Government agencies around the world, including the United Kingdom and the United States, have specific photo standards for passport applications. These rules are designed to ensure that every passport photo is clear, identifiable, and suitable for digital recognition systems used at borders. The UK government, for example, states that passport photos must be taken “against a plain light-colored background” and that the subject’s clothing must “contrast completely with the background.” Similarly, the U.S. Department of State requires photos to have “a plain white or off-white background without shadows, textures, or patterns.” While these may sound like simple guidelines, they have important implications when choosing what to wear.
