Baby photo rules · Passport · Ireland
Irish passport photo for your baby.
An Irish passport photo is 35 × 45 mm, with the head 31.5–36 mm from chin to crown, on a plain white, off-white, light grey, or cream background. Up to 36 months, the photo may be taken lying down. It can be uploaded online or handed in as a print. Official source: Department of Foreign Affairs, Passport Service.
What this document requires
- Print size
- 35×45 mm
- Background
- White recommended
- Off-white
- Light grey
- Cream
- Submission
- Upload or print
- Official source
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
Up to 36 months
- May be photographed lying down, from above
At every age
- Eyes open
- Looking straight at the camera
- Neutral expression
- Mouth closed
- Head 31.5–36 mm from chin to crown
- No smaller head size is published for babies, so a newborn's head has to fill the adult size.
- 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 Irish passport photo at home
- Spread a smooth, plain white, off-white, light grey, or cream 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. A photo taken lying down is accepted up to 36 months. Keep every hand out of the frame.
- Check the photo before you print: TotShot measures the head, eye line, pose and background against the Irish passport rules.
Questions parents ask
Can my baby's eyes be closed in an Irish 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 Irish passport photo?
35 × 45 mm, with the head 31.5–36 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 Irish 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. It can be uploaded online or handed in as a print.
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?
Yes, at every age. A baby's glance lasts about half a second, which is why TotShot plays a sound to catch it and takes the shot itself.
What background does an Irish passport photo need?
Plain white, off-white, light grey, or cream, 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.