head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceEmbassy of Ethiopia in Brussels — Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Ethiopia passport photo size is 30 × 40 mm. Plain white background. 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 white background. Make photo background white — Ethiopia 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 | 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 an Ethiopian passport renewed at the Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels the embassy asks for «five recent, colour passport size photographs, with a white background and the name of the applicant at the back of the photograph», and four of the same for the replacement of a lost passport. The embassy issues only the electronic passport, which needs a mandatory fingerprint — an original fingerprint taken at a police station or an authorised company, with a copy; those who gave their fingerprints with an earlier electronic passport do not repeat them, and minors under 14 are exempt. Applications are sent by tracked mail with a prepaid, self-addressed return envelope (DHL, TNT or bpost Express) and at least 60 days before travel; the rest of the renewal list is the actual passport, two copies of the expired passport, two copies of a document showing the status in the Benelux countries, the fee by deposit order and two copies of the application form. The page gives no size, head or glasses rule.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Ethiopia 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 Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels — Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Fewer photographs than required (five for a renewal, four for a lost passport) | Five photographs for a renewal, four for a lost passport. |
| Photographs that are not recent, not in colour or not on a white background | Recent colour photographs on a white background. |
| Photographs without the applicant's name on the back | The applicant's name written on the back of each photograph. |
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 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.
An Ethiopian passport is renewed or replaced by mail at the Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels, with five (renewal) or four (lost passport) photographs, the original fingerprint, the fee by deposit order and tracked return envelopes.
Avenue de Tervuren 64, 1040 Brussels
Five recent colour photographs on white with the name on the back (four for a lost passport).
Authority page| Authority | Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels — Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia |
|---|---|
| Source | Passports — requirements for a new passport and for replacement of an expired passport |
| Verified |
Questions
Five recent colour passport-size photographs with a white background and the applicant's name on the back; four for a lost passport.
Yes — the electronic passport needs a mandatory fingerprint, taken at a police station or an authorised company; those who already gave it, and minors under 14, are exempt.
At least 60 days before the planned travel date, by tracked mail with a tracked return envelope.
The recommended size for the Ethiopia passport photo is 30 × 40 mm. The head occupies 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 Ethiopia 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 Ethiopia 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.
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.
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.