Most people worry about two things before a passport photo: whether they can smile, and what to wear. The answers differ by country. This guide sticks to what the official pages say. For the full list of rejection reasons, see why passport photos get rejected, which this guide does not repeat.
Can you smile in a passport photo?
- United States: "You can smile in your photo. Just make sure your eyes are open and your mouth is closed." Exaggerated expressions are discouraged.
- United Kingdom: adults must have a plain expression and their mouth closed, and look straight at the camera.
- Canada: a neutral expression means eyes open and clearly visible, looking at the camera, mouth closed, and no smile or frown. The page notes that ICAO recommends neutral expressions for facial recognition.
- Australia: anyone over 3 must face the camera straight on, with eyes open and a neutral expression. The examples mark smiling as unacceptable.
If you are not sure which rules apply, a closed-mouth neutral face is the one that fits every page above. It is also the least likely to cause a retake.
Glasses
- United States: take off eyeglasses, sunglasses and tinted glasses. If they cannot be removed for medical reasons, include a signed note from your doctor with the application.
- United Kingdom: do not wear glasses unless you have to. Sunglasses and tinted glasses are not allowed, and frames, glare, reflections or shadows must not cover the eyes.
- Canada: glasses are accepted if your eyes are clearly visible, with no glare on the lenses. Sunglasses and tinted glasses are rejected.
- Australia: no glasses unless you cannot remove them for medical reasons. Vision impairment alone is not an acceptable reason, and if glasses are medically required, the frames must not obscure the eyes and there must be no lens reflection.
What to wear
Official pages say little about ordinary clothes. What they do say:
- Uniforms: the US says you cannot wear a uniform, clothing that looks like a uniform, or camouflage clothing.
- Light-coloured clothing: Canada says to avoid it, because it can blend into the background and may result in a rejected photo. White against a white wall is the standard example of that. Canada also counts editing your clothing, including changing its colours, as an alteration.
- Headphones: the US says you cannot wear headphones or wireless hands-free devices in or on your ears.
- Jewelry and piercings: the US says you can wear jewelry and keep facial piercings as long as they do not hide your face.
- Face coverings: the US says to remove any face covering or medical mask so the full face is visible.
- The UK and Australian pages give no general clothing rules beyond nothing covering the face and head.
A plain top in a colour that contrasts with a white or light background is a reasonable choice, but that is an inference from the Canadian wording, not an official recommendation.
Hair
- US: your eyes must not be obstructed or covered by hair. Hair may extend past the edges of the photo as long as the entire head is shown and is the appropriate size.
- UK: no hair in front of your eyes.
- Canada: hair can be down or up but must be off your face so the edges of your face are visible.
- Australia: hair must not obscure the edges of your face.
Hats and head coverings
The US, UK and Canadian pages treat religious and medical coverings as the exception to a no-hat rule. The US asks you to submit a signed statement that religious attire is worn daily in public, or a signed doctor's statement for medical wear. The covering must leave your full face visible and cast no shadows on it. The US page adds that it should be one colour, with no patterns or small holes. Canada accepts coverings worn daily for religious or medical reasons, and Australia, which mentions religious coverings, asks for a plain covering without patterns, even small ones, showing the whole face from chin to forehead. A baseball cap is listed as unacceptable on the US page.
Makeup and retouching
The US and UK pages do not set a makeup rule. The Australian page lists too much make up among its unacceptable examples and forbids retouching such as removing moles, wrinkles or scars. The US page forbids changing a photo with software, phone apps, filters or artificial intelligence. Take the photo as you look on the day.
After the shot: sizing with DocPro
Once the photo meets the rules, Passport photo can crop it to a country preset and lay it out on a print sheet. See the US passport photo page for that preset. DocPro does not judge whether you are smiling, wearing glasses or in a uniform, and it cannot guarantee that an office accepts the result. Several offices forbid software editing, so use the tool for size and layout, and avoid background replacement for official passports.
Rules change. These notes reflect the official pages listed under Sources on 29 October 2026. Check your passport office's current page before the photo.
Frequently asked questions
Can you smile in a US passport photo?
Yes. The State Department says you can smile in your photo, as long as your eyes are open and your mouth is closed.
Can you smile in a UK, Canadian or Australian passport photo?
No broad smile. The UK asks for a plain expression and a closed mouth, Canada asks for a neutral expression with no smile or frown, and Australia asks anyone over 3 for a neutral expression.
Can you wear glasses in a passport photo?
It depends. The US says take them off, with a doctor's note as the exception. The UK and Australia allow them only when necessary, and Canada accepts them if your eyes are clearly visible with no glare.
Can you wear a uniform in a passport photo?
Not in the US. The State Department says you cannot wear a uniform, clothing that looks like a uniform, or camouflage clothing.
Should I avoid wearing white in a passport photo?
Canada says to avoid light-coloured clothing, because it can blend into the background and may get the photo rejected. The US requires a white or off-white background.
Can I wear headphones or a head covering in a passport photo?
The US says no to headphones and wireless hands-free devices. Hats and head coverings are not allowed except for religious or medical reasons, and then the full face must be visible with no shadows.