Printing Passport Photos at Home: What Is and Is Not Allowed

The acceptability of home-printed passport photos varies significantly by country and document type.

United Kingdom

HM Passport Office accepts home-printed passport photos provided they meet the dimensional, background, and image quality requirements set out on gov.uk. The photo must be printed on proper photo paper (not plain inkjet paper) and must be the correct size (35×45mm). Digital photo submissions through the online application channel are also accepted.

United States

The US State Department accepts home-printed passport photos. The required size is 51×51mm (2×2 inches) — different from the ICAO 35×45mm used elsewhere. The photo must be printed on photo paper, not plain paper, and must meet all facial image requirements including a plain white or off-white background.

Canada

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) allows home-printed passport photos provided the technical specifications are met and a guarantor (for adult applicants) signs the back of the photo to verify it is a true likeness.

Switzerland and Austria

Switzerland and Austria generally follow ICAO standards for photo quality but their certification requirements are less strict than Germany's. Verify the current requirements with the Federal Police (FEDPOL) for Swiss passports and the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) for Austrian passports before submitting a home-printed photo.

When home printing is accepted, the paper quality is non-negotiable:

• Paper type: Dedicated photo paper — glossy or matte finish. Plain inkjet paper is not acceptable; it is too thin, too porous, and produces insufficient colour depth and durability.
• Paper weight: 135–300 gsm. Most commercially available photo paper for home printers falls in the 200–260 gsm range, which is well within the acceptable range.
• Finish: Both glossy and satin/matte finishes are acceptable in the UK and US. Some authorities prefer glossy for clarity; check the guidance for your specific country.
• Brands: Fujifilm, Kodak, Canon, and Epson all produce suitable photo paper in the correct weight range.

The minimum acceptable output resolution for passport photo printing is 300 DPI (dots per inch). Most consumer inkjet photo printers — including popular models from Epson, Canon, and HP — are capable of 300–600 DPI photo output.

• Set your printer to its highest quality photo print mode.
• Use the correct colour profile — sRGB is the standard for passport photos.
• Do not scale or compress the image during printing; print at 100% with correct DPI.
• Allow the ink to dry fully before handling the print to avoid smearing.

Accurate cutting is critical. Passport photos that are even 1–2mm too large or too small, or that have irregular edges, can be rejected.

• Required size: 35mm × 45mm (width × height) for most ICAO countries. 51mm × 51mm (2×2 inches) for the United States.
• Use a guillotine cutter: A guillotine paper trimmer produces clean, straight edges. Scissors produce slightly curved or irregular cuts that can cause rejection.
• Measure and mark: Use a ruler to mark the cutting lines precisely on the print. Do not estimate by eye.
• Cut on a firm surface: If using a cutting mat and metal ruler, ensure the mat is flat and the ruler is held firmly to avoid slipping.

Professional photo labs use dye-sublimation printers or laser enlarger processes that produce notably different results from consumer inkjet printing:

• Colour accuracy: Lab printing is calibrated to professional colour standards; home inkjet printing can have colour casts that affect how the skin tone renders in the photo.
• Edge sharpness: Lab printing and cutting produces cleaner, sharper edges than most home setups.
• Durability: Dye-sublimation prints are water-resistant and scratch- resistant; home inkjet prints on photo paper are more fragile and can smear if damp.
• Cost: Home printing has a higher upfront cost (printer, ink, paper) but a lower per-print cost for multiple copies. Single-visit photo lab prints are typically inexpensive and require no hardware investment.

For convenience and guaranteed compliance, drugstore and pharmacy kiosk services — Walgreens and CVS in the US, Boots in the UK, dm and Rossmann in Germany — are a reliable middle ground between home printing and a full professional photo studio.