head 70–80 %
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SourceNigeria Immigration Service (NIS) — e-Visa and visa pages
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Nigeria visa photo size is 35 × 45 mm. Plain white background. 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 white background. Make photo background white — Nigeria visa → |
| Pose | Full face, head centred, no tilt or rotation. |
| Expression | Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open. |
| Glasses | Eyes must be fully visible; no tinted lenses or strong reflections. 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 | 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 Nigerian visa, the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) asks for a passport-size photo among the documents you upload when you apply online, through the e-Visa or through an embassy: the visiting (single entry) visa page lists «Valid passport (not less than 6 months validity). Passport size photo», and the e-Visa FAQ says «Recent passport-size photos». That is all the visa pages say: no size, no background colour and no file limit are published for the visa.
The only technical photo specification NIS publishes is the one of its passport portal — a picture of 600 × 800 pixels, no larger than 2 MB, on a white background, with hair not covering the face or ears, no headphones or mask and proper lighting — and it is written for the e-passport, so treat it as a safe guide rather than as the visa rule. For minors the e-Visa asks a birth certificate and a parental consent letter in addition.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Nigeria 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 Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) — e-Visa and visa pages publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| An old photo, or one that is not passport-size | Use a recent passport-size photograph. |
| No photo uploaded with the visa requirements | Upload the photo together with the passport, ticket, accommodation and funds documents. |
| A file that the upload field refuses (size or format) | Keep the file small (under 2 MB) and in a standard image format. |
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.
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 Nigerian visa is applied for online — through the e-Visa portal or through a Nigerian embassy — after obtaining the invitation letter and host documents; the requirements, including the photo, are uploaded and the fee paid online.
immigration.gov.ng — visa types and the e-Visa application
Recent passport-size photo; no visa size published (passport portal: 600 × 800 pixels, 2 MB, white).
Authority page| Authority | Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) — e-Visa and visa pages |
|---|---|
| Source | Nigerian passport photograph requirements |
| Verified |
Questions
NIS asks for a recent passport-size photo, uploaded with the other visa requirements when you apply through the e-Visa or an embassy. The visa pages publish no size or background colour; the NIS passport portal uses 600 × 800 pixels, up to 2 MB, on a white background.
The visa pages say only «passport size»; no millimetres or pixels are published for the visa. For a safe upload, use 600 × 800 pixels under 2 MB, the figures of the NIS passport portal.
The visa pages name none; white is the background the NIS passport portal requires, so a plain white background is the safe choice.
Obtain the invitation letter and host documents, apply online (e-Visa or embassy), upload the requirements — passport, photo, return ticket, accommodation and 180 days of bank statements for a visiting visa — and pay the fee online.
The recommended size for the Nigeria 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 Nigeria 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.
Eyes must be fully visible; no tinted lenses or strong reflections. 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.
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.