head 44–51 %no glasses
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourcePolícia Federal / gov.br
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Brazil passport photo size is 50 × 70 mm. Strictly white background. Head occupies 44–51% of photo height (31–36 mm chin to crown). Neutral expression, better without glasses. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 50 × 70 mmICAO 9303: 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 44–51% of photo heightICAO 9303: 70–80% |
| Head height (mm) | 31–36 mm chin to crownICAO 9303: 32–36 mm |
| Background | Strictly white background. Make photo background white — Brazil passport → |
| Pose | Full face, head centred, no tilt or rotation. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Remove glasses if possible; reflections not permitted. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows on the face and background not permitted. |
| 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 / JPG or PDF when requested |
| File size | min 15 KB · max 150 KB Compress photo to 100 KB — Brazil passport → |
| Millimetres | 50 × 70 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 5 × 7 cm |
| Inches | 1.97 × 2.75″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 591 × 827 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 1181 × 1654 px |
In Brazil the passport photograph is handled by the Polícia Federal (PF): its FAQ says every applicant older than 5 must be photographed during the appointment, in line with international civil aviation standards, so no photo can be brought instead; only children under 5 bring a 5 × 7 photo. Outside Brazil the application goes through a consulate of the Ministério das Relações Exteriores (Itamaraty), and there a printed photo is required.
The size is set by each consulate: 5 × 7 cm (50 × 70 mm) at São José, Hamamatsu and Harare, 2 × 2 inches (about 5 × 5 cm) at Chicago, and either 5 × 7 or 5 × 5 cm for minors at Montreal. All of them want a recent colour photo, taken from the front on a white background, with the face and shoulders fully in the frame, a neutral expression, no reflections or shadows and no sunglasses.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Brazil 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 Polícia Federal / gov.br publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Size not the one your consulate asks for (5 × 7 cm, 2 × 2 inches or 5 × 5 cm) | Open your consulate's passport photo page and print exactly that size; Hamamatsu says photos outside its specification will not be accepted. |
| Background not white (blue is refused), or shadows and reflections on the face | Use a plain white background and even light with no reflections, half-shadows or shadows anywhere in the photo, as São José and Chicago require. |
| Glasses that reflect light, sunglasses, thick or flashy frames; a hat that is not religious | Take glasses off (Hamamatsu and Harare ask for none) or make sure the lenses do not reflect ambient light or the camera; keep the face fully visible with the eyebrows showing. |
| Photo too old, or one already used in an earlier passport | Take a new photo within the last 6 months; São José says it will not accept photos that were used in earlier passports. |
| Child photo with toys, a pacifier, bows or hands holding the child; face not fully framed | Show only the child's face and shoulders, fully in the frame, with a neutral expression, eyes open and nothing else in the picture. |
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: 44–51 % of the photo height (31–36 mm)
Camera at eye level, about a metre away; head and shoulders in the shot. The tool crops it to 50 × 70 mm.
Better without glasses
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″ | 4 (2 × 2) |
|---|---|
| A4 · 21 × 29.7 cm | 16 (4 × 4) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
In Brazil the passport is applied for at the Polícia Federal, where the photo is taken for you (children under 5 bring a 5 × 7 photo). Abroad it is applied for through the e-consular portal of the Brazilian consulate, and the printed photo goes with the form.
Passport page of the Federal Police on gov.br/pf
Everyone over 5 is photographed during the appointment — no photo can be brought instead. Children under 5 bring one 5 × 7 photo and still appear in person.
Authority pageEach consulate runs its own e-consular portal and photo page on gov.br/mre
Print the form (RER), glue the photo on it and present it as the consulate says; Chicago: 2 × 2 inches, São José, Hamamatsu, Harare: 5 × 7 cm; Montreal minors: 5 × 7 or 5 × 5 cm from a professional photographer.
Authority page| Authority | Polícia Federal / gov.br |
|---|---|
| Source | Brazilian passport documentation photo requirement |
| Verified |
Questions
5 × 7 cm (50 × 70 mm) is the size for children under 5 at the Polícia Federal and at most consulates abroad (São José, Hamamatsu, Harare). Chicago asks for 2 × 2 inches (about 5 × 5 cm), and Montreal takes 5 × 7 or 5 × 5 cm for minors. The Federal Police photograph adults and children over 5 themselves, so in Brazil you do not bring a photo.
For consulates abroad: a recent colour photo (within 6 months), taken from the front on a white background, face and shoulders fully in the frame, looking straight at the camera with a neutral expression and open, visible eyes. No reflections, half-shadows or shadows, no sunglasses or thick frames, and no hat unless for religious reasons. São José gives 31–36 mm from chin to forehead. Photos already used in an earlier passport are refused.
No. The Polícia Federal answers «NÃO» in its FAQ: everyone older than 5 must be photographed during the appointment, in respect of international civil aviation norms. Only children under 5 bring a 5 × 7 photo. If you apply at a consulate abroad, the situation is different — there you bring a printed photo in the size that consulate asks for.
The consulate pages we read name 5 × 7 cm (São José, Hamamatsu, Harare), 2 × 2 inches (Chicago) and 5 × 5 cm (Montreal minors). None of them lists 35 × 45 mm, so for a passport ask your consulate before using that size. 35 × 45 mm is the size of the Brazil e-visa photo, which is a different document.
Under 5 at the Polícia Federal, you bring a 5 × 7 photo. Show only the face and shoulders, fully framed, with the most neutral expression possible. São José accepts a home photo if the light is good, the background is white (the baby on a sheet, for example) and the eyes are open and looking at the camera — and says not to crop the photo. Chicago adds that no toys or hands holding the child may appear; São José also excludes bows and pacifiers.
The recommended size for the Brazil passport photo is 50 × 70 mm. The head occupies 44–51% of the photo height.
Strictly 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 Brazil 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 Brazil authority and you supply the official rejection notice. See the refund policy page for the exact process.
Remove glasses if possible; reflections not permitted. 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.
50 × 70 mm = 5 × 7 cm = 1.97 × 2.75 inches. At 300 dpi that is 591 × 827 pixels; at 600 dpi, 1181 × 1654 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.