How To Print Passport Photos On 4×6 Paper: UK Guide
If you need to renew your travel document or get a new one, you can either submit your application (with your photo enclosed) online or send it in by post. Although the latter is somewhat slower, it’s the tried-and-true method you can always rely on when working with official documents.
However, this option requires more effort from you: when applying by post, you need to print out your passport photos first. And the most convenient format here is 4×6 (also referred to as postcard size). But why this format exactly? And how do you print your photos on 4×6 paper? Let’s break the whole process down.
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Does It Mean I Need To Print 4×6 Passport Photo?
Of course not! Mind you, this size is equivalent to 10×15 cm, and that’s way too big to fit in your new document!
According to the official requirements posted on the government website, your British passport photo must be 45 mm high and 35 mm wide (which is roughly 1.38 by 1.77 inches). Meanwhile, typical photo templates must measure four by six inches, like postcards. If we do some simple math, we’ll see that one such template can include up to eight UK passport photos of the appropriate dimensions.
Why Postcard Proportions Exactly?
It’s just one of the universal paper formats used by thousands of photo studios and photographers around the world. If you want to print your picture at a local place, you can always be sure that they have the photo paper you need.
Can’t I Just Print One 35×45 Photo And Save Money?
Unfortunately, you can’t. No inkjet printer will give you a printout of such proportions, it always has to be a larger piece of paper with one or more photos in it (which you’re supposed to cut out). So, a four-by-six template is actually the cheapest way to get your printouts.
To top it off, one photograph isn’t enough for application by post, as HMPO requires that you submit two printed headshots exactly.
Preparing Your Passport Photo (4×6) Template
Before actually printing your headshot, you should make sure that it conforms to the quality requirements. In addition to the apparent rules like being coloured and in clear focus, your photo must also be of good quality: the required DPI (dots per inch) resolution is at least 300. If we measure in pixels, it must be 600×750 or more.
Now, if you don’t really know what’s what when it comes to digital image parameters and other computer-related mumbo-jumbo, don’t worry. We can figure it all out for you!
How To Create Printable Template Automatically In PhotoBooth Online
Step 1: Take a digital photo of yourself. The simplest way to do this is to use a smartphone: just open your integrated camera app, switch to the front camera and take your picture. This doesn’t have to be a headshot, it can even depict at you your full height as long as your facial features are clearly visible. Just make sure that you’re facing the camera and nothing is obscuring your appearance (if in doubt, check the official HMPO standards). Also, you needn’t bother with the background – it can be anything as long as you’re in clear contrast with it.
If you’re using a PC, you need to copy a previously made photo onto your computer’s hard drive before proceeding.
Step 2: Access our page for making passport photos (photobooth.online/en-gb/british-passport-photo). Once on the page, tap the Upload Photo button to open the menu where you should find and select the picture you’ve just taken.
Step 3: Wait about ten seconds until the progress bar reaches 100%. This is when PhotoBooth Online does everything for you: it will crop your picture to a compliant headshot with the correct ratio and proportions and make the background off-white. Once the processing is completed, you’ll see your JPEG trimmed to a handsome British passport photo!
Step 4: Now you can download it on your device by clicking (or tapping) the Get Digital Photo button. The downloaded image can be used for online submission at the official UK government page. However, it’s more likely that you want to apply by post. In this case, you need to print passport photo we’ve just made for you in two copies. And for that purpose, our tool also gives you the option to download a printable 4×6 template that includes exactly two copies of your headshot in it. To save it to your device’s drive, use the Get Printable Photo button.
Can I Fit 6 Passport Photos in a 4×6 Template?
Technically, you could do it (say, if you’re familiar with Paint, you can multiply your images by copy-pasting them), but there’s no point in it. His Majesty’s Passport Office requires that you submit two pictures, so a pair is enough. Moreover, our template leaves a lot of space for you to cut out the pictures without damaging them with the scissors.
Now, to the part where you have your ready-to-print template printed.
How To Print Passport-Size Photos On 4×6 Paper
First things first: if you’re determined to do it by yourself (that is, without going to a printing place), you’ll need a printer that can take four-by-six inch paper and, accordingly, photo paper of this format (by the way, choose glossy paper: it won’t have too much glare and reflections).
In general, it’s done as follows:
- Turn on your printer and make sure it’s connected to your PC or mobile (which also has to be turned on). The former is preferable – as a rule, it’s easier to print from PC (if you made your 4×6 template on mobile, copy it on your PC’s hard drive)
- Open your JPEG. Select File and then Print – this will take you to the printout settings window
- In paper parameters, select the four-by-six size and photo type. The photo size must be set to 4×6, too. Also, make sure that you’re going to print in colour
- Once you’re all set, click Print
This instruction is a summary of the process which will differ between various types of devices and software. To get the most detailed information, please refer to the manual of your printer and/or software.
Needless to say, the option described above has a lot of drawbacks and may take quite some time to figure it all out. Then again, not everyone has a photo printer at home. Plus, buying a pack of 4×6 paper to print just one sheet with photographs seems excessive, don’t you think?
That’s why we recommend going to your nearest place or a professional photographer that can print passport photos. Yes, printing services aren’t free, but the price is very low in comparison to the amount of time, money and effort you’d have spent printing your pictures by yourself. For example, in most stores, one printout is under a pound, which makes the whole affair a no-brainer! Just copy the JPEG to your flash drive and take it there: the staff will take care of the rest. Also, some stores offer you the option to order your prints online and collect them later.
We hope this article will make the process of printing passport photos a whole lot easier for you! If you still have any further questions or comments, feel free to reach us at hello@photobooth.online and make sure to check out other blog posts we have.