A short secure reference used by the passport service to retrieve the photo.
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Photo-code troubleshooting · October 2026
Passport photo code not working? What to check before trying again
A photo code is a short secure address that lets the online passport application retrieve your digital photograph. If the photo does not appear, check the code entry and supplier route before assuming the photograph itself is wrong.
Four practical checks
Work from the simplest cause to the supplier side.
Confirm you have a code
A normal JPEG, emailed image or set of prints is not automatically a digital passport photo code.
Type it again carefully
Use the code exactly as provided. Avoid adding spaces or changing characters.
Use the code route
In the online passport application choose the option to enter a photo code and retrieve the image.
Contact the supplier
HMPO’s supplier guidance requires code providers to give customers contact details if there is a problem with the digital photo.
Do not confuse retrieval with acceptance: even when a code works and the photo loads successfully, HM Passport Office still checks whether the photograph meets the passport rules.
What a photo code actually does
The code points the passport service to a securely hosted JPEG.
HM Passport Office’s current supplier guidance says the code is a shortened secure HTTPS address. The passport service requests the photo from that address and adds the retrieved image to your application.
The actual JPEG photograph. It can also be supplied through other supported online-photo routes.
Physical photographs for paper applications; they are not the same as a photo code.
When to contact whom
Code retrieval problem? Start with the supplier. Application problem? HM Passport Office can help.
If a code supplied by a photo provider will not retrieve the image, contact that supplier with your order reference and the exact error you see. If the wider passport application itself is failing, use HM Passport Office’s official help routes.
Need a different product?
If you only ordered a digital image but your application route needs a photo code, choose a product that explicitly includes one.
FAQs
Photo code troubleshooting questions.
Why is my UK passport photo code not working?
Common practical causes include entering the code incorrectly, using the wrong application option, not having purchased a code product, or a supplier-side retrieval problem. Contact the supplier if careful re-entry still fails.
Can I upload the JPEG instead of using the code?
UK online applications support more than one way to provide a digital photograph. Follow the photo options shown in your application and use the route appropriate to the product you have.
Does a working code mean my photo is approved?
No. A working code only means the photograph can be retrieved. HM Passport Office still decides whether it meets the rules.
What should I send support?
Send your order reference and the exact error message or wording you see. Do not send card details or your passport application password.
Still stuck?