Passport photo backgrounds
Passport photo background rules by country
Set up a suitable background at capture time, understand when editing is prohibited, and use the document authority as the final source.
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What the app helps you prepare
- Country and document selection before capture
- Live guide for face and eye-line position
- Background tools only where the authority permits edits
- Official-rule links for US and UK applications
Background rules depend on the authority
There is no single background rule for every passport, visa or ID photo. The US Department of State currently requires a plain white or off-white background. The UK digital passport service asks for a plain light-coloured background with no pattern or objects.
Start with the country, document and application route. A visa provider can publish a different background instruction from a passport authority in the same country.
Do not replace a US passport photo background
The US Department of State requires an original, unchanged photo and says not to use software, phone apps, filters or artificial intelligence to alter it. That includes replacing the background or using editing tools to remove shadows.
Use a suitable wall and even lighting when taking the photo. Stand away from the background to reduce shadows, keep the camera at eye level and retake the image if the original does not meet the rule.
Use app tools only where the authority permits them
Passport Booth includes background tools for documents where editing is permitted. The country and document selector helps you prepare the correct canvas and layout, but it cannot decide every authority's current policy.
Read the official guidance before using any background tool, and check again before submission. If the rule asks for an unaltered image, use the app for capture guidance, sizing and layout without changing the original background.
Common questions
Must every passport photo have a white background?
No. Requirements vary. The US asks for plain white or off-white, while UK digital passport guidance says plain light-coloured. Check the exact authority.
Can AI make a passport photo background compliant?
Do not assume so. US passport guidance explicitly prohibits AI and other digital alterations. Use the authority's rule for the exact document before applying any edit.