Baby photo rules · Passport · Australia
Australian passport photo for your baby.
An Australian passport photo is 35 × 45 mm, with the head 32–36 mm from chin to crown, on a plain white, off-white, or light grey background. Under 3, the child doesn't have to look at the camera, a neutral expression isn't required, and the mouth may be open. You hand in 2 identical printed photos. Official source: Australian Passport Office.
What this document requires
- Print size
- 35×45 mm
- Background
- White recommended
- Off-white
- Light grey
- Submission
- Printed
We don't replace the background — shoot on one of these.
Each row links to the authority's own page. TotShot is independent of every authority listed.
Rules for babies and children
Under 3 years
- Doesn't have to look at the camera
- No neutral expression needed
- Mouth may be open
At every age
- Eyes open
- Head 32–36 mm from chin to crown
- The same head size applies to babies — the official rules say so in writing. On a newborn it's the hardest rule to meet.
- Alone in the photo
- No hands, arms or supports in the frame
- No dummy, bottle or toys
- Taken in the last 6 months
A frame in the document's proportions, with the head outline where the rules put it. Where the head should sit for this document.
Any photo of your child, straight on. It is resized on your device, measured on our servers, and not kept.
What we check here
- Head height, crown to chin
- Eye line
- Head turned, tilted or leaning
- Eyes, mouth and gaze, by the age rules for this document
- Face centred in the frame
- Even light on the face
- Too dark or too bright
- Sharpness
- Background: colour, shadows, creases
What we don't check here
- Other objects in the frame
- Print format
The app checks these when you shoot.
How to take an Australian passport photo at home
- Spread a smooth, plain white, off-white, or light grey sheet on the floor or a firm bed, close to a window with soft daylight — no flash, no overhead light.
- Lay your baby on their back and shoot from directly above, phone parallel to the floor, so the photo reads as a straight-on portrait with no shadow on the sheet. Keep every hand out of the frame.
- Check the photo before you print: TotShot measures the head, eye line, pose and background against the Australian passport rules.
Questions parents ask
Can my baby's eyes be closed in an Australian passport photo?
No. Closed eyes are not accepted at any age, even for a newborn. Shoot when your baby is fed, rested and awake — mornings often work best.
What size is an Australian passport photo?
35 × 45 mm, with the head 32–36 mm from chin to crown. A baby's head has to fill the same share of the photo as an adult's — the hardest part of a baby photo to get right.
Can I take an Australian passport photo of my baby at home?
Yes. A photo you take yourself is accepted as long as it meets every rule — the final decision is always the authority's. You hand in 2 identical printed photos.
Can I hold my baby for the photo?
Not in the frame — no hands, arms or supports may show. Lay your baby on a plain sheet and shoot from above instead: holding a baby up pushes the shoulders up and tilts the head, and a hand that slips into the frame gets the photo refused.
Does my baby have to look at the camera?
Not under 3. After that, they must look straight at the camera.
What background does an Australian passport photo need?
Plain white, off-white, or light grey, evenly lit, with no shadows, creases or pattern. White is the safest choice. TotShot doesn't replace backgrounds — authorities refuse a photo whose background was replaced — so shoot on a sheet of the right colour.
Final acceptance is always the authority's decision.