UK passport photo check says 'It looks like your mouth is open': what to do

The UK passport online application runs your photo through an automated checker that shows messages like 'It looks like your mouth is open'. It can misfire: in one nationally reported case it mistook a man's lips for an open mouth. Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed and even front lighting so lip shadows don't read as an opening. If the flag is genuinely wrong you can submit the photo anyway with a short explanation, but a retake is safer, because an examiner can still reject an overridden photo later.

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Use a clear, front-facing photo against a plain white wall in even light. We measure and crop it. We never edit the pixels you submit.

Why the checker gets mouths wrong

The check uses facial-landmark detection, and strong lip shadow or lip shape can register as an open mouth. The misfire is well documented: the 'It looks like your mouth is open' message made national news in 2019 when it wrongly flagged an applicant's closed mouth. A BBC investigation in 2020 also found the checker's quality ratings fail darker-skinned applicants at significantly higher rates, so a flag on your photo is not proof your photo is wrong.

Retake or override?

You can tick past the warning and submit with an explanation, but overridden photos still go to a human examiner who can reject the application weeks later. If you can retake, retake: neutral expression, mouth closed, no smile, and light coming from in front of you rather than above, so no shadow falls across your lips.

Also check the current digital photo basics: taken within the last month, at least 600 x 750 pixels, file between 50 KB and 10 MB, plain light background. The one-month freshness rule surprises people who reuse an older photo that was fine for something else.

Check before you submit

Our free checker measures the things the HMPO tool is actually testing, face position, expression geometry, lighting evenness, and background, and tells you which one is marginal before you submit. If your photo passes cleanly here, an HMPO flag is far more likely to be a misfire you can confidently override.

Frequently asked questions

Can I submit a UK passport photo even if the checker flags it?

Yes. The online service lets you submit anyway with a brief explanation of why the photo is acceptable. A human examiner makes the final call, so only override when you are confident the flag is wrong.

How recent does a UK digital passport photo have to be?

Taken within the last month, per current gov.uk guidance. It also needs to be at least 600 x 750 pixels and between 50 KB and 10 MB.

Why does the checker flag my photo when nothing is wrong?

The automated check is imperfect and its errors are documented, including a tendency to misread lips and worse accuracy on darker skin tones. Fix anything real it names, and if the photo genuinely complies, use the override with an explanation.