camera photo taken by someone else is easier to frame than a selfie.