no glasses
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14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico (SRE) and the Mexican consulates
Verified
Quick answer: Background for the Mexico visa photo: plain white background. Neutral expression, glasses prohibited. Last verified .
Requirements
| Background | Plain white background. Make photo background white — Mexico visa → |
|---|---|
| Pose | Full face, head centred, no tilt or rotation. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Glasses prohibited. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Even lighting without shadows on face and background, no red eyes. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Clothing must not blend into the background; face and shoulder line must be clearly defined. |
| File format | Digital photo as requested by consulate route |
Mexico changed the visa photograph in July 2025. The guidelines published in the Diario Oficial on 25 July 2025 say that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs builds digitised files with biometric data and removes the photograph requirement and the copies from visa applications at consulates: the consulate takes the face photograph, the iris and the fingerprints electronically.
For the Electronic Visa the applicant uploads a digital photograph of the face without glasses, on a white background similar to the passport photo, in .jpg, .jpeg or .png format, between 2 and 5 MB, and an image of the passport data page of the same format and weight. Consular pages have not all caught up: the Consulate of Mexico in Boston still asks for a passport-size colour photograph, 39 × 31 mm (2 × 2 in), from the front, without glasses and on a white background.
No page gives a head size.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Mexico 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 Mexico (SRE) and the Mexican consulates publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| An e-Visa photo that is not .jpg, .jpeg or .png, or outside 2 to 5 MB | Save a .jpg, .jpeg or .png between 2 and 5 MB. |
| Glasses worn, or a background that is not white | Take the glasses off and use a white background like your passport photo. |
| A passport data-page image outside the page parameters or unreadable | Photograph the data page entirely, flat and legible, 2 to 5 MB. |
| A print that is not 39 × 31 mm (2 × 2 in), in colour, from the front, where a consulate asks for one | Print a colour 39 × 31 mm photograph on white, from the front, without glasses. |
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.
Camera at eye level, about a metre away; head and shoulders in the shot. The tool crops it to the required size.
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
For nationalities allowed the Electronic Visa and arriving by air, the application is filled in online with the digital photograph and the passport page image; for other visas it is made at the Mexican consulate by appointment, where biometric data are taken electronically.
Through the Mexican immigration authority's Electronic Visa system
Face photo without glasses on white, .jpg, .jpeg or .png, 2 to 5 MB; travel by air.
Authority pageThe visa page of the Mexican consulate that covers you
Boston still asks for a 39 × 31 mm colour print; ask your consulate whether it wants one.
Authority page| Authority | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico (SRE) and the Mexican consulates |
|---|---|
| Source | Mexico electronic visa photo requirement |
| Verified |
Questions
For the Electronic Visa: a digital photograph of the face without glasses, on a white background similar to the passport photo, JPG, JPEG or PNG, between 2 and 5 MB. At consulates the photograph requirement was removed by the guidelines of 25 July 2025, but some, like Boston, still list a 39 × 31 mm colour print.
The digital e-Visa photo is set by file format and weight (2 to 5 MB), not by millimetres. Where a print is asked, Boston writes 39 × 31 mm (2 × 2 inches), passport size, in colour.
No. The Electronic Visa asks for the face without glasses, and Boston asks for a photograph without glasses.
White — similar to the passport photo for the Electronic Visa, and white at Boston.
The Mexico visa photo requirements are in the table above. 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 Mexico 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 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.
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.