Passport photographs are required whenever you apply for a passport or visa for international travel. Most Consulate offices, passport agencies and passport acceptance facilities often provide a photo service, but for an extra fee. It is a misconception that passport photos need to be of professional quality, when really they must only meet simple quality requirements. Luckily, there is a resource available that allows you to acquire free passport photos that require minimal effort to measure and print according to regulation.
Ask a friend or use a tripod to take a digital photo of yourself against a white background. The room should be well lit, and the photo must display a frontal view of your head and shoulders. Passport photos must be taken without glasses or headwear, with the exception of religious attire worn regularly.
Visit epassportphoto.com and select the country of the passport you're applying for from the drop-down menu. You will then be directed to a page where you can select the photo you took in Step 1. Click "Next" once you have done so.
Follow the instructions for placing and cropping your picture to the appropriate size once it has appeared onscreen. Refer to the Quality Requirements for Passport Book and Passport Card Photos (see Resources) for exact specifications and examples.
Click "Next" once more to reveal the "Download and Print" option, which allows you to download the passport sheet image that you've created onto your computer. Five photos will be provided on a 4-by-6 inch sheet.
Make sure your printer is supplied with plain-white photo quality paper. Print a copy of the passport photo sheet and cut them out as needed. Some consulates and passport agencies however will request that you do not cut the photos yourself.
