Passport · Visa · ID photos

Get an ICAO standard photo from your phone

Take a selfie at home. We replace the background, crop it to your country’s exact size and check it against the ICAO photo rules – in about a minute. Checking is free.

Formats: 201 for 139 countries
Checks: Head, eyes, background, light
You get: Digital file + 4 × 6 in sheet
Privacy: Auto-deleted after 24 h

Secure checkout
Deleted after 24 h
Refund if rejected
ICAO Doc 9303 checks

1Photo for

Example: a phone photo taken at home — Your phone photo

Example: the finished photo, 51 × 51 mm — Ready for your United States passport

Example with a fictional person

2Add your photo

We fix the background, crop it to 51 × 51 mm and check it for you.

Face the camera, neutral expression
Stand near a window, no flash
A plain wall helps, but we clean it up anyway

Free check and preview · JPG, PNG or HEIC

Popular passport and visa photo sizes

Pick your document and we crop to its exact size and pixel dimensions. Every format comes from the published rules of the issuing country.

All 139 countries →

Document	Photo size	Digital file	Submission	Photo
United States passport	51 × 51 mm	600 × 600 px	Upload or print	Create
United Kingdom passport	35 × 45 mm	600 × 750 px	Upload or print	Create
India passport	35 × 45 mm	630 × 810 px	Upload or print	Create
Canada passport	50 × 70 mm	1181 × 1654 px	Upload or print	Create
Australia passport	35 × 45 mm	827 × 1063 px	Upload or print	Create
UAE visa	35 × 45 mm	413 × 531 px	Upload	Create
Emirates ID	35 × 45 mm	413 × 531 px	Upload	Create
Saudi visa	51 × 51 mm	200 × 200 px	Upload	Create
US visa	51 × 51 mm	600 × 600 px	Upload	Create
Germany visa	35 × 45 mm	827 × 1063 px	Upload or print	Create

From phone photo to passport photo

Real output of our photo processing. The people are fictional (AI-generated); each after photo is exactly what the tool makes from the before photo.

Before: phone photo taken at home — Living room → clean white background
35 × 45 mm · 413 × 531 px · head centred

After: ICAO-style photo, white background, 35 × 45 mm — Living room → clean white background
35 × 45 mm · 413 × 531 px · head centred

What we check on every photo

Most rejections come from small things – a shadow, a tilted head, a face that’s too small. These are the points passport offices look at.

Check	What the rule says	Typical value
Head size	Chin to crown about 70–80 % of the photo height	≈ 32–36 mm on 35 × 45
Eye line	Eyes open, level, looking straight at the camera	No tilt or turn
Background	Plain, light and even, no shadows or objects	White or light grey by country
Lighting	Even on both sides of the face, no hot spots	No flash glare
Expression	Neutral, mouth closed, face centred	Full face visible
Glasses	No glare or tinted lenses; some countries ban glasses	US: no glasses

Sources · ICAO Doc 9303, Part 3 · U.S. Department of State: passport photos · GOV.UK: photos for passports

How it works

01
Upload or take a photo
Any recent phone photo, facing a window.
02
We prepare and check it
Background, size and framing fixed automatically.
03
Download and use it
Digital file plus a 4 × 6 in print sheet.

Rejected for a photo reason? Full refund.

If a passport office, embassy or consulate rejects your photo because it doesn’t meet a photo rule, we refund the full price. Email us within 30 days with your order number and the rejection notice. Refund policy

Full ICAO photo requirements

ICAO Photos vs a photo studio or booth

	Studio, pharmacy or booth	ICAO Photos
Where	Drive to a studio, pharmacy or booth	From home, on your phone
Retakes	Usually paid or rushed	Free – check as many photos as you like
Rule check before you pay	Depends on the operator	Automatic, 6 ICAO points + size
Digital file for online forms	Often extra or not offered	Included, exact pixel size
Print copies	Fixed set	4 × 6 in sheet, print anywhere
If an office rejects it	Pay again	Full refund for photo-rule rejections

Guides and tools

Frequently asked questions

Anything else? Write to us at support@approvavisa.com.

What is an ICAO standard photo?

It’s a passport or visa photo that follows ICAO Doc 9303, the international standard for machine-readable travel documents: full face, neutral expression, plain light background, even lighting and the correct head size. Each country adds its own size and background rules on top, which we apply for the document you choose.

How much does it cost?

The check and the preview are free. If you like your photo, it costs $7.99 once: a digital file for online forms and a 4 × 6 in print sheet, with no watermark. There is no subscription.

Can I take the photo with my phone?

Yes. Ask someone to take it at eye level, about 1–2 metres away, while you face a window. A plain wall helps, but we replace the background anyway. Any recent phone camera is good enough.

Which countries and documents do you support?

Passport and visa photos for 139 countries (201 formats), including US, UK, Indian, Canadian and Australian passports, Schengen visas, the UAE visa, Emirates ID and the Saudi visa. Choose your document in the tool and the size is set automatically.

What if my photo is rejected?

If an official passport office, embassy or consulate rejects your photo because it doesn’t meet a photo requirement, we refund the full price. Email us within 30 days with your order number and the rejection notice. Rejections for other reasons, such as missing documents, aren’t covered.

How do I print my photo?

Order a 4 × 6 in (10 × 15 cm) print of the print sheet at any photo lab or pharmacy photo kiosk, then cut out the photos. Printing at home also works if you print at 100 % (“actual size”) on photo paper.

What happens to my photo?

We only use it to make your files. Paid files are kept for 24 hours so you can download them, then deleted automatically. We never use your photo for anything else.

Is ICAO Photos an official government service?

No. ICAO Photos is an independent service and isn’t affiliated with ICAO or any government. We check your photo against the published rules; the office you apply to always makes the final decision.

Get your ICAO photo now

Free check and preview. You only pay when your photo is ready.

Upload your photo