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Passport Photo AI

Why was my passport photo rejected, and which causes can you check yourself?

Most rejections come from things you can measure on the photo: the head is too small or too large, the face sits too high or low, the head is tilted or turned, the picture is too dark, or the wall behind you has a shadow. Passport Photo AI tests those eight things on your iPhone before you apply; it cannot see glasses, expression or glare, and only the issuing office decides.

4 min read · Updated 2026-08-04

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The causes the app can measure

Rejection letters are vague, usually one line quoting a rule. Matching each rule against what the app's check actually tests shows the match is only partial.

What the app flags, with the limits it uses
Typical rejection reasonWhat the app showsFlagged whenPoints lost
Head too smallHead is too small in the frame.Below the minimum head height by more than 2% of the photo8, or 20 if the gap is over 5%
Head too largeHead is too large in the frame.Above the maximum by more than 2%8, or 20
Face off-centre verticallyFace is too high in the frame. or Face is too low in the frame.Face centre above 25% or below 65% of the photo height15
Head tiltedHead is tilted, with the angle in degreesMore than 8 degrees; critical past 157, or 18
Head turnedHead is turned to the right. or Head is turned to the left.More than 12 degrees; critical past 207, or 18
Too dark or washed outPhoto is too dark. or Photo is overexposed.Average brightness under 25% or over 92%20, or 8
Shadow or grey wallBackground appears too dark.Average of the four corners too dark for the required colour20
Low resolutionImage resolution is low.Fewer than 300,000 pixels in total10

A ninth deduction, 10 points, applies when Apple's own face-quality score comes back low. A photo with no face, or with more than one, is refused outright, which catches the parent who leans into the frame.

Worked example: a hallway selfie for a UK passport

The UK spec in the app is 35 x 45 mm with a head of 29 to 34 mm and a light grey background. That makes the head range 29 / 45 = 64.4% to 34 / 45 = 75.6% of the photo height. Say you stood far back and the head fills 55%: the gap to the minimum is 0.094, well over 0.05, so critical, minus 20. You also leaned your head 10 degrees, minus 7. And the hall light left the corners at a brightness below 0.65 - 0.15 = 0.50, minus 20.

100 - 20 - 7 - 20 = 53. That is under 60, so the badge says FAIL and the button changes from Use This Photo to Use Anyway. Three separate fixes, and the app lists each one under Issues found with a sentence on what to do.

What it cannot see

This is where it falls short. A score of 80 or more reads Photo looks good, and right under it the app admits it does not check glasses, expression or head coverings. Glare on lenses, open mouth, hair over the eyes, red-eye, a retouched look, a printed photo that is the wrong paper: all invisible to it.

Use it as a filter for the measurable half and nothing more. An empty list leaves the rest to you: open your office's own page and compare, photo in hand.

How to check a photo you already have

  1. Tap Create New Photo, pick the country and the document.
  2. Open the Import tab and tap Choose from Photos, then pick the rejected photo.
  3. Wait for processing, then read the score and the Issues found list on Photo Check.
  4. Fix what is listed. If it says to move closer or straighten up, take a new photo with the camera; for light problems, change the light rather than the file.
  5. Export when the list is empty, using Export Photo.

If the rejection has already happened

Read the reason you were given before you retake anything. Head size or background is in the table above. Expression, glasses or print quality is not, and retaking the same photo fixes nothing.

Questions and answers

Why would my passport photo be rejected even though the app said OK?
The check does not look at glasses, expression, head coverings, glare or print quality. A score of 80 or more only means the size, head position, light and background passed.
What should I do if my passport photo is rejected?
Find the reason the office gave, then match it to the cause. For a measurable one, retake and check on Photo Check before submitting again. For a human-judged one such as expression or glasses, no app fixes it.
Will my passport photo be rejected for a shadow?
It can be. The app samples the four corners of the photo and flags Background appears too dark. when they are too dark for the required colour. Step away from the wall and light your face from the front.
Can I check a photo someone else took?
Yes. Use Import, then Choose from Photos. The photo must contain exactly one face.
Does it cost anything to check?
No. The check, the crop and exporting one photo are free. Print sheets and converting a photo for another country need Pro.

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