Ireland passport photo size & requirements
Irish passport photos are 35 x 45 mm with a plain light-grey or cream background and a crown-to-chin height of 29–34 mm.
Ireland issues passports through the Passport Service (Seirbhís Pasanna), part of the Department of Foreign Affairs. The photo format — 35 x 45 mm with a crown-to-chin measurement of 29–34 mm — is the same as the UK standard, which makes sense given the historical close alignment of Irish and British travel documentation. Notably, Ireland allows a cream or light-grey background, not white. This is a meaningful difference from most of continental Europe and trips up many applicants who use a generic "white background" photo service.
Ireland was one of the first countries in the world to launch a fully digital passport renewal service — "Passport Online" — which accepts a digital photo upload directly. The online system has a built-in photo checker that validates head size, background, and facial alignment before the application is submitted. For children's passports, the rules are slightly different: a parent or guardian must also appear in at least one supporting document photo. For first-time applicants and children under 18, a paper application (Form APS 1 or APS 2) with two printed photos is required.
- Photo size
- 35 x 45 mm
- Resolution
- 300 DPI
- Head height
- Crown to chin between about 29–34 mm
- Background
- Plain light grey or cream
Ireland passport photo requirements
- Photo must be 35 x 45 mm; for online Passport Online applications a digital photo is uploaded.
- Plain light-grey or cream background with no shadows.
- Neutral expression with the mouth closed and eyes open.
- Crown-to-chin measurement of about 29–34 mm.
- No head coverings except for religious or medical reasons.
- Recent photo taken within the last six months.
Common reasons Ireland passport photos get rejected
Even a technically correct photo can be turned away for these issues. They come up repeatedly in official rejection notices.
- White background instead of cream or light grey — this is the most common Ireland-specific rejection reason, particularly for applicants who use a generic white-background photo booth.
- Head height outside the 29–34 mm range — the crown-to-chin requirement is strict, and heads that are too small in the frame are rejected.
- Photo not taken within the last six months — the Passport Service explicitly checks that the photo reflects current appearance.
- Printed photos not on glossy photographic paper — standard printer paper is not accepted for paper applications.
- Digital photos that exceed the file size or dimension limits for Passport Online — the portal accepts JPEG or PNG files up to 5 MB, and photos must be at least 250 pixels wide.
- Glasses worn in the photo — the Passport Service follows ICAO biometric guidance and discourages glasses; the online checker will flag any glare.
Make your Ireland passport photo
Use our free passport size photo maker — select Ireland from the country list and it will automatically apply the correct size (35 x 45 mm) and background settings for you.
Crop, remove background, and download a compliant Ireland passport photo — free, no signup, no watermark.
Select Ireland in the tool to get the exact 35 x 45 mm preset.
Other countries
United States 2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm) 
Albania 35 x 45 mm 
Australia 35 x 45 mm 
Brazil 3 x 4 cm (30 x 40 mm); US visa applications use 2 x 2 in 
Canada 50 x 70 mm 
China 33 x 48 mm 
France 35 x 45 mm 
Germany 35 x 45 mm 
Iceland 35 x 45 mm 
India 35 x 45 mm (Indian visa & many applications use 51 x 51 mm / 2 x 2 in) 
Italy 35 x 45 mm 
Japan 35 x 45 mm 
Luxembourg 35 x 45 mm 
Malaysia 35 x 50 mm 
Netherlands 35 x 45 mm 
New Zealand 35 x 45 mm 
Nigeria 35 x 45 mm 
Norway 35 x 45 mm 
Pakistan 35 x 45 mm 
Philippines 35 x 45 mm (Philippine visa applications often use 2 x 2 in) 
Russia 35 x 45 mm 
Saudi Arabia 2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm) 
Schengen / EU 35 x 45 mm 
Singapore 35 x 45 mm 
South Africa 35 x 45 mm 
South Korea 35 x 45 mm 
Spain 32 x 26 mm (Spanish ID/passport); EU visas use 35 x 45 mm 
Switzerland 35 x 45 mm 
Thailand 35 x 45 mm 
Turkey 50 x 60 mm 
United Arab Emirates 43 x 55 mm 
United Kingdom 35 x 45 mm 
Vietnam 4 x 6 cm (40 x 60 mm)