What paper should passport photos be printed on?
Good-quality photo paper, professionally printed. The US accepts matte or glossy, Australia wants glossy dye-sublimation prints of at least 200 gsm, the UK doesn’t accept glossy or textured paper, and Canada and India ask for high-quality photo paper.
Rules checked on · official sources only
What each country says
| Country | Answer | Official quote | Source | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United StatesPassport | Matte or glossy photo-quality paper. | Print your photo on matte or glossy photo-quality paper. |
travel.state.gov | |
| United KingdomPrinted photo | Printed to a professional standard, in colour on plain white photographic paper with no border. Caseworker guidance says glossy or textured paper is not accepted. | Your photos must be: printed to a professional standard clear and in focus in colour on plain white photographic paper with no border HM Passport Office will not accept glossy or textured paper, as it may cause haze and glare and distort the image on screen. |
gov.uk HM Passport Office examiner guidance |
|
| Canada | Plain, high-quality photographic paper, professionally printed. Home-printed photos and heavyweight paper are not accepted. Matte or glossy is not stated. | be professionally printed on plain, high-quality photographic paper We don’t accept photos printed at home or on heavyweight paper. |
canada.ca | |
| Australia | Good-quality colour prints made by dye sublimation (not inkjet), on heavy-weight glossy paper of at least 200 gsm. | good quality colour prints, produced using dye sublimation (i.e. not from an inkjet printer) printed on heavy-weight, glossy paper (minimum 200 gsm). |
passports.gov.au | |
| India | Good quality photo paper, with a clear, continuous-tone print. | Print of the photograph should be clear and with a continuous-tone quality Photograph should be printed on good quality photo paper |
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.