Need a passport photo but all you have is a regular headshot? No problem. I’ll show you how to turn almost any portrait into a perfect passport photo using Photoshop. You don’t need a photography studio. Just basic Photoshop skills and a few minutes of your time.
Here’s exactly how I do it:
Before you touch Photoshop, make sure you know your country’s passport photo specs. Most countries (like the U.S., Canada, UK, etc.) have requirements like:
Size: 2×2 inches (U.S.) or 35x45mm (UK)
Resolution: 300 DPI
Neutral facial expression
White or off-white background
Head height and eye positioning rules
You can Google “[Your Country] passport photo requirements” to be sure.
Choose a high-resolution image. Ideally, the subject is facing forward, with even lighting and no harsh shadows.
If the background is already clean and the face is clearly visible, you’re off to a good start.
Use the Select Subject tool (found under Select > Subject), then go to Select > Inverse and press delete to remove the background.
Now do this:
Go to Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color
Choose white as the background
Now you’ve got a clean passport-style background.
Pro tip: Use “Select and Mask” to fine-tune the edges around the hair.
Create a new document with the correct dimensions:
U.S.: 2×2 inches at 300 DPI
UK: 35x45mm at 600 DPI
Now drag your cutout image into the new document and resize it using Ctrl+T (Cmd+T on Mac).
Position the head properly:
Top of the head to the bottom of the chin should be 1″–1.4″ tall (for U.S. photos)
Eyes should be 1.25″ to 1.375″ from the bottom
Use a ruler guide (View > Rulers) to help align everything.
Passport agencies want natural, unedited looks, but if your headshot is dark or uneven:
Use Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast
Or go with Levels or Curves for fine control
Avoid beauty retouching — just aim for realistic and evenly lit.
Go to File > Export > Export As…
Set format to JPEG, resolution to 300 DPI, and you’re good to go.
You can now print it or upload it to an online passport photo tool.
Remove background using Select Subject
Add white background
Resize and crop to passport dimensions
Align head and eyes correctly
Export as high-res JPEG
If you’ve got a solid headshot, you don’t need to pay $15 for a passport photo. Photoshop gives you full control — just make sure you’re following the official guidelines, and you’ll be ready to go.
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Thanks for reading!