head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceImmigration Department of the Hong Kong SAR — Registration of Persons Offices
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Hong Kong ID card 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 |
For the Hong Kong identity card the Immigration Department takes the photograph at the registration booth of the Registration of Persons Office — after the applicant gets a tag number, files the form and scans both thumbprints —, and «upon taking photograph, the applicants have to conform to the specifications» of its photograph requirements page. The FAQ says the photograph on the smart identity card «should show your full frontal face with clear facial features» and lists what is not accepted: hair across the eyes or eyebrows, head coverings such as hats and headbands, ornaments such as earrings that obscure the ear or face, reflection on a frame or tinted lens, a frame across the eyes or eyebrows, coloured contact lenses, overdone make-up, a face that is not centred, exaggerated facial expressions and tilted eyes. Special cases: a child under 11 replacing a lost or damaged card brings one recent full-face photograph — a different size, 50 × 40 mm — if not taller than 90 cm, and an overseas applicant for a permanent card sends two identical recent photographs of 29 mm wide and 35 mm high, full face, no hat, plain light background, on thin, unglazed, unmounted photographic paper. The processing time is usually five working days, and the registration of an identity card is free.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Hong Kong ID card applications. These are the differences that most often determine whether a document photo is accepted.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules Immigration Department of the Hong Kong SAR — Registration of Persons Offices publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Hair across the eyes or eyebrows | Eyes and eyebrows uncovered. |
| Head coverings, or ornaments that obscure the ear or face | The head uncovered and the ears and face clear of ornaments. |
| Reflection on a frame or tinted lens, a frame across the eyes or eyebrows, or coloured contact lenses | Clear lenses without reflection, no frame across the eyes, natural eye colour. |
| Overdone make-up, an exaggerated facial expression or tilted eyes | Natural make-up, a neutral expression and level eyes. |
| A face that is not centred or not full frontal | A centred, full frontal face with clear features. |
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 Hong Kong identity card is applied for by appointment at a Registration of Persons Office, where the photograph is taken at the registration booth; overseas applications for a permanent card go by post with two photographs of 29 × 35 mm.
immd.gov.hk — Registration of Persons Offices
The photograph is taken at the registration booth; the applicant supplies a print only for a child under 11 or an overseas application.
Authority page| Authority | Immigration Department of the Hong Kong SAR — Registration of Persons Offices |
|---|---|
| Source | ICAO biometric portrait baseline |
| Verified |
Questions
No — the Immigration Department takes the photograph at the registration booth; only a child under 11 replacing a card (50 × 40 mm) or an overseas applicant for a permanent card (29 × 35 mm) supplies a print.
Head coverings such as hats and headbands are not accepted, and neither are reflections on frames or tinted lenses, a frame across the eyes or eyebrows, or coloured contact lenses.
The processing time is usually 5 working days, and the card can usually be collected on the next working day after the processing.
The recommended size for the Hong Kong ID card photo is 40 × 50 mm. The head occupies 70–80% of the photo height. The photo must reflect your current everyday appearance.
Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. Identity cards are used frequently in daily life — for banking, age verification and domestic travel — so the photo is scrutinised many times and minor background issues become more visible at print scale.
Yes. Stand against a flat light-coloured wall, face a window for even natural light, and use a phone with a timer. The tool handles the crop, background normalisation and ICAO alignment check automatically.
Identity card photos generally need to reflect your current appearance. Most authorities accept photos taken within the last six months, but significant changes to hair, beard or facial features since the photo was taken may require a new one.
Clear glasses only, no reflections; sunglasses prohibited. Removing glasses for the shoot is the safest option, especially given the long validity period of most identity cards. Glare that passes today may fail re-verification at a future biometric checkpoint.
Anfas.Pro provides a 14-day full refund if the Hong Kong authority rejects the photo and you supply the rejection notice.
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.