Quick answer: A Saudi Arabia visa photo must be 200 × 200 px with plain white background. Head occupies 70–80% of photo height. Neutral expression, see glasses rule. Last verified .
No registration · result in 60 seconds
| Head height | 70–80% of photo height |
|---|---|
| Background | Plain white background. |
| 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 | Shadows on the face and background not permitted. |
| 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. |
| Digital resolution | 200 × 200 px |
| File format | JPEG / JPG |
| File size | min 5 KB · max 100 KB |
Saudi Arabia visa photo verification is run via the **Saudi Tourism Authority's eVisa platform** (visa.visitsaudi.com) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA). The Saudi spec is digital-first: 200×200 px JPEG, 5-100 KB, white background — distinctive among major destination countries for its tight pixel range. Verification happens almost entirely automated at upload. The eVisa platform rejects images outside the pixel/size band immediately, before payment. Approximately 12-15% of first-submission photos fail this automated layer — most for being too large (above 100 KB after camera-default JPEG quality). The face must cover 70-80% of the image (1.4×1.6 inches chin-to-crown) — measured proportionally rather than in mm given the digital-first spec. Saudi-specific: head wear is generally not permitted EXCEPT for religious reasons. For umrah/hajj visa applicants the religious head-covering exception is widely accepted; for tourist visa applicants it is reviewed case-by-case. The face must remain visible from chin to forehead regardless of head covering.
| Authority | Saudi eVisa / Ministry of Tourism |
|---|---|
| Source | Saudi eVisa photo specifications |
| Verified | |
| Confidence | Official — exact |
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Saudi Arabia visa applications. The final decision always belongs to Saudi eVisa / Ministry of Tourism, but these are the differences that most often determine whether a document photo is accepted.
Upload a portrait — the tool crops, removes the background and checks compliance against the 200 × 200 px rule automatically.
Stand 1–2 metres from a plain, light-coloured wall — match Plain white background. The gap eliminates shadow on the wall behind you. Consular automated pre-screening rejects photos with patterned wallpaper or any background colour gradient.
Face a large window during daylight hours. Even frontal light prevents shadow under the brow ridge and beside the nose — two of the most common rejection triggers for consular visa applications.
Look straight at the camera. Keep your head level and centred in the frame. Even a 3–5° tilt is flagged by the consular ICAO alignment check before a human reviewer sees the application.
Both shoulders square to the camera. Visa photos are biometrically checked against the same reference standard as passports — turned shoulders shift the perceived face centre.
Eyes must be fully visible; no tinted lenses or strong reflections For visa photos, consular pre-screening is particularly strict on glasses glare. If you must wear glasses for medical reasons, document this in your application.
Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes fully open and looking directly at the lens. No smile, no raised eyebrows, no parted lips. Match the expression of someone sitting for an official photograph, not a friendly portrait.
Deep solid colours photograph cleanest against a light background. Avoid white tops (they merge with the background), uniforms, religious headwear except where permanent and documented, and any large jewellery near the face or neck.
Verify the photo dimensions match , the head occupies 70–80% of the height, both eyes are clearly visible, and the background matches the rule above. The tool catches most issues automatically but a manual check prevents surprises.
Saudi eVisa / Ministry of Tourism publishes the following rejection codes. Knowing the exact code on your notice tells you precisely what to fix in the reshoot.
| Code | Reason | Fix |
|---|---|---|
SA-V-01 |
Digital file outside 200×200 px / 5-100 KB band | Re-encode JPEG to exact 200×200 px under 100 KB |
SA-V-02 |
Face not 70-80% of image | Crop to chin-to-crown proportional range |
SA-V-03 |
Background not pure white | Off-white, grey, or any tint rejected — pure white only |
SA-V-04 |
Ears or cheeks not clearly visible | Centered face, ears uncovered |
SA-V-05 |
Photo older than 6 months | Re-shoot |
Plain white background is required. Consular pre-screening systems are strict on background — even minor texture, gradient or off-white tone is grounds for immediate rejection before a human reviewer sees the application.
Visa authorities typically require photos taken within the last three to six months. Reused passport photos are a frequent rejection cause, especially for first-time visa applications.
Each visa type has specific dimensions. Submitting a passport-sized photo for a visa that requires different proportions is grounds for rejection. Verify the spec table above matches the visa category you are applying for.
The face must be centred horizontally and vertically with the head straight. Consular automated systems flag head tilt above 3–5 degrees before manual review.
Glasses glare, hair across the eye, head covering that obscures the facial outline (except for documented religious exception), or any accessory near the face is rejected by automated pre-screening.
Smile, raised eyebrows, parted lips or visible teeth all cause rejection. Consular photos use the same biometric standard as passports — neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open.
If submitting a physical photo, low-quality home printing, glossy paper instead of matte, ink streaks or finger smudges around the edges all cause manual rejection at the consular submission stage.
Saudi eVisa checks file weight as well as crop. A visually correct photo can still fail if compression leaves it below 5 KB or above 100 KB.
The Saudi eVisa portal expects a close face-and-shoulders crop; a loose portrait usually fails even with a white background.
The Saudi Arabia visa photo must follow the authority specification shown in the table. The head must occupy 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. Use the exact profile for your specific visa type rather than assuming one photo fits all Saudi Arabia 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. The refund covers the €4.99 download fee. 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.
Anfas.Pro is an independent tool and is not affiliated with any government authority. The final decision to accept or reject a document photo rests solely with the issuing authority. Requirements change — always verify on the official authority portal before submitting.