Digital vs Print: Which Passport Photo Do You Need?
Every major passport authority has a rule about whether you must submit a digital file or just print on photo paper. Here is the breakdown, country by country, so you know which route costs the least.
The short version
- US: Digital and print both accepted. Cropping at home saves money.
- UK: Both accepted for online renewal. Print for paper applications.
- Canada: Must print on professional photo paper. Home inkjet rejected.
- Australia: Digital submission required via DHA portal.
- India: Digital accepted; Passport Seva Kendra online.
- Japan: Both accepted via MOFA website.
- China: Must print on photo paper; NIA online portal.
What digital means
For digital submissions, the photo file itself must meet pixel specifications (e.g., US 540–1200 px square, JPEG under 240 KB) and the file size must not exceed limits. However, most photo labs also accept prints, so the actual practical requirement is rarely the digital-only format.
Printing to save money
At any drugstore kiosk, two US 2×2 passport photos cost roughly $0.35 versus $10–17 for the counter service. Cropping your photo at home (using this tool) and printing at a lab is the cheapest compliant path, except for Canada where professional paper is mandatory.
Crop & verify free →
Crop my photo →About the author
This guide was written by czhcl123, the solo founder of Passport Photo Maker. He built the tool after hitting passport photo rejections himself, and every spec in this guide is cross-checked against the issuing government's official guidance — the sources are linked above. Questions or corrections: github.com/czhcl123
Passport photo requirements by country
Don't see your country? Check the full requirements table →
Our tool crops to 2 × 2 inch (51 × 51 mm) — the US spec. The UK, Canada and Australia need a different print size, so those pages cover the measurements and how to crop them yourself.
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