United States
White background · Glasses allowed
United Kingdom
Light grey or white · No glasses
Canada
White background · Must show both ears
Australia
White or light background · No glasses
Germany
White or light grey · Biometric standard
France
White or light grey · No glasses
India
Pure white background · No glasses
China
White or light background · Color only
Japan
White or light background · Square format
Brazil
White or light background · Glasses allowed
Schengen Area
White or light grey · 27 EU countries
South Korea
White only · No colored contacts
Mexico
White only · No glasses
Thailand
White only · No glasses
Philippines
White only · No glasses
Nigeria
White only · Religious coverings OK
Indonesia
Red (standard) or white (e-passport)
Saudi Arabia
White only · Traditional headwear OK
Russia
White or light grey · No glasses
Turkey
White only · Larger format
South Africa
White only · No glasses
Italy
White or light grey · EU biometric
Spain
White or light grey · Unique size
Why do requirements vary?
Passport photo standards are set by each country's immigration authority and are based on ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) guidelines. While ICAO provides a baseline, countries customize dimensions, background color, and facial coverage rules based on their biometric scanning systems and security standards.
The most common differences are photo dimensions (square vs. rectangular), background color strictness (pure white vs. off-white vs. light grey), and whether glasses are permitted. Getting these details wrong is the number one reason passport applications are delayed.
For a side-by-side comparison of all country specifications — including fees, processing times, and official source links — see our complete passport photo sizes comparison table.
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