How to Make a Passport Photo at Home with Your Phone

A compliant passport photo costs ₹100–250 at a studio. You can make a DIY passport photo at home in India without a studio — for free in 5 minutes on your iPhone or Android. This step-by-step guide covers how to take a passport photo at home with a white background for India Passport Seva, USA, UK, and Schengen.

Find a white wall in daylight

Stand about 1 metre from a plain white wall. Natural light from a window to the side gives soft, shadow-free lighting. Avoid direct sunlight (harsh shadows on face) and artificial overhead light (shadows under eyes).

Position the camera at eye level

Have someone hold the phone at face height, or use a shelf and timer. The phone must be at eye level — not above (elongated face) or below (double chin). Use portrait mode if available.

Take the photo with the right expression

Look directly at the camera. Neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes fully open. No sunglasses, no hat, no religious headwear (unless worn for religious reasons). No glasses (not permitted in Indian, US, or UK passports since 2020).

Crop to the correct ratio

Use PhotoFit Resize to crop your photo to the correct dimensions: India = 413×531 px, USA = 600×600 px, Schengen/UK = 413×531 px. The face should occupy 70–80% of the frame.

Compress to the required KB

Government portals have file size limits. India Passport Seva: 20–200 KB. US DS-160: under 240 KB. Use PhotoFit Compress, type your target KB, and download. Done.

Crop, resize & compress your photo — free

Open PhotoFit

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DIY Passport Photo FAQ — iPhone, Android & Free Tools

Is a phone passport photo accepted by the Indian government?

Yes. The Passport Seva portal does not require a studio photo — it requires a photo that meets the technical specifications (413×531 px, 20–200 KB, JPEG, white background, no glasses, face 70–80% of frame). A phone photo that meets these specs is fully valid.

What background do I need for a passport photo at home?

Plain white. A white wall, a white bedsheet stretched flat, or a large white poster board works. The background must be completely plain — no visible patterns, textures, shadows, or furniture. If your background has a slight shadow, PhotoFit's Background tool can help.

How do I avoid shadows in a DIY passport photo?

Stand 1–2 metres from the wall (prevents shadow on wall). Use natural light from a window to the side or front (not behind you). Avoid overhead ceiling lights as the only light source. If using a single window, place a white reflector (a white sheet of paper) on the opposite side to fill shadows.

Does it have to be in portrait orientation?

No — orientation does not matter as long as the dimensions are correct. Crop your photo to the exact required dimensions (e.g. 413×531 px for India, 600×600 px for USA) using PhotoFit. The final output will be the correct size regardless of how the original was shot.

My iPhone saves photos as HEIC — can I use that for a passport?

No. Government portals require JPEG. When you upload a photo in PhotoFit, it automatically converts HEIC to JPEG during processing. Download the output as JPEG for upload. Alternatively, go to iPhone Settings → Camera → Formats → Most Compatible to make the camera save as JPEG by default.