Baby & Infant Passport Photo at Home — Complete Guide (2026)

Taking a baby's passport photo is one of the most stressful parts of getting them their first passport. Babies don't pose, they cry when you point a camera at them, and they have a different set of rules than adults. The good news: the US State Department and other passport authorities recognize that infants can't follow adult rules, so the requirements are slightly relaxed — but only slightly.

Special rules for baby passport photos

The standard requirements (2×2 inches, white background, plain background, no objects) all still apply. What's different:

• Babies and children CAN have eyes closed if they are too young to keep them open on command (typically under 6 months)
• Babies do NOT need to have a fully neutral expression — a slight smile is accepted
• No one else can be in the photo — not even hands holding the baby up
• Pacifiers, bottles, and toys must NOT be visible
• Babies must be the only person in the frame, with a clear, plain background

Three proven techniques for baby photos at home

Technique 1: White bedsheet method (best for newborns)

1. Lay a clean white bedsheet flat on the floor
2. Place the baby on their back on the sheet
3. Stand directly above and take the photo looking straight down
4. Make sure no shadow from you falls on the baby
5. Crop the photo to remove anything outside the sheet (the floor edges, your shoes, etc.)

This works best for newborns (0–4 months) who can't sit up. The plain white sheet doubles as the background.

Technique 2: Car seat with white sheet draped behind (older babies)

1. Place the car seat in a chair so the baby is upright but supported
2. Drape a white sheet over the back of the chair, behind the baby's head, so it falls over the car seat headrest
3. Make sure the sheet is the only thing visible behind the baby
4. Take the photo from baby's eye level — not above or below
5. Capture multiple shots — most will have eyes closed or expression off, you only need one good one

Technique 3: White wall method (toddlers who can sit up)

1. Sit the toddler in a high chair against a plain white wall
2. Stand at the toddler's eye level, about 3 feet away
3. Have your partner stand behind you and make funny faces or hold a toy near the camera (NOT in the photo) to get the toddler to look
4. Take photos in burst mode — you'll need 20–50 shots to get one usable

Tips that actually work

• Feed the baby first — a hungry baby will not cooperate
• Take photos right after a nap — well-rested babies are calmer
• Use burst mode on your phone or camera — 30+ shots gives you better odds
• Have a second person to entertain the baby (but they cannot appear in the photo, not even a hand)
• Natural daylight is far better than artificial light for babies (their skin reflects less harshly)
• Don't try to do this in 5 minutes — give yourself an hour and take breaks

What about the "no one in the photo" rule?

Many parents try to hold the baby for the photo, but the rules are clear: no other person can be visible — not their hands, arms, or any clothing. If you must support the baby, use the white sheet method so a hand under the sheet is hidden by the sheet itself. The car seat with a sheet draped over it works because the chair is hidden from view.

Common baby passport photo rejection reasons

1. Hands or fingers visible in the photo (from a parent supporting the baby)
2. Pacifier or toy in the photo
3. Shadow falling across the baby's face from the parent leaning over
4. Wrong proportions — baby's head too small (taken from too far away)
5. Sleeping baby in a position where face isn't visible straight on
6. Patterned background (a sheet with prints isn't acceptable)

Age cutoffs to know

• US passport for child under 16: photo same rules as adult, with eye-closed exception for newborns
• UK passport for child: same 35×45mm photo, eyes can be closed if under 1 year
• Schengen visa for child: same 35×45mm rules
• Canadian passport for child: same 50×70mm rules. For children under 16, the guarantor signature rule still applies