What Is a UK Application Registration Card (ARC)?
The Application Registration Card, usually shortened to ARC card, is a credit-card-sized document issued by the Home Office to people who have claimed asylum in the UK, and to their dependants. It shows that you're an asylum claimant while your case is being decided, and it's checked by employers, healthcare staff, educators and Home Office officials to confirm your status. It is not, technically, an identity document — but it is one of the few pieces of paperwork most asylum seekers carry day to day.
Because the ARC includes a photograph, people searching for a "UK ARC photo" often assume they need to submit one themselves, the way they would for a passport or driving licence. That's not quite how it works, so this guide explains exactly where your ARC photo comes from — and when you might still need a proper passport-size photo of your own.
Do You Need to Provide Your Own Photo for an ARC?
In almost all cases, no. Your ARC is issued after your asylum screening interview, where Home Office staff take your fingerprints and photograph you as part of your biometric enrolment. This applies to adults and to children over the age of five who are included in a dependant's application. The image captured at that appointment is what appears on your card — you don't upload a digital file or bring a printed photo along for the ARC itself.
Where a passport-size photo of your own does come in useful:
- Supporting documents your solicitor or caseworker asks you to provide
- Evidence submitted for a dependant's asylum application
- Other UK visa, permit or registration forms you may be completing alongside your asylum claim
- Personal records, in case you're asked to confirm your identity again later
Our tool above can generate a photo in the standard 35 x 45 mm UK format for any of these situations, even though it won't be used for the ARC card itself.
ARC Biometric Photo Requirements (Taken by Home Office)
The photograph captured for your ARC follows the same ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) standard used for UK passports. Home Office staff are responsible for meeting these standards during your appointment, but it helps to know what to expect:
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Framing | Full face, front view, centred |
| Eyes | Open and clearly visible |
| Expression | Neutral |
| Glasses | Not permitted in the biometric image |
| Head coverings | Only for religious reasons; face must stay visible |
Glasses Are Not Permitted
Unlike a UK driving licence photo, glasses are not allowed in the ARC biometric image, even if you normally wear them. Bring them to your appointment for identification purposes if needed, but expect Home Office staff to ask you to remove them before the photo is taken.
Religious Headwear
Hijabs, turbans and other religious head coverings are permitted, provided your full face remains visible from chin to forehead, with no shadow cast across your features.
Children
Children over five who are included in a dependant's application are also fingerprinted and photographed as part of the same process.
Standard UK Passport-Size Photo Requirements
If you need a separate photo — for a solicitor, a dependant's file, or another form — it should follow the same format used across UK government ID documents:
- Print size: 35 mm wide x 45 mm tall
- Head height: 29-34 mm from chin to crown
- Colour only, plain light grey or cream background
- JPEG format, minimum 600 x 750 pixels for digital submission
- Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open and visible
- No hats; religious headwear allowed if the face stays fully visible
Our tool applies these standards automatically, cropping your photo to size and replacing the background so it's ready to submit alongside any paperwork that asks for a UK-standard passport photo.
How the ARC Is Issued: Step by Step
- Make your asylum claim. You cannot apply for an ARC directly — it follows from claiming asylum.
- Attend your screening interview. This is where the Home Office records your identity, background and reasons for claiming asylum.
- Biometric enrolment. Fingerprints and a photograph are taken during or shortly after screening.
- Card production and delivery. Once your details are processed, your ARC is typically produced and sent to your registered address, unless you're in detention.
If you haven't received your card within a few days of screening, check with staff at your accommodation first, since cards for those in Home Office housing are often delivered there.
What to Do If Your ARC Photo Is Wrong
If the photograph on your card doesn't look like you, or your details are incorrect, you can raise this through the ARC enquiry form on gov.uk. Depending on the issue:
- Wrong photo or identity mismatch: you may be asked to attend a further appointment so your identity can be re-verified using biometric data.
- Incorrect personal details (name, date of birth, place of birth, gender, nationality): your caseworker will verify the correct information before a replacement is issued.
- Lost, stolen or damaged card: report this through the same enquiry form to request a replacement.
You cannot fix or replace an ARC by submitting your own photo — any correction involving your image goes through a Home Office appointment, not a photo upload.
UK Border Agency and the ARC
The ARC scheme predates the creation of UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI), and older guidance sometimes still refers to the "UK Border Agency application registration card." UKBA was replaced by the Home Office's immigration directorates in 2013, but the ARC itself has continued largely unchanged in purpose: it's issued and administered by the Home Office to asylum claimants and their dependants, and the biometric photo rules above still apply.
Why Keep a Spare Passport-Size Photo on Hand
Even though you won't submit a photo for the ARC itself, asylum claimants often need a compliant passport-size photo at short notice — for a solicitor's file, a dependant's supporting evidence, or a related immigration form. Having one ready in the correct 35 x 45 mm format, on a plain background and to Home Office specifications, can save a delay later in your case.
Always confirm the latest requirements for your specific form or appointment with your solicitor, caseworker or the official gov.uk guidance, since Home Office processes can change without notice.