head 70–80 %
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SourceMinistry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Bhutan (Passport Office)
Verified
Quick answer: A Bhutan 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 — Bhutan 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 | 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 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Bhutan says the passport application «must be affixed with a recent passport photograph (not more than six months old)», «45 mm × 35 mm with your facial image taking up 70 to 80 % of the photograph, taken with a white background and without border». The photograph «must show you looking directly at the camera — no looking over one shoulder (portrait style)», «eyes open and clearly visible»; with glasses «no flash reflection, no tinted lenses and the frames should not cover any part of your eyes»; «in sharp focus and clear — no shadows»; «of high quality with no ink marks or creases»; «clean with no smudge marks». «Photographs taken with a digital camera must be printed on photo-quality paper»; the photo is «glued and not stapled or pinned to the application form». For an online application the photograph is uploaded «as per the specifications», and at the Passport Office the «most recent passport-size photograph» goes with the form and a fee of Nu. 1,000 for an adult. The Ministry adds that the photograph «is the primary form of identification» and that following these minimum ICAO standards avoids a request to resubmit it.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Bhutan 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 Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Bhutan (Passport Office) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A photograph older than six months, or not 45 × 35 mm | A photo from the last six months, 35 mm wide and 45 mm high. |
| A facial image outside 70–80 % of the photograph (for example small), or a pose looking over one shoulder | A face at 70–80 % of the photo, looking straight at the camera. |
| A background that is not white, a border, shadows | A white background without border and no shadows. |
| Flash reflection or tinted lenses on glasses, frames covering the eyes, eyes not clearly visible | Eyes open and clear, glasses without reflection or tint, or none. |
| A photo stapled or pinned to the form, with ink marks, creases or smudges, or a digital print not on photo-quality paper | A clean photo on photo-quality paper, glued to the form. |
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 Bhutanese passport is applied for online (with the photograph and signature uploaded) or at the Passport Office with a printed photograph glued to the application form.
mfa.gov.bt — Passport services
45 × 35 mm, white background without border, glued (not stapled) to the form; upload as per the specification online.
Authority page| Authority | Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Bhutan (Passport Office) |
|---|---|
| Source | Passport — Photograph Requirements; passport services and FAQs |
| Verified |
Questions
The Ministry gives 45 mm × 35 mm with the facial image taking up 70–80 % of the photograph, on a white background and without border.
Not more than six months old.
No: the Ministry says the photograph must be glued, not stapled or pinned, to the application form.
Yes, if there is no flash reflection, no tinted lenses and the frames do not cover any part of the eyes.
The Bhutan 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 Bhutan 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 Bhutan 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.
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.