Requirements ·
Baby passport photo requirements by country.
Most authorities relax a few rules for babies, but each draws its own lines. Of the 17 documents we cover, 5 accept closed eyes for a baby, 6 drop the neutral-expression rule for young children, 6 say in writing that a baby may be photographed lying down, and 5 publish no exceptions for children at all. Only the Dutch passport (19–30 mm under 11) publishes a smaller head size for children. Everywhere, the child must be alone in the photo, with no hands, dummy or toys in the frame.
| Document | Size | Head, chin to crown | Eyes may be closed | No neutral expression needed | Lying down allowed | Background | Submit | Official source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US passport | 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) | 25.5–35 mm | Up to 12 months | No | Up to 12 months | white or off-white | 1 print | |
| US visa | 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) | 25.5–35 mm | No | No | Not stated | white or off-white | Upload or print | |
| Green card | 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) | 25.5–35 mm | No | No | Not stated | white or off-white | Upload or print | |
| UK passport | 35 × 45 mm | 29–34 mm | Under 1 | Under 6 | Under 1 | light grey or cream | Upload or print | |
| Irish passport | 35 × 45 mm | 31.5–36 mm | No | No | Up to 36 months | white, off-white, light grey, or cream | Upload or print | |
| New Zealand passport | 35 × 45 mm | 31.5–35 mm | No | No | Under 1 | light grey, cream, or light blue | Upload or print | |
| Australian passport | 35 × 45 mm | 32–36 mm | No | Under 3 | Not stated | white, off-white, or light grey | 2 prints | |
| Dutch passport | 35 × 45 mm | 26–30 mm (19–30 mm under 11) | No | Under 6 | Not stated | white, off-white, light grey, or light blue | 1 print | |
| Italian passport | 35 × 45 mm | 31.5–36 mm | Up to 5 months | No | Not stated | white or off-white | 2 prints | |
| Polish passport | 35 × 45 mm | 31.5–36 mm | Under 5 | Under 5 | Not stated | white or off-white | 1 print | |
| Austrian passport | 35 × 45 mm | 30–36 mm | No | Under 6 | Not stated | light grey, white, or off-white | 1 print | |
| Belgian passport | 35 × 45 mm | 31.5–36 mm | No | Under 6 | Not stated | white, off-white, or light grey | 1 print | |
| Spanish passport | 26 × 32 mm | 22.4–25.6 mm | No | No | Not stated | white or off-white | 1 print | |
| Brazilian passport | 50 × 70 mm | 42–52.5 mm | Up to 1 month | No | Up to 1 month | white or off-white | 1 printTaken at the office from age 5 | |
| Indian passport | 35 × 45 mm | 30.6–36.9 mm | No | No | Not stated | white or off-white | 1 printTaken at the office from age 4 | |
| Japanese passport | 35 × 45 mm | 32–36 mm | No | No | Under 6 | white, off-white, or light blue | 2 prints | |
| Schengen visa | 35 × 45 mm | 31.5–36 mm | No | No | Not stated | white, off-white, or light grey | Upload or print |
What every authority asks
- The child is alone in the photo.
- No hands, arms or supports in the frame — not even at the edge.
- No dummy, bottle, toy or hair bow.
- The photo was taken in the last 6 months.
- A plain, evenly lit background in a colour the document accepts — the table says which.
Closed eyes
Of the 17 documents, 5 accept closed eyes for a baby: the US passport (up to 12 months), the UK passport (under 1), the Italian passport (up to 5 months), the Polish passport (under 5), and the Brazilian passport (up to 1 month). The others want the eyes open at every age, including for a newborn — so for those, shoot when your baby is fed and awake.
Expression and looking at the camera
A young child doesn't need a neutral expression for the UK passport (under 6), the Australian passport (under 3), the Dutch passport (under 6), the Polish passport (under 5), the Austrian passport (under 6), and the Belgian passport (under 6).
Looking straight at the camera is waived for the UK passport (under 6), the Australian passport (under 3), the Dutch passport (under 6), the Polish passport (under 5), the Austrian passport (under 6), and the Belgian passport (under 6). Everywhere else a baby has to look into the lens, and a baby's glance lasts about half a second — a moment a phone catches better than a thumb.
Photos taken lying down
Of the 17 documents, 6 say in writing that a baby may be photographed lying down: the US passport (up to 12 months), the UK passport (under 1), the Irish passport (up to 36 months), the New Zealand passport (under 1), the Brazilian passport (up to 1 month), and the Japanese passport (under 6). The others don't mention it either way — what they check is the result: a straight-on portrait with a plain background and nothing else in the frame. How to take one at home.
Head size: the hardest rule to meet on a baby
Only the Dutch passport (19–30 mm under 11) publishes a smaller head size for children. Everywhere else, a newborn's head has to fill the same band as an adult's, measured from the chin to the top of the head. The table gives each document's band in millimetres.
Where the office takes the photo
- Brazilian passport — from age 5, the photo is taken at the appointment. Before that, a photo you take yourself is accepted if it meets every rule.
- Indian passport — from age 4, the photo is taken at the appointment. Before that, a photo you take yourself is accepted if it meets every rule.
No exceptions for children
For the US visa, the green card, the Spanish passport, the Indian passport, and the Schengen visa, no exception for children is published: every adult rule applies from birth — eyes open, mouth closed, a neutral expression, looking at the camera.
Questions parents ask
Can a baby's eyes be closed in a passport photo?
It depends on the document. Closed eyes are accepted for the US passport (up to 12 months), the UK passport (under 1), the Italian passport (up to 5 months), the Polish passport (under 5), and the Brazilian passport (up to 1 month). The other documents we cover want the eyes open at every age.
Do babies need a neutral expression in a passport photo?
Not for every document: the UK passport (under 6), the Australian passport (under 3), the Dutch passport (under 6), the Polish passport (under 5), the Austrian passport (under 6), and the Belgian passport (under 6) waive it for young children. Elsewhere the adult rule applies.
Can a baby passport photo be taken lying down?
The US passport (up to 12 months), the UK passport (under 1), the Irish passport (up to 36 months), the New Zealand passport (under 1), the Brazilian passport (up to 1 month), and the Japanese passport (under 6) say so in writing. The other documents don't mention it; what they check is the result — a straight-on portrait with a plain background and no hands, shadows or props in it.
Every row links to the authority's own page. TotShot is independent of every authority listed. Final acceptance is always the authority's decision.