What to Wear for a Passport Photo (Colors, Glasses & Mistakes)

Short answer: wear solid, everyday clothes in a color that contrasts with the light background — and avoid white tops. Skip uniforms, hats, and busy patterns, and remove your glasses.

Best colors to wear

Passport backgrounds are white or light grey, so you want clothing that stands out from it:

• Best: medium-to-dark solids — navy, dark grey, deep green, burgundy.
• Avoid: white and very light tops (they blend into the background).
• Avoid: loud patterns, logos, and stripes that distract from your face.

What not to wear

• Uniforms — not allowed (they can look like official dress).
• Hats / caps — not allowed except for religious or medical reasons.
• Glasses — remove them; most authorities no longer accept glasses.
• Heavy makeup or accessories that change your appearance.

It's about your face, not fashion

The photo exists to identify you, so keep it simple and natural. Everyday clothing you'd recognize yourself in is exactly right.

For full rules, see the passport photo requirements guide, and check your country's exact size and background.

Make a compliant photo

Once you're dressed and ready, use our free ID photo tool to crop to the correct size and set the right background automatically.