head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceKenya High Commissions in Canada (Ottawa) and the United Kingdom (London) — State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Kenya ID card photo size is 35 × 45 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 | 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 | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 3.5 × 4.5 cm |
| Inches | 1.38 × 1.77″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 413 × 531 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 827 × 1063 px |
For a Kenyan national identity card applied for abroad the Kenya High Commission in Canada requires «two (2) passport size photographs recently taken on a white background following these dimensions 35mm x 45mm (3.5 x 4.5cm)» and says «you may take a 2”x2” passport size picture but make sure your face appears small (fits within the 1.38×1.77 inches) dimensions» — stand farther from the camera; a first-time applicant or a holder of a first-generation card (the big size) submits «three (3) passport size photographs recently taken on a white background», and a replacement of a lost, mutilated or duplicate card two. The High Commission in the United Kingdom asks for «two (2) passport size photographs recently taken on a white background» for a first-time application, a replacement and a change of particulars. The application form Reg. 136A is completed before the appointment; the High Commission in Canada takes a money order of CAD 70 and the one in the UK £30 by card for a first-time applicant, and both return the card by post, which takes about eight weeks from Canada. The pages give no head size or glasses rule.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Kenya 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 Kenya High Commissions in Canada (Ottawa) and the United Kingdom (London) — State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Fewer than two photographs (three for a first-time applicant or a holder of a first-generation card in Canada) | Two photographs (three for a first-time applicant in Canada). |
| A photograph that was not recently taken or not on a white background | A recent passport-size photograph on a white background. |
| A 2 × 2 inch picture with a large face that does not fit the 35 × 45 mm frame (Canada) | A 35 × 45 mm photograph, or a 2 × 2 inch one with the face small enough to fit within 35 × 45 mm. |
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 35 × 45 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″ | 8 (4 × 2) |
|---|---|
| A4 · 21 × 29.7 cm | 36 (6 × 6) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
A Kenyan national ID card is applied for abroad at the Kenya High Commission (by appointment in the UK; in Canada with a pre-paid return envelope) with the form Reg. 136A, two passport-size photographs on a white background (three for a first-time applicant in Canada), the documents and the fee.
kenyahighcommission.ca — Services
Two passport-size photographs, white background, 35 × 45 mm (three for a first application).
Authority pagekenyahighcom.org.uk — National ID applications
Two passport-size photographs recently taken on a white background.
Authority page| Authority | Kenya High Commissions in Canada (Ottawa) and the United Kingdom (London) — State Department for Immigration and Citizen Services |
|---|---|
| Source | ICAO biometric portrait baseline |
| Verified |
Questions
The High Commission in Canada names 35 × 45 mm (3.5 × 4.5 cm), recently taken on a white background; a 2 × 2 inch picture is accepted if the face fits within those dimensions.
Two at the High Commissions in Canada and the UK; three at the High Commission in Canada for a first-time applicant or a holder of a first-generation card.
White.
It is returned by post to a secure, registered, trackable self-addressed prepaid envelope you provide; from Canada the processing takes about eight weeks.
The recommended size for the Kenya ID card photo is 35 × 45 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 Kenya authority rejects the photo and you supply the rejection notice.
35 × 45 mm = 3.5 × 4.5 cm = 1.38 × 1.77 inches. At 300 dpi that is 413 × 531 pixels; at 600 dpi, 827 × 1063 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.
Yes. The same 35 × 45 mm format and head size apply to: passport.