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Irish Passport Photo: Meet the Size and Format Rules

Irish passport photos fail for reasons that are the opposite of most countries. There is no tight kilobyte ceiling to squeeze under — the cap is 9 MB, which a phone photo rarely exceeds. The rules that actually reject applications are a minimum size of 715 × 951 pixels, a ban on scanned photos, and a ban on selfies. If you scan a printed photo, or crop the image down to save space, you will be refused. Use the tool below only if your original is unusually large; the table is what matters more.

Irish passport photo requirements (official)

Digital photo — maximum sizeNo more than 9 megabytes (9 MB)
Digital photo — minimum dimensions715 pixels wide × 951 pixels tall — anything smaller is rejected
Digital photo — formatJPEG only
Scanned photosNot accepted — the photo must be taken with a camera, tablet or phone
SelfiesNot accepted — someone else must take the photo
ZoomDo not use the zoom function on a camera or smartphone
RetouchingNo digital enhancement or change, no compression artefacts, no barrel or other distortion
Print photo — sizeMinimum 35 × 45 mm, maximum 38 × 50 mm (head to mid torso)
Print photo — copies4 identical photos; a witness signs and stamps the back of two of them
Age of photoTaken within the last 6 months (ICAO requirement)
BackgroundPlain light grey, white or cream; no shadows, no red-eye
ExpressionNeutral, mouth closed, not smiling, head straight, looking into the camera
GlassesAllowed if the frame covers no part of the eyes and there is no glare; sunglasses are not

Source: Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland) — Photo guidelines for passports

Drop an image here, or click to browse

JPG, PNG, WebP, GIF or BMP · one image at a time

Target size: 1000 KB

Your image never leaves your device — all compression happens locally in your browser.

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How to use

  1. Read the table first — the pixel minimum and the no-scan rule catch most applicants.
  2. If your photo is over 9 MB, set a target and compress it here.
  3. Do not crop or downscale it; the Irish system needs at least 715 × 951 pixels.
  4. Make sure the file is JPEG, not WebP or HEIC.
  5. Upload it to the online passport application.

Frequently asked questions

Why is the minimum size the problem here, not the maximum?
Because Ireland sets a floor as well as a ceiling: your digital photo must be at least 715 pixels wide and 951 pixels tall, and no more than 9 MB. Most people who get rejected are not over the ceiling — they are under the floor, usually because they cropped or downscaled the image to make the file smaller. Do not shrink the dimensions; reduce only the file size.
Can I scan a printed photo and upload it?
No. The Department of Foreign Affairs lists "not be a scanned photo" as a technical specification for the digital image. This is the most common rejection reason for applicants who already have a paper photo to hand, and it is the opposite of the US rule, where scanning a 2 × 2 in print at 300 dpi is an accepted route. If all you have is a printed photo, take a new one with a camera or phone.
Can I take the photo myself at home?
You can take it at home, but not as a selfie — the guidelines state that you cannot take the photo yourself and that someone else must take it for you. Do not use the zoom function on a camera or smartphone; move closer instead. The photo must have been taken within the last six months, which is an ICAO requirement rather than an Irish one.
What if I am applying on paper instead of online?
Paper applications need four identical printed photos between 35 × 45 mm and 38 × 50 mm, showing your head down to mid torso, with visible space between your head and shoulders and the edge of the photo. A witness must sign and stamp the back of two of them and complete Section 9 of the form. The reverse of the photo must be white and unglazed.
Is my photo uploaded anywhere?
No. The compression runs in your browser and the file never leaves your device. For a passport photo that matters more than usual — it is an identity document, and you can confirm the behaviour yourself in the browser network panel.

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