head 70–80 %
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SourceMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR — eVisa portal and the Embassy in Washington, D.C.
Verified
Quick answer: A Laos visa photo must be 40 × 60 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 × 60 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 × 60 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 4 × 6 cm |
| Inches | 1.57 × 2.36″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 472 × 709 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 945 × 1417 px |
The Laos visa photo depends on whether you apply for the eVisa or on paper. The official Lao eVisa portal asks for a photograph of 4 × 6 cm (the information page adds «as per ICAO standard») — in colour, taken within the last six months, with no shadows, on a plain white background, facing the camera with a neutral expression and both eyes open — uploaded with a scan of the passport bio page including its two machine-readable lines.
A photo that does not meet the criteria delays the application and you have to provide a new one; processing is usually three working days, and the eVisa is single entry only. On paper, the Embassy of Laos in Washington asks for two photos of 2 × 2 inches, not older than six months, with the form and the original passport.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Laos 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 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR — eVisa portal and the Embassy in Washington, D.C. publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| eVisa photo not 4 × 6 cm (for example a 35 × 45 mm passport photo) | Prepare a 4 × 6 cm portrait for the eVisa upload. |
| Background not plain white, or shadows on the face or behind | Use a plain white background with even light. |
| Photo not in colour or older than six months | Take a new colour photo within six months of applying. |
| Not facing the camera, expression not neutral, or an eye closed | Face the camera with a neutral expression and both eyes open. |
| For the Washington embassy: not two photos of 2 × 2 in, or older than six months | Bring two 2 × 2 in photos taken within six months. |
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 × 60 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″ | 4 (2 × 2) |
|---|---|
| A4 · 21 × 29.7 cm | 21 (3 × 7) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
A short stay in Laos can be applied for on the Lao eVisa portal (single entry); other cases, such as a longer stay or multiple entries, go through a Lao embassy on paper.
Upload the 4 × 6 cm photograph and the passport bio page; print the approval letter and show it to the immigration officer
Photo: 4 × 6 cm, colour, within 6 months, no shadows, plain white, facing the camera, neutral, both eyes open.
Authority pageForm, two 2 × 2 in photos, original passport; by mail add a prepaid return envelope
Two photos of 2 × 2 in, not over six months old.
Authority page| Authority | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR — eVisa portal and the Embassy in Washington, D.C. |
|---|---|
| Source | Lao eVisa — photograph requirements (FAQ and information page) |
| Verified |
Questions
For the eVisa: 4 × 6 cm, in colour, taken within the last six months, with no shadows, on a plain white background, facing the camera, with a neutral expression and both eyes open. For a paper visa at the Embassy in Washington: two photos of 2 × 2 inches, not over six months old.
4 cm wide by 6 cm high (40 × 60 mm) for the eVisa, which the portal says follows the ICAO standard; 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm) for the paper visa at the Washington embassy. A standard 35 × 45 mm passport photo is neither of them.
A plain white background with no shadows, according to the Lao eVisa FAQ.
Not more than six months: the eVisa portal says taken within the last six months, and the Washington embassy says the photos should not be over six months.
The application is delayed: the portal says that if your photo does not meet the requirements you will have to provide new photographs before the application can be processed. Processing is usually three working days once everything is accepted.
The Laos visa photo must be 40 × 60 mm. The head must occupy 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 Laos 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.
40 × 60 mm = 4 × 6 cm = 1.57 × 2.36 inches. At 300 dpi that is 472 × 709 pixels; at 600 dpi, 945 × 1417 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 40 × 60 mm format and head size apply to: passport.