How to Take a Passport Photo at Home (Step-by-Step)
Reviewed: 2026-05-01
Taking a passport photo at home saves $7-17 compared to pharmacy services and takes about 5 minutes. Here's how to get it right on the first try.
Equipment needed
A smartphone (rear camera, NOT selfie camera)
A plain wall (white for US/India, light grey for UK)
Natural daylight from a window
Someone to take the photo (no selfies — they cause distortion)
Step-by-step
1. Set up the background. Stand 2-3 feet in front of a plain white wall (or light grey for UK). Make sure there are no visible outlets, switches, or shadows. If your wall isn't white, pin up a white bedsheet — make sure it's wrinkle-free.
2. Position the lighting. Face a window with natural daylight. The light should illuminate your face evenly from the front. Never stand with a window behind you (creates silhouettes) or under overhead lights only (creates chin shadows).
3. Camera settings. Use the rear camera of your phone — the front selfie camera creates proportional distortion that automated systems can detect. Turn OFF portrait mode, beauty filters, HDR, and any automatic enhancements. Many submission systems now flag AI-enhanced photos, so keep your camera in standard photo mode.
4. Distance and framing. The photographer should stand 4-6 feet away. Frame from the top of your head to just below your shoulders. Don't worry about exact cropping — ExactPix will crop to the exact specification.
5. Your appearance.
Remove glasses (required for US since 2016, India since 2025)
Neutral expression, mouth closed
Look directly at the camera
Both eyes open
No hats or head coverings (except religious, with face fully visible)
6. Upload to ExactPix. Select your specific document type (US passport, Indian passport, UK passport, etc.). The tool auto-crops to the correct dimensions, checks compliance, and optimizes file size — all in your browser, no upload to any server.
Common mistakes
Using the selfie camera (causes distortion)
Portrait mode or beauty filters (creates AI-detected alterations)
Overhead-only lighting (creates chin shadows)
Standing too close to the wall (creates background shadows)
Wearing glasses (banned for US, India, Canada — allowed for UK with conditions)
Country-specific tips
Each country has its own background, size, and recency requirements. Visit the specific spec page for detailed rules.