What background colour does a passport photo need?
Plain and light. The US wants white or off-white, Canada white or light-coloured, Australia white or light grey, the UK light-coloured (cream or light grey for printed photos) and India plain white.
Rules checked on · official sources only
What each country says
| Country | Answer | Official quote | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United StatesPassport | White or off-white, plain, with no shadows, texture, objects or lines. | Background must be white or off-white, free of shadows, and plain without texture, objects, or lines. |
travel.state.gov | |
| United KingdomOnline application | Digital photo: a plain light-coloured background, in clear contrast to you. Printed photos: plain cream or light grey. | The digital photo must: contain no other objects or people be taken against a plain light-coloured background be in clear contrast to the background Your photos must: be a close-up of your full head and upper shoulders contain no other objects or people be taken against a plain cream or light grey background |
gov.uk gov.uk |
|
| Canada | Plain white or light-coloured, with a clear difference between your face and the background. | a plain white or light-coloured background with a clear difference between your face and the background |
canada.ca | |
| Australia | Plain white or light grey, contrasting with your face. Must be unedited and shadow-free. | They must have: a clear, in-focus image with no marks or red-eye a plain white or light grey background that contrasts with your face Background is plain (white or light grey) and unedited. |
passports.gov.au passports.gov.au (PDF) |
|
| India | Plain white. | Background of the photograph should be plain white and the dress should be in dark colour |
passportindia.gov.in |
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Answers quote the official pages linked above. Not affiliated with any government. Final acceptance is up to the issuing authority.