head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceEmbassy of the Republic of the Congo in France (consular platform)
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended Republic of the Congo visa photo size is 51 × 51 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 | 51 × 51 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 | 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 |
For a visa of the Republic of the Congo requested through the Embassy in France, the consular platform lists «identity photograph: JPEG format, colour, white background, front view» among the supporting documents of every visa it issues — the 15-day visa, the 91-day visa (with reduced rates for children from 0 to 5 and people of 65 and over), and the courtesy, service and diplomatic visas. The photograph is uploaded with the other documents: the passport «valid at least 6 months after the date of the trip», the invitation letter or accommodation certificate «with the agreement of the Departmental Directorate of Territorial Surveillance (DDST) in the Congo», the copy of the flight reservation with the dates of departure and return and proof of means of subsistence. The applicant creates a personal account on the platform, completes the profile, selects the procedure, uploads the documents and pays online; the passport is then sent by registered post or handed in at the Embassy. The platform gives no size, resolution, head size or glasses rule for the photograph.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Republic of the Congo 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 the Republic of the Congo in France (consular platform) publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A photograph that is not a JPEG file | A photograph in JPEG format. |
| A black-and-white photograph | A colour photograph. |
| A photograph on a coloured background or not front view | A front-view photograph on a white background. |
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 51 × 51 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 | 20 (4 × 5) |
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
A visa of the Republic of the Congo is applied for on the consular platform of the Embassy in France, with the photograph uploaded as a JPEG file, then the passport is sent by registered post or handed in at the Embassy in Paris.
girafe.ambacongofr.org
Identity photograph: JPEG, colour, white background, front view.
Authority page| Authority | Embassy of the Republic of the Congo in France (consular platform) |
|---|---|
| Source | ICAO biometric portrait baseline |
| Verified |
Questions
An identity photograph as a JPEG file, in colour, on a white background, front view, uploaded with the application on the Embassy's platform.
The platform does not name a size or a resolution; it names the JPEG format, the colour, the white background and the front view.
Create an account on the Embassy's consular platform, upload the documents and pay online, then send the passport by registered post or hand it in at the Embassy.
The recommended size for the Republic of the Congo visa photo is 51 × 51 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 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 Republic of the Congo 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.
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.