head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceCivil Registry and Migration Department (CRMD), Ministry of Interior of Cyprus
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Cyprus passport photo size is 40 × 50 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 | 40 × 50 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 | 40 × 50 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 4 × 5 cm |
| Inches | 1.57 × 1.97″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 472 × 591 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 945 × 1181 px |
The Civil Registry and Migration Department (CRMD) of Cyprus says that for a passport, a travel document, an ID card or a residence document «in all cases a biometric facial image is necessary», and that «the image is captured during the application process by specialised equipment». «Applicants can also submit a printed biometric facial image, given that this complies with the requirements set in the document» that the CRMD links on the same page. The image is then printed on the document and stored in the chip. Fingerprints are taken at the application too, but not from children under 12 or from persons for whom fingerprinting is physically impossible. Cyprus issues biometric passports under the EU acquis and the ICAO and ISO standards; the specification document for a printed image was not available as text, so the page states no size, head size or background.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Cyprus passport applications. These are the differences that most often determine whether a document photo is accepted.
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 40 × 50 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″ | 6 (3 × 2) |
|---|---|
| A4 · 21 × 29.7 cm | 28 (4 × 7) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
A Cypriot passport is applied for in person (the applicant's presence is required for the biometric data), where the facial image is captured by specialised equipment.
moi.gov.cy; csca.crmd.moi.gov.cy
The facial image is captured at the application; a compliant printed image may also be submitted.
Authority page| Authority | Civil Registry and Migration Department (CRMD), Ministry of Interior of Cyprus |
|---|---|
| Source | ICAO biometric portrait baseline |
| Verified |
Questions
Not necessarily: the CRMD says the biometric facial image is captured during the application by specialised equipment; you may instead submit a printed image that complies with its specification document.
Where necessary they are taken at the application; children under 12 and persons for whom fingerprinting is physically impossible are exempted.
The facial image is printed on the document and stored in the chip.
The recommended size for the Cyprus passport photo is 40 × 50 mm. The head occupies 70–80% of the photo height.
Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. 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, plain 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 Cyprus 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 Cyprus 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.
40 × 50 mm = 4 × 5 cm = 1.57 × 1.97 inches. At 300 dpi that is 472 × 591 pixels; at 600 dpi, 945 × 1181 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.