head 71–80 %no glasses
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SourceDepartment of Home Affairs (Australia)
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Australia visa photo size is 35 × 45 mm. White or light uniform background. Head occupies 71–80% of photo height (32–36 mm chin to crown). Neutral expression, glasses prohibited. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 71–80% of photo heightICAO 9303: 70–80% |
| Head height (mm) | 32–36 mm chin to crown |
| Background | White or light uniform background. |
| Pose | Full face, head centred, no tilt or rotation. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Glasses prohibited, except for rare medical exceptions. See full rules → |
| Lighting | No retouching or digital enhancement. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Clothing must not blend into the background; face and shoulder line must be clearly defined. |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| Millimetres | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 3.5 × 4.5 cm |
| Inches | 1.38 × 1.77″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 413 × 531 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 827 × 1063 px |
Photographs for Australian visas are set by the Department of Home Affairs. In ImmiAccount the application asks for a digital photograph of every applicant, children included: a JPEG between 70 KB and 3.5 MB (preferred resolution 1200 × 1600 pixels), taken within the last 6 months, a full-face view of head and shoulders, good quality, in colour, against a neutral or light grey background that contrasts with the face, and unedited — nothing removed, not the background, moles, wrinkles, scars or red eyes.
Only a digital copy may be uploaded: a scan of a photo or a photograph of a photo is not acceptable. Forms that ask for a printed photo use a different line: a recent passport photograph of 45 × 35 mm, head and shoulders only, facing the camera on a plain background, under six months old, with the person's name printed on the back.
This differs from the Australian Passport Office's rules for passports.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Australia visa applications. These are the differences that most often determine whether a document photo is accepted.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules Department of Home Affairs (Australia) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| File outside the limits: not a JPEG, under 70 KB or over 3.5 MB | Save the photo as a JPEG between 70 KB and 3.5 MB, preferably 1200 × 1600 pixels in portrait orientation. |
| A scan of a photo or a photograph of a photo | Upload the original digital file, for example the copy emailed by a photo provider, not a picture of a print. |
| Background not neutral or light grey, or without contrast against the face | Use a neutral or light grey background that stands out from your face; avoid backgrounds as dark as your hair or as pale as your skin. |
| Edited photo: background, moles, wrinkles, scars or red eyes removed | Upload an unretouched photo; fix the background by shooting against a real neutral wall, not by cutting it out afterwards. |
| Photo older than 6 months | Take a new photo within the 6 months before you submit; both the digital and the paper Home Affairs pages use that limit. |
| Tinted or reflecting glasses, frames over the eyes, or a patterned head covering | Take the glasses off if you can; otherwise untinted lenses, frames clear of the eyes and no reflection. A religious head covering must be plain and leave the whole face visible. |
How to take it
Background: white or light
The tool puts in the required background. Stand half a metre from a plain light wall, face a window and shoot without flash — then there are no shadows on your face or on the wall.
Head: 71–80 % of the photo height (32–36 mm)
Camera at eye level, about a metre away; head and shoulders in the shot. The tool crops it to 35 × 45 mm.
Glasses prohibited
Take them off before the shot.
Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open
Look straight into the lens with your head level; keep hair away from your eyes and eyebrows.
An ordinary selfie will do: we fix the background, light and framing ourselves — to this document's rules. The preview is free.
Head straightHold the phone at eye level and your head straightens by itself.
Face uncoveredMove your hair away so your eyes and eyebrows show.
No glassesTake your glasses off — this document's rules require it.Printing and submission
| 10 × 15 cm · 4 × 6″ | 8 (4 × 2) |
|---|---|
| A4 · 21 × 29.7 cm | 36 (6 × 6) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
Most Australian visa applications are lodged online in ImmiAccount, where the photograph is uploaded as a digital file for each applicant. Some forms still ask for a printed passport-style photo with the person's name on the back.
Department of Home Affairs — the Photograph section under each applicant's name
Digital JPEG of 70 KB–3.5 MB (preferred 1200 × 1600 px), under 6 months old, neutral or light grey background, unedited; a scan of a photo is not acceptable. Select «Confirm» after adding the photo.
Authority pageAs the form and the visa page instruct
A recent 45 × 35 mm passport photo, head and shoulders only, facing the camera on a plain background, under six months old; print the person's name on the back.
Authority page| Authority | Department of Home Affairs (Australia) |
|---|---|
| Source | Home Affairs — photograph for a visa application (digital file and paper evidence) |
| Verified |
Questions
For an online application, a digital JPEG between 70 KB and 3.5 MB (preferred 1200 × 1600 pixels), taken within the last 6 months, showing a full-face view of head and shoulders, in good quality and colour, against a neutral or light grey background that contrasts with the face, and unedited. Glasses off unless a medical reason prevents it; a plain religious head covering is allowed if the whole face shows.
It depends on how the photo is submitted. Online in ImmiAccount the photo is a JPEG file of 70 KB–3.5 MB with a preferred resolution of 1200 × 1600 pixels. On forms that ask for a paper photo, Home Affairs gives a passport photograph of 45 mm × 35 mm (35 × 45 mm wide × high), with the name printed on the back. The 35 × 45 mm Passport Office size is a passport rule, not the visa one.
No. Home Affairs says to upload only a digital copy of the photograph: a scan of a photo or a photograph of a photo is not acceptable. Use the original digital file, for example the copy a photo provider emails you, as long as it meets the JPEG size limits and is unedited.
A neutral or light grey background that contrasts with the applicant's face — that is the wording on the Home Affairs photograph page. A plain light wall works; avoid anything patterned, and do not remove or lighten the background in an editor, because the photo must be unedited. Paper forms say a plain background.
The recommended size for the Australia visa photo is 35 × 45 mm. The head occupies 71–80% of the photo height. Many consulates also require a specific digital file size — see the spec table above for full details.
White or light uniform background. The background must be evenly lit with no shadow gradients, especially around the head. Consular automated pre-screening rejects photos with any wall texture before the human reviewer ever sees the application.
Visa authorities typically require the photo to be taken within the last three to six months. Submitting an older photo, even one that looks similar to your current appearance, is a frequent cause of immediate consular rejection.
Not always. Tourist, work, student and transit visa categories sometimes specify different dimensions or background rules. Follow the requirements for your specific visa type rather than assuming one photo fits all Australia visa applications.
Anfas.Pro provides a 14-day full refund if the photo is the cause of rejection and you supply the consular rejection notice. We recommend keeping the consular receipt with rejection reason as proof.
Glasses prohibited, except for rare medical exceptions. Consular automated checks flag glasses glare even when it is invisible to the human eye. Removing glasses entirely is the safest choice unless a medical exception is documented in your visa application.
35 × 45 mm = 3.5 × 4.5 cm = 1.38 × 1.77 inches. At 300 dpi that is 413 × 531 pixels; at 600 dpi, 827 × 1063 pixels.
Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. The face must stay fully visible from chin to forehead and on both sides, with no shadow across it.
Yes. The same 35 × 45 mm format and head size apply to: citizenship application, passport, refugee travel document.