Pakistani passport renewal from the UK – the online photo rules
Updated 17 October 2026
Pakistanis in the UK can renew their passport online through the Directorate General of Immigration & Passports (DGIP), without visiting the High Commission. The photo you upload must be 35 x 45 mm (portrait) on a plain white background, with your face taking up 70–80% of the photo and 3–5 mm between the top of your head and the top edge.
The photo rules at a glance
| Rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Size | 35 x 45 mm (413 x 531 px at 300 DPI) |
| Background | Plain white |
| Face | 70–80% of the photo height |
| Top margin | 3–5 mm between crown and top edge |
| Format | JPEG |
These values are from the DGIP online passport photo requirements, last checked on 29 September 2026. The online system checks the photo when you upload it, so a photo that is badly cropped or has the wrong background can hold up the application.
UK photo booths and shops
A UK passport photo is also 35 x 45 mm, but the rules differ. The UK allows a head as small as 29 mm, while DGIP’s 70–80% works out to about 31–36 mm, so a booth photo can leave the face too small for the Pakistani form. UK passport photos also use a light grey or cream background, not white. It’s better to take a new photo against a white wall and crop it for DGIP.
Taking the photo at home
- Stand about 50 cm in front of a plain white wall, so your body doesn’t cast a shadow on it.
- Face a window in daylight. Avoid overhead lights and the phone’s flash.
- Ask someone to take the photo from about 1–2 m away, with the camera at your eye level.
- Look straight at the camera with a neutral expression, mouth closed and both eyes open.
- Take several shots and send yourself the sharpest original, not a copy through WhatsApp.
Then upload it to the Pakistan passport photo tool. It crops it so your face fills 70–80% of the frame with the right gap above your head, and gives you a 413 x 531 px JPEG on the 35 x 45 mm proportions.
Also applying for a visa for a family member?
Family members who aren’t Pakistani citizens, such as a UK-born spouse, apply for a Pakistan visa online instead. The visa photo uses the same 35 x 45 mm size and white background. See the Pakistan visa photo from the UK guide.
Common problems to avoid
- Background not white. A cream wall or a shadow behind your head can fail.
- Face too small. A booth photo or a wide shot leaves the face under 70% of the photo.
- No gap above the head. Cropping too tight cuts off the top of the hair. DGIP wants 3–5 mm of space.
- Glasses with glare. Take glasses off to be safe.
- Blurry or compressed. Use the original photo file, not a screenshot or a copy from a messaging app.
Before you upload
Check the finished photo with the free passport photo checker. Acceptance is decided by DGIP, so if the online form flags your photo, follow its message.