head 70–80 %no glasses
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceEmbassy of Madagascar in Switzerland (Geneva) — Malagasy Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Madagascar visa photo size is 35 × 45 mm. Plain white background. Head occupies 70–80% of photo height. Neutral expression, glasses prohibited. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 70–80% of photo height |
| Background | Plain white background. Make photo background white — Madagascar visa → |
| Pose | Strictly full face, head without rotation or tilt, shoulders level. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Glasses not permitted. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows on the face and background not permitted. |
| Head covering | No headwear. |
| 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 Malagasy long-stay (immigration) visa over 90 days the embassy in Geneva lists, in every category — salaried worker, volunteer, investor, student, researcher, retiree — «2 recent colour identity photos (straight and clear, forehead uncovered, on a white background, without glasses or head covering)». The procedure has two steps: the embassy issues a visa of 30 days (convertible and renewable), during which the person applies for the long-stay visa at the Ministry of the Interior in Antananarivo, and the visa for a stay of more than 90 days cannot be issued at the airport or on the spot; the visa fee is 40 CHF. The embassy in Brussels names «two identity photos of format 3.5×4.5» for diplomatic, official and courtesy visas. The Geneva page publishes no size in millimetres for the long-stay visa photo.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Madagascar 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 Madagascar in Switzerland (Geneva) — Malagasy Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A photograph that is not recent, not in colour or not on a white background | Two recent colour photographs on a white background. |
| Glasses, a head covering or a covered forehead | No glasses, no head covering, forehead uncovered. |
| A head that is not straight and clear in the picture | A straight, clear head. |
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 35 × 45 mm.
Glasses prohibited
Take them off before the shot.
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 glassesTake your glasses off — this document's rules require it.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 Malagasy long-stay visa starts at a Malagasy embassy with a 30-day visa, then goes to the Ministry of the Interior in Antananarivo; the photographs go with the embassy application.
Avenue Riant-Parc 38, 1209 Geneva
Two recent colour photos, straight and clear, forehead uncovered, white background, no glasses or head covering.
Authority page| Authority | Embassy of Madagascar in Switzerland (Geneva) — Malagasy Ministry of Foreign Affairs |
|---|---|
| Source | Visa pour immigration plus de 90 jours — documents à réunir |
| Verified |
Questions
Two recent colour identity photos, straight and clear, forehead uncovered, on a white background, without glasses or head covering.
The Geneva page for the long-stay visa gives no size; the Brussels embassy names 3.5 × 4.5 for diplomatic, official and courtesy visas.
No — the page says a visa for an immigrant stay of more than 90 days cannot be issued at the airport or on the spot.
The recommended size for the Madagascar visa photo is 35 × 45 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 white background. The background must be evenly lit with no shadow gradients, especially around the head. Consular automated pre-screening rejects photos with any wall texture or off-white shade 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 Madagascar 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.
Glasses not permitted. 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.
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.
2 identical photographs, 35 × 45 mm each.