Australian passport photo rejected — APO/DFAT fix in 60 seconds

Glasses — full ban since 2016

Australia removed the glasses-with-medical-exception clause in November 2016 to align with ICAO 9303. The APO online tool and the Australia Post in-person service both reject any glasses, including thin metal frames and rimless designs.

Older renewal photos that included glasses (pre-2016) cannot be reused for a renewal. Photos must be retaken without glasses; eye prescription has no bearing on the rule.

Background — plain, light, uniform

Australia accepts plain white or plain light-grey. Coloured backgrounds, even slightly cream, are rejected by the APO online photo checker. Patterned or textured walls are also rejected — including subtle wallpaper.

complypic generates a uniformly lit plain background that passes both the APO online check and the in-person submission at Australia Post.

Head height, shadow, expression

The 32-36 mm head height is the same as Schengen — but the APO is stricter on the lower bound. Heads measured at 28-31 mm (too small) account for about 30% of rejections.

Shadow behind the head — the most common rejection at Australia Post — happens with single overhead light. Use diffuse light or take the photo near a window; complypic also normalizes background luminance.

Expression must be neutral with mouth closed. Children under 5 are allowed natural smiles.

Recency: 6 months max

The APO rejects photos more than 6 months old. If you are renewing and your previous photo is being reused, the rule resets when you take a new photo. Don't try to submit a photo from a previous application even if it is recent — submit a fresh photo for each renewal.

FAQ