Photo requirements

How your photo is usually taken

The UK Immigration: ID Check app lets you confirm your identity from your own phone as part of an application. It checks that your identity document is genuine and belongs to you, and it captures a photo of your face during the process. The app runs on iPhones (iOS 15 or later) and Android phones (Android 8.0 or later) and is available in English.

If you cannot or do not want to use the app, or the app cannot verify you, you can instead book an appointment at a visa application centre, where your photo and other biometric information are taken for you. So the digital selfie is the main route, but attending in person is the alternative.

• The app first uses a facial scan (a light-based check) and then asks you to take a photo.
• You can decline the light-based face scan and verify your identity at an appointment instead.
• Children aged 9 or younger skip the facial scanning step.

What the photo must show (ID Check app rules)

When the app asks you to take your photo, the Home Office guidance sets out clear conditions. These are the rules that apply to the immigration photo itself.

• Use even lighting and stand against a plain, light-coloured background.
• Keep your head straight and look directly at the camera.
• Have a neutral expression, with your eyes open and clearly visible.
• Include your head, shoulders and upper body — you can hold the phone at arm's length or ask someone to take the photo for you.
• Do not have anything covering your face or eyes.
• Do not wear a head covering, unless it is for religious or medical reasons.
• Make sure there are no shadows, objects or people behind you.

Using passport-photo standards as a guide

The immigration photo requirements are close to the UK's passport-photo standards, so those standards are a useful reference for getting a good, clear image — even though for immigration the photo is normally taken live through the app rather than uploaded as a file.

The passport-photo guidance says a good digital photo should be clear, in focus, in colour and unaltered by software. You should face forwards and look straight at the camera with a plain expression and your mouth closed, your eyes open and visible, and no hair across your eyes. The background should be plain and light-coloured with nothing behind you, and there should be no shadows on your face or in the background, and no red-eye.

• Glasses: it is best not to wear glasses; if you must wear them for medical reasons, they cannot be sunglasses or tinted, and your eyes must not be hidden by the frames, glare, reflection or shadow.
• Face coverings are not allowed, but head coverings worn for religious or medical reasons are accepted (with your face still clearly visible).
• For reference, a digital passport photo must be at least 600 pixels wide and 750 pixels tall, and between 50KB and 10MB in size.

What to avoid

A photo that does not meet the rules can hold up your application. Common problems mirror the passport-photo pitfalls: the image being blurred or out of focus, wrong dimensions, a busy or dark background, shadows, or anything obscuring the face. Getting the lighting even and the background plain is the single most helpful thing you can do.