head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceNationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPRA), Ministry of Interior of Bahrain
Verified
Quick answer: A Bahrain passport photo must be 32.5 × 43 mm. Plain white background. Head occupies 70–80% of photo height. Neutral expression, clear lenses only, no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 32.5 × 43 mmICAO 9303: 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 70–80% of photo height |
| Background | Plain white background. Make photo background white — Bahrain passport → |
| Pose | Strictly full face, head without rotation or tilt, shoulders level. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Clear glasses only, no reflections; sunglasses prohibited. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows on the face and background not permitted. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Neutral clothing, shoulders visible, without uniform or distracting accessories. |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| Millimetres | 32.5 × 43 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 3.25 × 4.3 cm |
| Inches | 1.28 × 1.69″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 384 × 508 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 768 × 1016 px |
For the Bahraini e-passport the Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPRA) announced in March 2023 «new conditions for the photo»: «the image size must be 32.5 mm × 43 mm (3:4 aspect ratio) and have uniform lighting with no shadows, glare or flash reflections», and «the image must not be altered in any way and must be coloured with a pure white background». The NPRA started taking e-passport applications on 20 March 2023 — on its website, on the government e-portal or at the service centres at the Security Complex in Muharraq and in Isa Town after an appointment through the MAWAEID app. The news item refers to more details on the NPRA site that were not found, so no head size, expression or glasses rule is given here; the text was read in an Internet Archive copy of 2 November 2024.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Bahrain passport applications. These are the differences that most often determine whether a document photo is accepted.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPRA), Ministry of Interior of Bahrain publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A photo that is not 32.5 × 43 mm (3:4) | A 32.5 × 43 mm photo in a 3:4 ratio. |
| A black-and-white photo or a background that is not pure white | A coloured photo on a pure white background. |
| Uneven light, shadows, glare or flash reflections | Uniform lighting with no shadows, glare or flash reflections. |
| A photo that has been altered in any way | An unaltered photo. |
How to take it
Background: plain white
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: 70–80 % of the photo height
Camera at eye level, about a metre away; head and shoulders in the shot. The tool crops it to 32.5 × 43 mm.
Clear lenses only, no glare
If you wear glasses, check the shot: no glare on the lenses, eyes clearly visible.
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 glare on glassesStand so that no light reflects in the lenses.Printing and submission
| 10 × 15 cm · 4 × 6″ | 9 (3 × 3) |
|---|---|
| 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.
A Bahraini e-passport is applied for on the NPRA website or the government e-portal, or at the NPRA service centres in Muharraq and Isa Town by appointment through the MAWAEID app.
npra.gov.bh — Security Complex, Muharraq; Isa Town
A coloured 32.5 × 43 mm (3:4) photo on a pure white background, uniform light, not altered.
Authority page| Authority | Nationality, Passports and Residence Affairs (NPRA), Ministry of Interior of Bahrain |
|---|---|
| Source | NPRA announces new conditions for the e-passport photo (22 March 2023) |
| Verified |
Questions
The NPRA announced 32.5 mm × 43 mm in a 3:4 aspect ratio, coloured, on a pure white background.
No — the NPRA says the image must not be altered in any way, and the lighting must have no shadows, glare or flash reflections.
On the NPRA website or the government e-portal, or at the service centres in Muharraq and Isa Town after an appointment through the MAWAEID app.
The Bahrain passport photo must be 32.5 × 43 mm. The head must occupy 70–80% of the photo height.
Plain white background. No gradients, textures, shadows or objects behind the subject are permitted. The tool removes background shadows automatically, but starting with a flat, evenly lit wall gives the best result.
Yes. Stand in front of a flat white wall in good natural light, face the light source and use the rear camera of your phone with a 3-second timer. The tool handles the crop, background normalisation and compliance check against the Bahrain biometric standard.
Most passport authorities require the photo to be taken within the last six months. Do not reuse an older portrait even if your appearance has not changed.
Anfas.Pro provides a 14-day full refund if the photo is rejected by the Bahrain authority and you supply the official rejection notice. See the refund policy page for the exact process.
Clear glasses only, no reflections; sunglasses prohibited. In practice, the biometric scanner at submission points flags even minor lens glare that looks fine to the naked eye. Removing glasses before shooting is the only option that eliminates the risk entirely.
32.5 × 43 mm = 3.25 × 4.3 cm = 1.28 × 1.69 inches. At 300 dpi that is 384 × 508 pixels; at 600 dpi, 768 × 1016 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.