Begin with official instructions
Photo dimensions, head size, background, expression, eyewear, recency, print finish, and digital file requirements differ by document and issuing authority. Select the destination first and consult its current official page before editing.
Capture quality before editing
Use even front lighting, a sharp camera position near eye level, a plain background, and a natural neutral appearance. Leave space around the head and shoulders so the official crop can be positioned without enlarging a tiny portion of the image.
Use editing conservatively
Crop, size, and encode the file to the official requirements, but do not retouch identity features or assume a synthetic background is allowed. Automated face guides can measure placement; they cannot judge every rule or guarantee acceptance.
- Verify dimensions and file format
- Inspect shadows and edge halos
- Do not stretch the portrait
- Compare with official accepted and rejected examples
- Keep the unedited original
Review the exported file, not only the preview
Open the downloaded image at full size and confirm its orientation, dimensions, format, colour, and framing. A browser preview may scale the image to fit the screen and can hide softness or edge artifacts. If a print sheet is required, confirm that individual portraits retain the official physical dimensions after printing at 100% scale without fit-to-page enlargement or reduction.
- Check pixel dimensions
- Check the individual photo dimensions on the sheet
- Disable automatic print scaling
- Keep a copy of the accepted source and export settings