head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceImmigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), Singapore, and the Singapore overseas missions
Verified
Quick answer: A Singapore visa photo must be 400 × 514 px. Plain white background. Head occupies 70–80% of photo height. Neutral expression, clear lenses only, no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Head height | 70–80% of photo height |
|---|---|
| Background | Plain white background. Make photo background white — Singapore visa → |
| 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, traditional, or medical reasons only; must not cast shadows on the face. |
| Attire | Neutral clothing, shoulders visible, without uniform or distracting accessories. |
| Digital resolution | 400 × 514 px |
| File format | JPEG |
| File size | max 60 KB Compress photo to 50 KB — Singapore visa → |
For a Singapore entry visa the photograph is set by the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA): a recent, passport-sized colour photograph taken within the last three months against a white background with a matt or semi-matt finish, showing the full face without headgear (headgear worn in accordance with religious or racial customs is acceptable if it does not hide the facial features). Online it becomes a file: JPEG, at most 60 KB, 400 × 514 pixels — a much tighter limit than the 8 MB ICA allows for the passport.
The application is made through the ICA e-Service by a local contact, or through an authorised visa agent or a Singapore Overseas Mission, which may ask for paper photos of its own: two colour passport-size photographs on a white background in Brussels, one in Washington. ICA warns that a photograph that fails the requirements can delay or lead to rejection of the application.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for Singapore 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 Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), Singapore, and the Singapore overseas missions publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| File not a JPEG, over 60 KB, or not 400 × 514 px | Save a JPEG of 400 × 514 px and compress it to 60 KB or less. |
| Background not white, or a glossy finish | Use a plain white background with a matt or semi-matt finish. |
| Photo older than three months, or not in colour | Take a new colour photo within three months of applying. |
| Headgear (other than religious or racial) or anything hiding the facial features | Show the full face; keep religious headgear clear of the facial features. |
| Wrong number of paper photos for the mission (two in Brussels, one in Washington) | Read the visa page of the mission you use and bring the number it lists. |
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 the required size.
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
A Singapore entry visa is applied for through the ICA e-Service by a local contact (with a Singpass), by an authorised visa agent, or at a Singapore Overseas Mission; ICA does not take applications at its counters. The photograph is uploaded as a 400 × 514 px JPEG of up to 60 KB, or handed in on paper where the mission asks.
eservices.ica.gov.sg — the local contact signs in with Singpass; submit within 30 days before arrival
Photo: JPEG, up to 60 KB, 400 × 514 px, colour, within 3 months, white matt or semi-matt background.
Authority pageThe visa page of the mission that covers you; procedures differ by mission
Brussels: 2 colour passport-size photographs on a white background; Washington: one recent colour photo, white matt or semi-matt background, taken within three months.
Authority page| Authority | Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), Singapore, and the Singapore overseas missions |
|---|---|
| Source | ICA — What are the photograph requirements for a visa application? |
| Verified |
Questions
A recent passport-sized colour photograph taken within the last three months, against a white background with a matt or semi-matt finish, showing the full face without headgear (religious or racial headgear is acceptable if it does not hide the facial features). Online it is a JPEG of at most 60 KB and 400 × 514 pixels.
JPEG, no more than 60 KB, 400 × 514 pixels, according to ICA. That is much smaller than the passport upload (up to 8 MB), so compress the picture and keep it as a JPEG.
Through the ICA e-Service by a local contact — a Singapore citizen or Permanent Resident of at least 21 with a Singpass — or through an authorised visa agent or a Singapore Overseas Mission; ICA does not accept applications at its counters. The photo is uploaded in the e-Service (or handed in on paper at a mission), and processing usually takes three working days.
White, with a matt or semi-matt finish (non-glossy): the ICA answer and the Brussels and Washington embassy pages all say white. Use an even white background with no shadow behind you.
The photo must show the full face without headgear. Headgear worn in accordance with religious or racial customs is acceptable, but it must not hide the facial features.
The Singapore visa photo must meet the authority requirements shown in the table above. 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. Follow the requirements for your specific visa type rather than assuming one photo fits all Singapore 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.
Religious, traditional, or medical reasons only; must not cast shadows on the face. The face must stay fully visible from chin to forehead and on both sides, with no shadow across it.