Top 10 Reasons Passport Photos Get Rejected
Almost every rejected passport or visa photo fails for one of ten reasons. Here they are, with the fix for each — check before you shoot.
1. Wrong size or ratio
The classic. Most of the world uses 35 × 45 mm portrait, the US insists on 2 × 2 inches square, and Spain flips it with a 32 × 26 mm landscape photo. Bringing the wrong shape is an automatic rejection. Our size chart and per-country pages (US, Schengen, Spain) give you the exact numbers.
2. Face too small or too large in frame
Each authority publishes a head-size band: roughly 32–36 mm chin-to-crown for most countries, 26–30 mm for the Netherlands, and 50–69% of frame height for the US. Too much headroom or a face-filling close-up both fail. If your photo "looks right" but keeps bouncing, measure the head — it is the most common silent killer. The Netherlands page shows the comparison.
3. Expression or eyes
Mouth open, smiling (France rejects even a slight smile), or eyes half-closed — instant fail everywhere. Neutral face, both eyes open, looking straight into the lens.
4. Glasses
Glare over the eyes, frames hiding the eyes, or living in a country that bans glasses outright (France, Germany, India, Italy). The dress code guide has the per-country table — when in doubt, take them off.
5. Shadows — on the face or behind it
Hard side-light carves a nose shadow; standing too close to the wall casts one behind you. Both are top-five rejections for photo labs. Face a window, stand half a metre off the wall. More in the home photo guide.
6. Busy or tinted background
Patterns, other people, dark colours, or a gradient. Authorities want a plain, even, light background (white or light grey; the Netherlands also allows light blue). Our tool replaces the background for you after the shoot.
7. Photo taken too long ago
Virtually every authority requires the photo to reflect your current appearance, and most set an explicit window — six months is the norm (the US, the Netherlands and most consulates state it outright). A photo from your last application will not survive review if you have changed.
8. Low resolution, blur, or a scan of a print
Blurry, pixelated, or scanned-and-rescanned photos fail the quality check. Print at 300 DPI minimum (the Netherlands wants 400), and never photograph a printed photo with your phone. Our exports are sized correctly by default.
9. Uniforms or costume-like clothing (US especially)
The US rejects photos in uniforms or clothing that looks like one; camouflage is risky everywhere. Everyday civilian clothes are the rule — see the dress code.
10. Digital file problems
For online applications: wrong format (some portals take JPEG only), oversized files (the DV lottery caps at 240 kB), or an over-compressed upload that breaks the pixel minimum. Check the file rules on your country page — US visa and DV lottery list theirs — and use the image compressor to hit size caps without dropping below quality limits.
60-second pre-flight check
- ✅ Right shape for the document (chart → photo sizes)
- ✅ Head inside the band, eyes open, mouth closed
- ✅ Glasses off (or glare-free where allowed)
- ✅ Even light, plain light background, no shadows
- ✅ Taken recently, sharp, at 300 DPI+
- ✅ File format and size within the portal's limits
Clear on what kills photos? Shoot a compliant one now → · Printing it correctly: printing guide