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Most authorities relax the expression, gaze and even the eyes-open rule for infants. What still applies is the background, the head height and keeping your own hands out of the frame. Pick your country below and photograph from above.
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Photo format
Head height 31-36 mm
Background: Plain white
Glasses: allowed if eyes are clear
Background
Compliance
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Read the full requirement checklistThe published rules for a 50 x 70 mm Canada passport photo.
Lay the baby on their back on a plain white sheet or towel, then photograph from directly above with the camera held parallel to the floor. This single technique solves three problems at once: the head is supported without anyone touching it, the background is uniform, and the light falls evenly on the face. It is what most passport offices recommend for infants who cannot yet sit up.
Watch your own shadow. If you lean over the baby with a window or light behind you, you will cast a shadow across the frame. Position yourself so the light comes from the side of the room you are not blocking.
Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom and most other authorities accept that an infant cannot follow instructions. The mouth may be open, the expression does not need to be neutral, and for newborns the eyes may be closed. The gaze requirement is applied loosely, though the face should still be facing forward rather than turned to one side.
The background must be plain, uniform and the correct shade for the country. Nobody else may appear in the frame, which includes a hand supporting the head. There must be no toys, dummies or blankets over the face. And crucially, the head height rule is unchanged: it must still fall inside the published millimetre range.
If the baby needs head support, use a rolled white towel rather than a hand. If a hand or sleeve does creep into the edge of the shot, use the horizontal and vertical position sliders above to move the frame until it is excluded, then check that the head height is still inside the range. The compliance panel will flag it if the adjustment pushed something out of tolerance.
A baby's head is large relative to their body, and the instinct is to fill the frame with their face. Photograph from far enough away that there is clear space around the head, then let the crop be calculated. Starting wide gives the tool room to scale the head down into range; starting tight leaves it nothing to work with.
Accepted vs refused
One compliant photo, five of the faults that cause most rejections.
Read the requirements guideCommon faults to watch for
Neutral expression, even lighting, plain background, head correctly sized and centred.
A side light or overhead lamp leaves one side of the face dark. Face a window instead.
A textured, coloured or shadowed wall. Turn on background replacement to fix this.
Reflections hide the eyes. Most countries want glasses removed entirely.
The head must be square to the camera. Use the straighten slider to correct small tilts.
The crown is cut off and the head exceeds the allowed millimetre range.
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