Photo guidance

Before you apply you must make sure you have a recent digital photograph that you can upload. 

The  quality of the photograph

The photo must be

  • clear and in focus
  • in colour
  • unaltered by computer software

Rules for the photo

The photo must:

  • contain no other objects or people
  • be taken against a plain light-coloured background
  • be in clear contrast to the background
  • not have ‘red eye’ In your photo

You must:

  • be facing forwards and looking straight at the camera
  • have a plain expression and your mouth closed
  • have your eyes open and visible
  • not have hair in front of your eyes
  • not have a head covering (unless it’s for religious or medical reasons)
  • not have anything covering your face
  • not have any shadows on your face or behind you
  • do not wear sunglasses or tinted glasses. You can wear other glasses if you need to, but your eyes must be visible without any glare or reflection.