Baby passport photo
Same size rules as an adult, relaxed expression rules, and no one else in the picture.
Babies need their own passport and their own photo, and the size rules are identical to an adult's — 2 × 2 inches with the head 1 to 1⅜ inches for the US, 35 × 45 mm for the UK and Australia. What changes is what is tolerated: a newborn's eyes may be closed on a US photo, expression rules are relaxed, and everyone accepts that the head will not be perfectly straight. What is not tolerated is another person, or a hand, in the frame.
Make this photo → Opens the tool with the US passport (2×2 in) preset selected.- 100% freeNo account, no paid download, no watermark.
- Nothing is uploadedYour photo is processed on your device and never reaches a server.
- Official rules, citedEvery size and head-height figure links to the government page it comes from.
- Cheap to printDownload a 4×6 sheet and print it at any photo kiosk instead of paying counter prices for two prints.
Getting the shot
The easiest setup: lay the baby on their back on a plain white or light sheet on the floor near a window, in daylight, and photograph from directly above with the phone parallel to the floor. The sheet becomes the background; the tool replaces it anyway, so a slight crease does not matter. For a baby who can sit, a car seat or high chair draped with a white cloth works, again shot straight on. No pacifier, no toy, no hat, and no hand supporting the head — if a hand must be there, it must be completely out of the frame. Fill the frame with head and shoulders but leave space above the head; the tool crops in.
Take many. You want eyes open (for anyone past the newborn stage), mouth closed if possible, face towards the camera. The US State Department says it is acceptable for an infant's eyes to be partially or fully closed and that a neutral expression is not required for infants; the UK requires eyes open and visible for children over one; Australia and Canada relax expression for infants but want the face visible and, for Australia, the eyes open.
What the tool does with a baby photo
It finds the outline of the baby, places the crown and chin lines, scales the picture so the head sits in the allowed range and replaces the sheet with the required background colour. Babies' heads are proportionally larger and their necks shorter, so check the chin line — it can land on a fold under the chin — and drag it to the true chin if needed. The checklist then confirms the head height. Download the 4×6 sheet and print at any kiosk; a baby's photo is needed for the passport application and often for a visa or citizenship document too, so keep the spare copies.
Toddlers and older children
A child who can sit and look at a camera follows the adult rules with some patience: seat them against a plain wall or a held-up sheet, get to their eye level, and use a second person behind the camera to draw their gaze to the lens. Neutral expression and open eyes are expected from about age one in the UK and in practice from toddlerhood elsewhere; a slight smile is tolerated more than for adults. Glasses off. Hair away from the eyes.
Frequently asked questions
Can my baby's eyes be closed?
For a US passport, yes — the State Department allows infants' eyes to be partially or fully closed. For the UK, children over one must have their eyes open. When in doubt, keep trying for an open-eyed shot.
Can I hold the baby in the photo?
Your hand or body must not be visible. Lay the baby down or seat them; if you must support the head, do it from below the frame.
Does a newborn need a passport photo at all?
Yes — every passport holder, at any age, needs their own photo, and it must be recent. A newborn's photo is a newborn.
How often does a child's passport photo need renewing?
With the passport: US child passports last five years; UK and Australian child passports five years. The photo only needs to be current at the time of application.