IELTS / TOEFL photo rejected — exam center fix in 60 seconds

The test-day ID match — the real risk

The biggest IELTS/TOEFL photo failure is at test-day check-in, not at registration. The proctor compares your registration photo against your government ID and your live appearance. If any of the three don't match, you can be refused entry — forfeiting the USD 245-330 exam fee.

complypic preserves identity features (skin tone, jaw, eye spacing) without smoothing — the AI doesn't 'beautify' which would otherwise cause a mismatch. This is also why heavily-filtered Instagram-style selfies fail.

Background and lighting

IELTS, TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic and Cambridge English all accept plain white or off-white. Light grey is generally accepted. Coloured backgrounds rejected. Patterns rejected.

Lighting must be uniform on the face. Shadow on one side of the face causes rejection at most test centers.

Glasses, glare, expression

Glasses with glare are rejected. Glasses without glare are accepted at most centers but discouraged. Best practice: remove glasses for the registration photo and bring them to test day.

Expression: neutral or natural slight smile. Toothy smile or open mouth rejected. Eyes open and visible.

Head covering — religious accepted, fashion not

Religious head coverings (hijab, turban, sheitel) are accepted as long as the face from chin to forehead is fully visible. Fashion hats, caps, or hoods are rejected.

FAQ