head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceDepartment of Immigration and Citizenship, Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs of Botswana
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Botswana visa photo size is 30 × 40 mm. Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. Head occupies 70–80% of photo height. Neutral expression, clear lenses only, no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 30 × 40 mmICAO 9303: 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 70–80% of photo height |
| Background | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. |
| 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 | 30 × 40 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 3 × 4 cm |
| Inches | 1.18 × 1.57″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 354 × 472 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 709 × 945 px |
For a Botswana tourism visa the Department of Immigration and Citizenship lists «two recent coloured passport size photos» among the documents, with a certified copy of pages 1 and 2 of a passport valid at least six months, a covering letter giving the reasons for the visit, a flight itinerary and accommodation bookings, a re-entry permit to the country of ordinary residence if required, a trip itinerary and the intent to depart Botswana after the trip. The application is made online on the eVisa portal — where the required documents are saved as one PDF — or on Form 1 at an immigration office, a Botswana embassy or consulate; the outcome is checked after seven to fourteen working days, and an approved visa is printed at that office or, if not printed, at the airport or port of entry against the approval letter. The page gives no size, background, head or glasses rule.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Botswana 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 Immigration and Citizenship, Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs of Botswana publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Photographs that are not recent or not coloured | Two recent coloured photographs. |
| An online application whose documents are not saved as one PDF | All required documents saved as one PDF. |
| A passport copy that is not certified or does not show pages 1 and 2 | A certified copy of pages 1 and 2, valid at least six months. |
How to take it
Background: plain 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: 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 30 × 40 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″ | 10 (5 × 2) |
|---|---|
| A4 · 21 × 29.7 cm | 49 (7 × 7) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
A Botswana tourism visa is applied for online on the eVisa portal or on Form 1 at an immigration office, embassy or consulate, with two recent coloured photographs and the documents of the visit.
gov.bw — Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs
Two recent coloured passport-size photographs; online documents as one PDF.
Authority page| Authority | Department of Immigration and Citizenship, Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs of Botswana |
|---|---|
| Source | Visa application — tourism visa: documents to attach |
| Verified |
Questions
Two recent coloured passport-size photos, according to the Department of Immigration and Citizenship.
Save the required documents as one PDF document.
The page says seven to fourteen working days; an approved visa is printed at the office, or at the airport or port of entry against the approval letter.
The recommended size for the Botswana visa photo is 30 × 40 mm. The head occupies 70–80% of the photo height. Many consulates also require a specific digital file size — see the spec table above for full details.
Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. 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 Botswana 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.
Clear glasses only, no reflections; sunglasses prohibited. 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.
30 × 40 mm = 3 × 4 cm = 1.18 × 1.57 inches. At 300 dpi that is 354 × 472 pixels; at 600 dpi, 709 × 945 pixels.
2 identical photographs, 30 × 40 mm each.
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 30 × 40 mm format and head size apply to: residence permit.