head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceGovernment of Benin — Directorate of Emigration and Immigration (DEI)
Verified
Quick answer: A Benin passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm. Plain white background. Head occupies 70–80% of photo height. Neutral expression, clear lenses only, no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 70–80% of photo height |
| Background | Plain white background. Make photo background white — Benin 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 | PNG / JPEG |
| 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 |
The Beninese Directorate of Emigration and Immigration (DEI) lists, for a biometric passport, «one (01) colour identity photo, plain background, less than six (06) months old (format 35 mm/45 mm)» among the documents, with the secured birth certificate and the personal identification certificate of the ANIP, proof of profession and the file fee of 30,000 CFA francs; the appointment is booked online on epasseport.service-public.bj, and the passport is issued within five working days of the enrolment. For Beninese in the United States and Canada the special renewal operation asked for a digital identity photo in colour, less than six months old: «passport format (35 mm/45 mm), white background, PNG or JPEG format — no scanned photograph will be accepted», sent by e-mail to the embassy. Both communiqués date from July 2021.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Benin 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 Government of Benin — Directorate of Emigration and Immigration (DEI) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A photograph that is not in colour, not on a plain background, or older than six months | A colour photograph on a plain background from the last six months. |
| A photograph that is not 35 mm × 45 mm | A 35 × 45 mm photograph. |
| For the diaspora: a scanned photograph, or a file that is not PNG or JPEG, or a background that is not white | A digital photo file in PNG or JPEG on a white background, not a scan. |
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 35 × 45 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″ | 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.
A Beninese biometric passport is applied for after booking an appointment on epasseport.service-public.bj with the Directorate of Emigration and Immigration, or through a Beninese embassy or consulate abroad.
epasseport.service-public.bj; dei.gouv.bj
One colour 35 × 45 mm photograph on a plain background, under six months old.
Authority pageQuestions
35 mm × 45 mm, in colour, on a plain background, less than six months old.
A PNG or JPEG file in passport format (35 × 45 mm) on a white background; no scanned photograph is accepted.
Yes: the communiqué says online booking on epasseport.service-public.bj is compulsory in Benin since 3 May 2021.
The Benin passport photo must be 35 × 45 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 Benin 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 Benin 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.
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.
1 identical photographs, 35 × 45 mm each, taken within the last 6 months.
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.