Passport Photo for Babies and Kids: Practical Tips for Parents
Photographing a child for a passport or visa is harder than photographing an adult. They move, look away and rarely hold a neutral face. A little preparation helps.
Shoot when they are calm
Pick a time after a meal and a nap. A tired or hungry child will not cooperate.
Use a plain background
For a baby, lay a plain, light sheet on the floor or bed and photograph from above. Make sure the sheet is flat and nothing else is in the frame. Older children can stand against a plain wall.
Light from the front
Use soft daylight from a window. Avoid direct flash, which can cause glare and red eyes.
Keep hands and toys out of the frame
Nobody should be visible holding the child. A parent can stay just outside the frame. Pacifiers and toys should be out of the shot.
Take many shots
Take twenty or more and choose the sharpest frame where the eyes are open and the head is straight. Burst mode on a phone makes this easier.
Check the rules for children
Requirements for infants and children can differ from adults. Read the official guidance for your application before you print.
Printing the photo
Once you have a good frame, upload it to us, pick the size your form asks for, and we will edit the background and print it.
A simple setup for babies
Lay a plain, light-coloured cloth flat on a bed or the floor and place the baby on their back. Stand over them with the phone parallel to the cloth and keep your shadow off the baby’s face. Make sure the cloth fills the whole frame so nothing else shows.
A setup for toddlers and older children
Stand the child against a plain wall in front of a window. Ask them to look at something just above the phone, such as a favourite toy held by a helper standing behind you. Take photos in bursts and be ready to try again.
Keep them comfortable
- Choose a time when they are fed and rested
- Keep the session short and cheerful
- Plan breaks if they get fussy
- Let them see you smiling, but aim for a calm face in the picture
What to check before you print
- Eyes open and visible
- Head straight and centred
- No hands, toys or other people in the frame
- Plain background with no folds or patterns
- Sharp focus, with no motion blur
If you only get one usable shot
If the face is good but the framing is slightly off, we can crop and straighten the photo to the size you choose and fix the background. If the baby moved and the face is blurry, a new photo is better than an edit.
Need prints? Upload your photo and order passport size prints from ₹99. We edit the background, print on photographic paper and deliver across India.
Frequently asked questions
Can a baby have their eyes closed in a passport photo?
Eyes should normally be open. Take several shots and pick one with open eyes, and check the guidance for infants on your form.
Should a parent be in the picture?
No. Keep everyone but the child out of the frame.
Related: passport photo sizes in cm, mm and pixels, background colour by country and how many photos you need.
