UK visa photo online
For a UK visa or immigration application you need a digital colour photo at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall, between 50 KB and 6 MB, on a plain light-coloured background. Like the passport photo, it should show your head, shoulders and upper body, not a tight crop.
Your photo never leaves your phone
- Stand about 1.5 m in front of a plain, light wall.
- Face a window or a bright light so both sides of your face are lit.
- Ask someone to take it with the phone at your eye level. Selfies are often rejected.
- Glasses off, hair away from your eyes, mouth closed, no smile.
Ready offline. Turn on airplane mode and it still works, which shows your photo isn't uploaded.
Line up your head and shoulders with the outline. Keep the phone at eye level, about 1.5 m away.
Finding your face…
Rules last checked against the official page on 12 November 2026.
UK visa / immigration photo rules
- At least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall, portrait, not mirrored
- JPEG, between 50 KB and 6 MB
- In colour, clear and in focus, in a well-lit room
- Plain light-coloured background with no shadows
- Head, shoulders and upper body visible, with your shoulders clothed
- Face forward, plain expression, mouth closed, eyes open and visible
- No glasses unless you have to wear them, never tinted, no glare over your eyes
- Headwear only for religious or medical reasons
- A new photo: not a scan, not the photo from your passport, not edited
Source: GOV.UK: Take a photo of your face for a visa application. SkipTheBooth helps you meet these rules but can't guarantee your photo will be accepted.
Questions
Can I use my passport photo for my UK visa application?
No. GOV.UK says the photo must be new, and not the same photo as in your passport or ID. Take a fresh one: it only takes a minute.
Does SkipTheBooth flip my selfie?
No. Photos taken with SkipTheBooth's camera are saved the right way round, as other people see you, which is what the visa rules ask for.