Australian Passport Photo Requirements: Size, Guarantor and Rules
Passport Photo Guide · Australia
An Australian passport photo is 35 to 40 mm wide and 45 to 50 mm high, with the face 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown. You need two glossy color prints, and glasses must come off.
Last checked against the Australian Passport Office on October 14, 2026.
Australian passport photo requirements
Australia uses face-matching technology at the border, so the Passport Office asks for two good-quality photos that meet every rule below.
| Requirement | What Australia asks for |
|---|---|
| Size | 35 to 40 mm wide and 45 to 50 mm high |
| Face height | 32 to 36 mm from the chin to the crown, face centred |
| Background | Plain white or light grey, contrasting with your face |
| Expression | Anyone over 3 faces the camera straight on, eyes open, with a neutral expression |
| Lighting | Uniform, showing your natural skin tone, with no shadows, reflections or red eye |
| Hair | Must not obscure the edges of your face |
| Glasses | Not allowed unless you cannot remove them for medical reasons. Vision impairment alone is not a reason |
| Head coverings | Religious coverings only, plain with no pattern at all, showing the face from chin to forehead and both edges |
| Jewelry | Must not cover any part of the face, with no reflection from rings or studs |
| Hearing aids | Allowed. Wireless earbuds such as AirPods are not |
| Good-quality color prints made by dye sublimation, not an inkjet printer, on heavy glossy paper of at least 200 gsm | |
| Editing | No retouching, including removing moles, wrinkles or scars |
| Age of photo | Less than 6 months old |
The Passport Office recommends a professional passport photo provider and warns that online photo services and mobile apps may put you at risk of identity fraud.
ThisPix · Midtown Manhattan
Get your Australian passport photo in NYCWalk in Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM. Two identical glossy prints, sized to Australia's 35 to 40 by 45 to 50 mm range, with the face measured to 32 to 36 mm.
Book your passport photo212-753-4671What your guarantor writes on the back
New passports on a paper form need a guarantor, who signs your form and the back of one photo. Renewals do not need a guarantor.
- What they write. In black pen, the words “This is a true photo of” followed by your full name, and their signature. They also sign section 11 of your form.
- Who can be a guarantor. An adult Australian citizen who has known you for more than 12 months, with a current Australian passport valid for at least 2 more years or listed on the electoral roll at their address for at least 12 months. Not a relative, partner or someone living at your address.
- Online forms. If you complete the application online, you name a referee instead, who signs nothing but may be contacted.
- Applying from the US. Check guarantor rules with the Australian embassy or consulate where you will lodge your application.
Babies and children
- Under 3. The child's mouth may be open.
- Alone. No one else may be visible, including a parent's hand.
- Hearing aids. Children and infants may wear them too.
Common reasons photos are refused
These come from the Passport Office's examples of unacceptable photos.
- Glasses on
- Smiling
- Retouching or skin smoothing
- Camera too close, or framing too close or too far
- A parent's hand or an object in the photo
- An edited or non-plain background
- A patterned head covering, or a hat
- Hair covering the eyes or face
- Wireless earbuds
- Uneven lighting, red eye, blur, grain or ink marks
Since 1986
Australian passport photos in Midtown ManhattanFor 40 years ThisPix has photographed New Yorkers to the size and rules of consulates around the world. Tell us it is for an Australian passport and we will size and print it to Australia's rules.
Get your photo at ThisPix212-753-4671Questions, answered
What size is an Australian passport photo?
35 to 40 mm wide and 45 to 50 mm high, with the face 32 to 36 mm from the chin to the crown.
How many photos do I need?
Two good-quality photos that meet all of the requirements.
Can I wear glasses in an Australian passport photo?
No, unless you cannot remove them for medical reasons. Vision impairment alone is not an acceptable reason.
What does the guarantor write on the back of the photo?
In black pen, "This is a true photo of" followed by your full name, and their signature, on one of your two photos. Renewals do not need a guarantor.
Can I print the photo at home?
No. Photos must be color prints made by dye sublimation, not an inkjet printer, on glossy paper of at least 200 gsm.
What background color is allowed?
Plain white or light grey, contrasting with your face.
Where can I get an Australian passport photo in New York?
At ThisPix, 805 3rd Avenue, 2nd Floor, at East 50th Street in Midtown Manhattan. Walk in Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM.
Sources. Requirements change, so always confirm with the Australian Passport Office before you apply. Last checked October 14, 2026.