head 50–69 %no glasses
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14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourcePhilippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) — embassies and consulates
Verified
Quick answer: A Philippines visa photo must be 51 × 51 mm. Strictly white background. Head occupies 50–69% of photo height. Neutral expression, glasses prohibited. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 51 × 51 mmICAO 9303: 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 50–69% of photo heightICAO 9303: 70–80% |
| Background | Strictly white background. Make photo background white — Philippines visa → |
| Pose | Full face, head centred, no tilt or rotation. |
| Expression | A neutral expression is preferred; a slight closed-mouth smile with no visible teeth or gums (known as a Mona Lisa smile) is allowed, both eyes open. |
| Glasses | Glasses 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. |
| Digital resolution | 600 × 600 px |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| Millimetres | 51 × 51 mm |
|---|---|
| Centimetres | 5.1 × 5.1 cm |
| Inches | 2 × 2″ |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 602 × 602 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 1205 × 1205 px |
There is no single Philippines visa photo size: each Philippine embassy or consulate that takes visa applications writes its own line. The Consulate General in Honolulu asks for one recent 2 × 2 inch colour photo for the non-immigrant visas and four identical ones for the 13(a) immigrant visa; the Embassy in Warsaw asks for two colour passport-size photos of 35 mm × 45 mm for the tourist visa; the Embassy in Paris asks for one passport-size photo of 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm.
What they share: colour, a white background, a clear front view of the face, taken within the last six months (Honolulu, Warsaw), no sleeveless attire, and no blurred or low-quality photo. Most applications are made on the Online Visa Application System at visa.gov.ph, where the posts say to avoid a big file and to use a white background.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Philippines 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 Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) — embassies and consulates publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| Size not the one of your post (2 × 2 in, 35 × 45 mm or 3.5 × 4.5 cm) | Read the visa page of the post that covers you and print that size. |
| Background not white | Use a plain white background, evenly lit. |
| Blurred or low-quality photo | Take a sharp, well-lit colour photo and print it at good quality. |
| Sleeveless attire, or a face not shown clearly from the front | Wear a top with sleeves and face the camera squarely. |
| Photo older than six months, or not in colour | Take a new colour photo within six months of applying. |
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: 50–69 % of the photo height
Camera at eye level, about a metre away; head and shoulders in the shot. The tool crops it to 51 × 51 mm.
Glasses prohibited
Take them off before the shot.
A neutral expression is preferred; a slight closed-mouth smile with no visible teeth or gums (known as a Mona Lisa smile) is allowed, both 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″ | 4 (2 × 2) |
|---|---|
| A4 · 21 × 29.7 cm | 20 (4 × 5) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
A Philippine visa is applied for on the Online Visa Application System at visa.gov.ph and then through the Philippine embassy or consulate that covers you; the paper photographs are handed in at the post in the size and number it lists.
visa.gov.ph — used for all visas except the seafarer visa; the posts say to avoid a big photo file and to use a white background
Photo: colour, white background, a clear front view, within six months.
Authority pageThe visa page of the post that covers you
Paris: one 3.5 × 4.5 cm photo on white; Warsaw: two 35 × 45 mm colour photos; Honolulu: one 2 × 2 in colour photo (four for the 13(a) visa).
Authority page| Authority | Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) — embassies and consulates |
|---|---|
| Source | Philippine posts — visa requirements (Honolulu, Warsaw, Paris) |
| Verified |
Questions
It depends on the post: 2 × 2 inches at the Consulate General in Honolulu, 35 mm × 45 mm at the Embassy in Warsaw, 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm at the Embassy in Paris (the last two are the same size). All want colour on a white background. Print the size of the post that covers your country.
One at Honolulu for the non-immigrant visas and at Paris for the 9(a) visa, two at Warsaw for the tourist visa, and four identical ones at Honolulu for the 13(a) non-quota immigrant visa. Check the page of your post and bring one extra print.
White. Honolulu, Warsaw and Paris all say a white background, and Warsaw repeats it for the online upload on visa.gov.ph: «The photograph must be of white background». Use a plain white background with even light.
Taken within the last six months: Honolulu says «taken within the last six months» and Warsaw «within six months before the date of application». Paris does not give an age. Take a new photo shortly before applying.
Not sleeveless: Honolulu and Warsaw both say sleeveless attire is not allowed. The pages read do not mention glasses for the visa photo; for the clearest result keep the eyes fully visible without reflection, or remove them. Blurred or low-quality photos are refused.
The Philippines visa photo must be 51 × 51 mm. The head must occupy 50–69% of the photo height. Many consulates also require a specific digital file size — see the spec table above for full details.
Strictly 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 Philippines 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.
51 × 51 mm = 5.1 × 5.1 cm = 2 × 2 inches. At 300 dpi that is 602 × 602 pixels; at 600 dpi, 1205 × 1205 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.