How to Take a Baby Passport Photo at Home in the UK (2026 Guide)

HMPO Rules for Baby & Child Passport Photos

The standard adult passport photo rules are strict — but HMPO makes important exceptions for babies and young children. Here's exactly what applies to each age group:

Requirement	Adults	Babies (under 1)	Children (1–5)
Sitting upright	Required	Not required	Required
Eyes fully open	Required	Preferred	Preferred
Neutral expression	Required	Not required	Slight smile OK
Mouth closed	Required	Not required	Preferred
No glasses	Required	Required	Required
White background	Required	Required	Required
Face fills 70–80%	Required	Required	Required

How to Photograph a Newborn or Young Baby

The easiest and most reliable method for babies under 6 months who can't support their own head is the flat-on-a-sheet method.

How to Photograph a Toddler (Age 1–5)

Toddlers are arguably the hardest age group — old enough to be wriggly and opinionated, but not old enough to follow instructions. Here are the tricks that actually work:

🎯 Get their attention at the right moment

• Hold a toy or snack just above the camera lens — this makes them look directly at the camera
• Make a funny noise right before you shoot — gets their attention for just long enough
• Use burst/rapid-fire mode — take 20 shots in 3 seconds and pick the best one
• Enlist a second parent or sibling — one photographs, one entertains just out of frame

🪑 Seating and positioning

• Sit them in a highchair pushed against a white wall — keeps them upright and contained
• A car seat against a white sheet works well for younger toddlers
• Get down to their eye level — crouch or kneel so the camera is at face height, not looking down
• Make sure their whole face is visible and they're looking straight at the camera

⏰ Choose the right time of day

• Mid-morning after breakfast — toddlers are usually at their calmest and most cooperative
• Avoid nap time, mealtimes and the late afternoon "witching hour"
• If it's not working, stop and try again later — a tired or frustrated toddler won't cooperate

Children Aged 6 and Over

From age 6, HMPO applies the same rules as adults — neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes fully open, no smiling. The good news is that from about age 5–6 most children can follow instructions.

• Explain what you need and why — "passport face, like a robot" often works
• Practice a few times in front of a mirror so they know what neutral looks like
• Take multiple shots — even cooperative children blink, smirk or look slightly off-camera
• Don't drag it out — 5 minutes max. If you don't have a good shot, take a break

Common Rejection Reasons for Children's Passport Photos

• Parent's hands or arms visible — especially common with newborns needing support
• Shadows on the face or background — use even lighting from the front
• Background not plain white — any pattern, colour or texture will be rejected
• Face not filling 70–80% of the frame — don't photograph from too far away
• Photo too dark or blurry — use plenty of light and make sure the camera focuses on the face
• Head tilted — face must be straight on, not tilted to either side

Printing Your Child's Passport Photo

Once you've got your print-ready 6×4" sheet from EasyPDF Studio, you can print it anywhere:

• At home — any inkjet printer with 6×4" glossy photo paper (about £6 for 50 sheets from Amazon or Tesco)
• Boots, Tesco, Asda — photo kiosks in-store, usually 50p–£2 for a 6×4" print, ready in minutes
• Snappy Snaps — high street option if you want professional photo paper quality

Cut the six photos out carefully with scissors along the white borders. You'll have photos to spare in case any are rejected or damaged.