head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceEmbassy of Ethiopia in Brussels — Immigration, Nationality and Vital Events Agency (INVEA) of Ethiopia
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Ethiopia 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 an Ethiopian visa the Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels lists «one recent passport-size photograph» in the requirements for a tourist visa — a current passport valid at least six months, a copy of the resident or work permit for non-Benelux nationals and the duly filled application form — and for a business or working visa, which adds the visa approval letter of the Ethiopian Main Department for Immigration and Nationality Affairs. The embassy tells applicants that since 10 November 2020 all visa applications except diplomatic ones are submitted to the Immigration, Nationality and Vital Events Agency (INVEA) on www.evisa.gov.et, an e-visa open to applicants of all nationalities. A film-shooting permit asks for «two passport size photographs of each film shooting team member». The page gives no size in millimetres, background or face rule, and the upload rules of the e-visa portal are not on it.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Ethiopia 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 Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels — Immigration, Nationality and Vital Events Agency (INVEA) of Ethiopia publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A visa application without the recent passport-size photograph | One recent passport-size photograph. |
| A passport valid for less than six months | A passport valid for at least six months. |
| A business visa application without the visa approval letter of the Ethiopian immigration department | The approval letter with the application. |
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.
An Ethiopian visa is applied for on the e-visa portal evisa.gov.et (diplomatic visas at the embassy), with one recent passport-size photograph and the passport.
ethiopianembassy.be — Embassy of Ethiopia, Brussels
One recent passport-size photograph.
Authority page| Authority | Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels — Immigration, Nationality and Vital Events Agency (INVEA) of Ethiopia |
|---|---|
| Source | ICAO biometric portrait baseline |
| Verified |
Questions
One recent passport-size photograph for a tourist visa and for a business or working visa, according to the Embassy of Ethiopia in Brussels.
On the e-visa portal www.evisa.gov.et — since 10 November 2020 all visa applications except diplomatic ones go there.
A completed form, a current passport valid for more than six months, a copy of the resident or work permit for non-Benelux nationals and a visa approval letter from the Ethiopian immigration department.
The recommended size for the Ethiopia 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 Ethiopia 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.
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.