Passport and Visa Photo Requirements: What You Need to Know by Country
Getting your passport or visa photo right is important – and often a bit stressful. To help, we've put together a clear summary of what different countries require, whether you're visiting a professional studio or taking the photo yourself
United States
U.S. passport and visa photos come with some of the strictest and most specific requirements.
Requirements for your passport photo
Photo specifications
Photo size: 51x51 mm
Your head should measure 25–35 mm in height.
The photo needs to be in colour.
The background should be white or off-white.
The paper should be matte or glossy.
The picture must have been taken within the last 6 months.
Pose & expression
Show your full face and your shoulders.
Your head should be centered and facing the camera.
Your expression should be neutral, with eyes open and the mouth closed.
Clothing & accessories
Glasses and tinted lenses are not allowed, unless for medical reasons with a doctor’s note.
You are not allowed to wear hats or head coverings, unless it's for religious reasons, and you have a signed statement regarding it. If you can’t remove a head covering for medical reasons you can submit a doctor’s note proving it.
You should wear your everyday clothes – no uniform or camouflage.
Jewelry and facial piercings are okay as long as they don’t hide your face.
Children’s photo rules
A plain white sheet background is recommended.
It is acceptable if a baby’s eyes are not fully open. (1)
Visa photo requirements
The guidelines for the U.S. visa photos are very similar to the ones for passport photos. The photo follows the same size standard of 51x51 mm, and the same rules apply for your body positioning and clothes.
For online non-immigrant visas, your digital photo should be in JPEG format, between 600x600 and 1200x1200 pixels, and no larger than 240 KB.
If you are wearing glasses for medical reasons, make sure that there is nothing covering the eyes (the frames, a glare or shadow).
If you are applying for an immigrant visa you must submit two printed photos. (2)
Canada
Canada’s photo rules are very similar to international standards, with a slightly larger photo size and some flexibility for children.
Requirements for your passport photo
Photo specifications
Photo size: 50x70 mm
Your face should measure 31–36 mm in height.
The photo needs to be in colour.
The background should be plain white.
Pose & expression
Your head needs to be centered in the picture, and the top of your shoulders needs to show.
Look straight into the camera with a neutral expression – no smiling or frowning.
Clothing & accessories
Glasses are allowed as long as you can see the eyes clearly – no glare, tinted lenses or frames covering the eyes.
Head coverings are only allowed for religious or medical reasons, and your full face and hairline must be visible, with no shadow falling on the face.
Children’s photo rules
Infants are allowed to be lying down or in a car seat with a white blanket behind.
Slight variations in expressions are also allowed. (3)
Visa photo requirements
The requirements for visa photos are similar to the ones for passport photos. The same rules apply for the size of the photo, the background, your clothes and how you position yourself in the picture.
For non-Canadians however, the size of the photo should typically be 35x45 mm (Schengen size).
You need to submit two identical, sharp, color photos taken within the last 6 months. (4)
China
China requires high-quality, carefully sized photos with a plain background. Attention to head proportions is especially important.
Requirements for your passport photo
Photo specifications
Photo size: 33x48 mm
Your head should measure about 21–24 mm in width, and about 28–33 mm in height.
The background should be plain – white or light blue. (5)
The photo needs to be in colour and high-quality.
If the photo is printed it needs to be on glossy paper.
Pose & expression
Your face needs to fill the frame.
You need to look straight at the camera with a neutral expression, eyes open and your mouth closed.
Clothing & accessories
Dark glasses or tinted lenses are not allowed.
Regular glasses are allowed, but the frames cannot obscure the eyes.
Headwear is only allowed for religious reasons, and your full face must be visible.
Children’s photo rules
Not officially specified in government sources.
Visa photo requirements
The guidelines for the Chinese visa photo are very similar to the ones for passport photos. The photo follows the same size standard of 33x48 mm, and the same rules apply for your body positioning and clothes.
The source also specifies that the photo must be taken within the last 6 months. (6)
India
India’s photo standards follow biometric norms, but also emphasize a contrast between the background and your clothing color to ensure clarity.
Requirements for your passport photo
Photo specifications
Photo size: 35x45 mm
The background has to be plain white.
Pose & expression
Your face needs to be visible, together with your ears and shoulders.
Look straight into the camera with a neutral expression – no smiling or frowning.
Clothing & accessories
Dark-tinted glasses are prohibited.
If glasses are worn, there should be no glare.
Head coverings are only allowed for religious reasons, and your full face must be visible.
Your clothes should be dark to create a contrast, and not be a uniform.
Children’s photo rules
A passport-size photo is a requirement even for babies under the age of four. (7)
The photo needs to comply with ICAO/ISO standards for biometric passports. (8)
Visa photo requirements
The size of the photo is usually 51x51 mm. (9)
Make sure that the photo is in colour, with a plain white background, and shows your full face.
The photo needs to be recently taken.
Keep a neutral expression – no smiling or frowning.
If you wear glasses, they’re not allowed to hide parts of your eyes, and tinted glasses are prohibited.
Your clothes should be coloured, no white. (10)
Brazil
Brazil’s passport photo guidelines include some unique requirements about head coverage and facial visibility, especially for children.
Requirements for your passport photo
Photo specifications
Photo size: 50x70 mm
Your head should cover 70–80% of the frame.
The background needs to be plain white.
Pose & expression
Look straight into the camera with a neutral expression – no smiling or frowning.
Clothing & accessories
Coloured contact lenses or dark glasses are prohibited.
Head coverings are only allowed for religious reasons, and your full face must be visible.
No logos, jewelry or heavy makeup should obscure the face.
Children’s photo rules
The child needs to appear alone in the photo. No chair in the background, toys or pacifiers, or people’s hands holding the child should be visible.
The child needs to look at the camera with a neutral expression, mouth closed. (11)
Visa photo requirements
In the U.S., Brazil requires 51x51 mm photos. In other places, the standard is 35x45 mm.
Make sure that the background is plain white and that the image is square (600x600 pixels, no larger than 1 MB).
No dark glasses are allowed.
Typically, you need to submit two identical photos. (12)
Greece
Greece sets its own passport photo size but follows standard Schengen guidelines for visa photos – making it especially important to double-check dimensions.
Requirements for your passport photo
Photo specifications
Photo size: 40x60 mm
The background should be a light colour (usually white).
Make sure that the photo was taken within the past month.
The photo needs to be in colour.
Pose & expression
Look straight into the camera with a neutral expression – no smiling or frowning. (13)
No shadow is allowed to cover your face.
Clothing & accessories
You are not allowed to wear dark glasses.
Head coverings are only allowed for religious reasons, and your full face must be visible.
Children’s photo rules
Not officially specified in government sources.
Visa photo requirements
Greece follows standard Schengen rules for visa photos.
The photo needs to be 35x45 mm, with the face covering 70–80% of the photo.
The background should be white or a light colour.
You need to submit two recent colour photos.
Your face needs to be square to the camera, with a neutral expression – no smiling and with your eyes open.
Regular, non-tinted, glasses are allowed as long as there is no glare.
Head coverings are allowed for religious reasons, and your full face must be visible. (14)
Feeling overwhelmed?
No worries!
At Film8 we will guide you through the photo process and make sure you get a picture that fulfills all the requirements for that specific country. Quick and easy.
Book a 10 minute session here!