How it works

When providing the photograph

• Make sure to leave some space around the head so that Passport Online can automatically crop the image when it is uploaded.
• Don't go too close around the head or crop the image too tightly.
• Don't go too far back, about mid torso is ok.
• A colour photograph is required.
• The digital photo provided for upload cannot be less than 715 pixels wide and 951 pixels high.
• Provide the digital photo in JPEG file format for the customer to upload when making their online application.
• There must be no compression, loss or compression artefacts in the JPEG.
• Passport Online will not accept upload of a file larger than 9MB.

Pose and Visual Aspects

• Photos must be in sharp focus and correctly exposed.
• Background must be plain and a light colour grey, white or cream.
• Shadows from the head must not appear in the background.
• Good colour balance and natural skin tones are essential.
• Red eye in photographs is not acceptable.
• Must not contain barrel or other distortion.
• A clear contrast is needed between facial features and background
• Forward facing and looking directly at the camera.
• Digital enhancements or changes are not acceptable.
• Subject must have a neutral expression, not smiling and with mouth closed.
• The face must be in full view.
• No headwear unless worn for religious purposes.
• No hats, hood, scarf or hair accessories.
• Hair should not hide any part of the face.
• Sunglasses must not be worn.
• Transparent glasses may be worn so long as the frames don't cover any part of the eye or cause glare or shadows.

Create Your Irish Passport Photo

Upload a recent photograph and our passport photo maker will prepare it for your Irish Passport Online application in 3 steps

Step 1: Take your photo

Ask another person to take a clear photo of you against a plain, light-coloured background.

Step 2: Upload the image

Upload the original image from your phone, tablet, or computer to our Irish passport photo maker. Our tool will then:

1. Adjust the background
2. Crop the photo to the required proportions

3. Resize the image to suitable digital dimensions 

Step 3: Download your photo

Our Irish passport photo tool will generate a compliant Irish passport photo. Simply save the prepared image to your device. 

Irish Passport Photos for Babies and Children

A child must be the only person visible in the photograph.

Do not allow the following to appear:

• A parent or another person
• Hands or arms supporting the child
• Toys
• Soothers or pacifiers
• Chairs or other visible objects

If a baby cannot sit or support themselves, place the baby on a plain white surface and take the photograph from directly above.

Make sure the baby’s face is clearly visible and not covered by clothing, blankets or other objects.

For babies and very young children, the Passport Online system may provide a cropping tool to help position the child’s face.

Common Reasons Irish Passport Photos Get Rejected

Even small mistakes can lead to your photo being refused. The most common issues include:

• The photo is a selfie or not taken by another person
• The image does not meet size or file requirements (too small, too large, or wrong format)
• The photo is blurry, poorly lit, or has shadows
• The expression is not neutral (smiling, mouth open, or not looking at the camera)
• Glasses, hair, or objects obscure the face or eyes
• The background is not plain or contains visible objects
• The image has been edited, filtered, or digitally altered

Frequently Asked Questions

What size should an Irish online passport photo be?

The digital image must be at least 715 pixels wide and 951 pixels high.

These are minimum dimensions. Your original photo may be larger, provided that it meets the other requirements.

What file format is required?

The photograph must be saved in JPEG format.

What is the maximum file size?

The file must not be larger than 9 MB.

Can I use a selfie?

No. You need another person to take the photograph.

Can I take the photo with my phone?

Yes. You can use a smartphone, tablet, computer or digital camera, provided that the image meets all of the official requirements.

Do not use digital zoom, portrait filters or beauty settings.

Can I use a scanned passport photo?

No. The Irish Passport Service requires an original digital photograph for an online application. A scanned printed photograph is not accepted.

Does the background have to be white?

No. The background may be plain light grey, white or cream. It must be completely clear of objects and provide enough contrast with your face and hair.

Can I smile in an Irish passport photo?

No. Use a neutral expression, keep your mouth closed and look directly at the camera.

Can I wear glasses?

Yes, provided that your eyes are fully visible, the frames do not cover your eyes and there is no glare on the lenses. Dark or tinted glasses are not accepted.

Can I wear a religious head covering?

Yes. Head coverings are permitted for religious or medical reasons, but your full facial features must remain visible.

Can I edit or retouch my photo?

Do not use filters, skin smoothing, beauty effects, facial reshaping, background replacement or other digital enhancements.

Basic cropping, rotation and resizing should not change your appearance.

Official source: https://www.dfa.ie/passports/photo-guidelines/