Dyed and Coloured Hair in Passport Photos 2026 – Fully Allowed

Biometric passport photos are used to extract a facial template — a mathematical representation of the geometry of your face. This template measures the distances and proportions between your eyes, nose, mouth, jaw, and cheekbones. Hair colour plays no role in this process.

ICAO Doc 9303, the international standard that governs biometric passport photos across all member countries, specifies rules about head position, face size, background, lighting, expression, and focus. It contains no restrictions on hair colour, hair style, or hair length. Neither does the domestic guidance of Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the UK, the US, Australia, or any other major passport-issuing country.

The following are all fully permitted without restriction:

• Natural colours: blonde, brunette, black, auburn, red, grey, white
• Dyed natural tones: highlighted, balayage, ombre
• Bleached or platinum hair
• Bright or unusual colours: blue, pink, purple, green, orange, silver, multicolour
• Any combination of the above

There is no requirement that your hair colour in the photo match any previous photo or any natural colour. If blue hair is how you normally look, your passport photo should show blue hair.

While hair colour is irrelevant, there is one hair-related rule that does apply: hair must not obscure your face. Specifically:

• Eyes: Both eyes must be fully visible and open. Hair falling across one or both eyes will cause rejection.
• Face outline: The face from chin to forehead must be clearly visible. Hair should not cover the sides of the face in a way that obscures the face outline used for biometric matching.
• Length: There are no restrictions on hair length — short, medium, long, or very long hair is all acceptable, provided the face is not obscured.
• Up vs down: Hair worn up or down is both acceptable. If your hair is worn down, make sure it does not fall across your eyes or the lower part of your face.

Wigs are permitted in passport photos, subject to the same rule that applies to all passport photos: the photo must represent how you normally look. If you wear a wig daily — whether for medical, cosmetic, or personal reasons — you should wear it for your passport photo, as it reflects your current appearance.

The ICAO consistency principle requires that your photo match your appearance when you travel. A wig that you wear daily is part of your normal appearance.

Hair colour is not a biometric feature — changing it does not affect facial geometry. However, the ICAO consistency principle requires that your passport photo reflect your current appearance so that border officers can recognise you.

In practice, hair colour changes — even dramatic ones — are not considered a "significant appearance change" that would require a passport renewal. You would not be turned away at a border because your hair colour differs from your passport photo. Facial geometry is what matters for biometric verification.

Always verify with the official authority in your country if you have specific concerns about your appearance and travel documents.