Newborn passport photo: tips that work

Newborn passport photo rules

How to take it at home

  1. Lay the baby on their back on a plain white or light sheet, near a window in daylight. Lying down keeps the head straight and the background plain.
  2. Stand over them and hold the phone parallel to the baby, at arm's length, so the whole head and the top of the shoulders show.
  3. Take lots of photos in a burst and pick the best one. Feeding first helps.
  4. Keep your hands, toys and dummies out of the photo. Support the head with a rolled towel under the sheet if you need to.
  5. In Picproved, turn on Baby mode so the checks allow closed eyes and a relaxed expression.

Photo booths aren't made for babies, and a shop photographer has the same trouble keeping a newborn still. At home you can take as many tries as you need. For the UK method step by step, with the mistakes that get baby photos sent back, see baby passport photo UK.

Or make it at home. Picproved costs £5.99 (free while we launch) for one person's photo in every size you need, and it checks the size, background, head size and face rules before you save. The office still makes the final decision. Make your United Kingdom Baby and child passport (online) photo

Questions

What are the rules for a Newborn passport photo?
Most countries relax the rules for babies: the UK doesn't need a baby under 1 to have open eyes (GOV.UK: Rules for digital passport photos), and the US is fine with eyes not fully open on a passport photo (travel.state.gov: Passport photos). Every country still wants the baby alone in the photo, facing the camera, with a plain background and no shadows.
How do I take a passport photo of a baby at home?
Lay the baby on their back on a plain white or light sheet, near a window in daylight. Lying down keeps the head straight and the background plain. Stand over them and hold the phone parallel to the baby, at arm's length, so the whole head and the top of the shoulders show. Take lots of photos in a burst and pick the best one. Feeding first helps. Keep your hands, toys and dummies out of the photo. Support the head with a rolled towel under the sheet if you need to. In Picproved, turn on Baby mode so the checks allow closed eyes and a relaxed expression.

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