Three procedures, three different photos
| You are applying for… | Who this is for | The photo you need | What we do |
|---|---|---|---|
| A British passport | British nationals and dual citizens living in France | Digital photo with a photo code, entered in the online application | Photo to UK standards + code, next day, €9.90 |
| An ETA (travel authorisation) | Any traveller without a British or Irish passport, babies included | Photo taken in the app, or a digital file if you apply online, no code | Digital photo in ETA format, next day, €9.90 |
| A visa | Non-EU nationals living in France, or long stays (work, study) | None: your photo is taken at the visa application centre, with your fingerprints | Nothing to order, we would rather tell you |
British passport: the photo with its code, all online
A standard application, renewal or first passport, is done entirely online on the official gov.uk service, no embassy appointment needed. Count £116.50 for an adult applying online from overseas (fee in force since April 2026), and take the official advice seriously: do not book travel until the new passport is in your hands. Its number changes, and the old passport is cancelled while your application is processed.
For the photo, gov.uk offers two routes. Either you take it yourself during the application, or a professional supplies it with a photo code ("choose the option to get a code with your photos"). Gov.uk adds that photos from a shop "are more likely to be approved" than a photo taken on your own device. That is exactly our deliverable: you send your photos from your phone, we calibrate the best one to UK standards, and you receive the file and its code. When the form asks for it, you type the code and your photo attaches itself to the application.
- At least 600 × 750 pixels, between 50KB and 10MB, in colour and sharp.
- Plain light-coloured background, no shadows.
- Plain expression, mouth closed, facing forwards, looking straight at the camera.
- No glasses unless you really have to wear them.
- No software retouching : an "improved" photo is a rejection.
- The code is valid for 6 months and works once. Gov.uk leaves the period to each provider.
Want printed photos too? We can post you a sheet of 4 photos as an option. It does not replace the code for the online application, but it serves for your other paperwork.
ETA: a digital photo, no code, and definitely no paper
The ETA is the electronic travel authorisation the UK now asks of nearly all visitors, French and EU citizens included. It costs £20, lasts 2 years or until your passport expires, and each traveller needs one, babies included. A decision usually comes within a day, at most 3 working days. You do not need one if you travel on a British or Irish passport, or if you already hold a UK visa or permission.
For the photo, it depends on how you apply:
- In the UK ETA app: the photo is taken live with your phone, after scanning your passport and your face. You cannot load a file.
- On the online service (the case when you apply for someone who is not with you, or without a smartphone): you upload a JPEG of the face, at least 600 × 750 pixels, between 50KB and 6MB, unaltered, and not a photo of another photo.
Two things to remember, because we get asked at the counter: for an ETA there is no photo code, it is a plain file. And a printed photo is no use at all: only the digital file counts.
Our ETA deliverable: you send your photos from your phone, we prepare one photo of the face in the exact format required, checked by a professional, sent to your inbox from the next day, ready to upload as it is. €9.90. Order my ETA photo
Visa: the photo is taken at the centre, pay nothing
French and EU citizens do not need a visa for a tourist visit: the ETA applies. A visa concerns non-EU nationals living in France, and long stays (work, study, settling). In those cases you apply online, then book an appointment at a visa application centre. That is where, on the day, your fingerprints and your photo are taken on the spot. So you have no photo to supply, digital or printed. If someone sells you one "for the UK visa", walk away. The Standard Visitor visa costs £135 and a decision usually takes up to 3 weeks.
Babies and children: the UK writes the rules down
Precious for young parents: British rules state in writing what many countries only tolerate in practice. Under 1 year old, eyes open are not required and your baby may be photographed lying on a plain light sheet; under 6, looking straight at the camera is not required. Two firm rules at any age: no dummies, no toys in the frame. The same rules apply to the ETA, which refers to the passport photo standards.
A foot in both countries?
Many families need papers on both sides of the Channel. The shots are compatible, same plain background, same neutral expression, same framing. Take one series of photos at home, then order each format: the French printable sheet for the mairie, the UK digital file and code for gov.uk. We calibrate each to its country's standards. And if you are a dual citizen, keep your British passport current: that is the one you enter the UK with, the ETA is not for you.
Official sources
- GOV.UK, apply for or renew a passport online
- GOV.UK, getting a passport from overseas
- GOV.UK, passport photo rules
- GOV.UK, apply for an ETA (app or online)
- GOV.UK, digital photo rules for ETA and visa applications
- GOV.UK. Standard Visitor visa: who needs one, how to apply
Frequently asked questions
- Passport, ETA or visa: which one is mine?
- You are a British national: passport, with a photo code. You are French or EU and travelling: ETA, digital photo without a code. You are not an EU national and live in France: visa, photo taken at the centre.
- Can I renew my British passport from France?
- Yes, entirely online on gov.uk, £116.50 for an adult (overseas online fee, April 2026). Don't book travel before the new passport arrives: its number changes.
- What photo do I need for the passport?
- A digital photo of at least 600 × 750 px, plain light background, plain expression, unaltered. Professionals supply it with a photo code, and gov.uk says those photos pass more easily than your own.
- How long is the code valid?
- 6 months with us, single use. Order when you are ready to apply.
- Do I need a photo for the ETA?
- Yes, for each traveller, babies included. Taken live in the app, or a JPEG to upload if you use the online service. No code, and a printed photo is no use.
- What photo for a UK visa?
- None to supply: it is taken at the visa application centre with your fingerprints. Nothing to buy.
- What about babies?
- Written, generous rules: under 1, eyes open not required, lying on a plain light sheet allowed; under 6, no need to look at the camera. No dummies or toys in the frame.