Israeli passport photo size for applications abroad

The London embassy adds a warning in capitals to its postal instructions: make sure the photos are taken at a professional store with proper lighting, because it may have to reject applications with insufficient photos. The word that matters is lighting. A photo that is too dark, too bright or has shadows across the face is the most common reason a home photo fails.

If you prepare the file here, take it to a photo shop for printing on proper photographic paper, and look at the print before you post it.

A square frame leaves more room at the sides than the usual upright format. The embassy asks for a full front view of the face, so centre the head and let the face take up a good part of the height, with the top of the shoulders visible below. Do not shrink the face to fill the square with background.

After printing, measure one copy; each side should be 5 centimetres.

The embassy accepts applications by post, with the form, the photos, the passport you hold and a payment form in the envelope. Keep the photos flat so they arrive undamaged. Send the original documents and keep photocopies for yourself.

If you apply in person instead, the appointment at the mission must be booked in advance.

White is the only colour the embassy names. Stand a metre or more in front of a white wall with light coming from in front of you, so no shadow falls behind your head. If your wall is cream or grey, "Replace the background" fills it with white for this preset; check the hairline afterwards, because an obvious cut-out edge is the kind of insufficient photo the embassy warns about.