head 56–78 %
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SourceMinistry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea — Korean embassies and consulates
Verified
Quick answer: A South Korea visa photo must be 35 × 45 mm. Strictly white background. Head occupies 56–78% of photo height (25–35 mm chin to crown). Neutral expression, clear lenses only, no glare. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 56–78% of photo heightICAO 9303: 70–80% |
| Head height (mm) | 25–35 mm chin to crownICAO 9303: 32–36 mm |
| Background | Strictly white background. Make photo background white — South Korea 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 | 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. |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| File size | max 500 KB Compress photo to 500 KB — South Korea visa → |
| 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 |
The photograph for a South Korean visa is described on the pages of the Korean embassies and consulates (Ministry of Foreign Affairs): one colour photograph of 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm, taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance, in front of a plain white or off-white background, in full-face view directly facing the camera, with a neutral facial expression and both eyes open. Sweden writes «colour photograph of face, front view on white background»; Montreal asks for a passport-type colour photo with the date stamp of a commercial photographer on the back.
For the online e-Form some embassies, such as the Netherlands, also ask for a digital photograph in natural colour of the same size to be uploaded before the visit; the embassy in Finland reminds that accepting a digital image or photo is at the discretion of the embassy where you apply.
Examples and mistakes
One compliant example next to the six most common rejection causes for South Korea 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 Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea — Korean embassies and consulates publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A photo that is not 3.5 × 4.5 cm | Print or crop to 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm. |
| A background that is not plain white or off-white, or a black-and-white photo | Use a colour photograph on a plain white or off-white background. |
| A photo older than 6 months | Take a new photograph within the last 6 months. |
| A turned or tilted face, a non-neutral expression, eyes not both open | Face the camera squarely with a neutral expression and both eyes open. |
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: 56–78 % of the photo height (25–35 mm)
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 South Korean visa is applied for at the Korean embassy or consulate that covers your place of residence, usually after completing the online visa e-Form (with the digital photograph), then bringing the printed form with the bar code, the passport, the printed photograph and the fee.
The visa page of the Korean mission that covers you on mofa.go.kr
One colour photograph 3.5 × 4.5 cm, white or off-white background, within 6 months.
Authority page| Authority | Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea — Korean embassies and consulates |
|---|---|
| Source | Korean visa photo requirement |
| Verified |
Questions
One colour photograph of 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm, taken within the last 6 months, on a plain white or off-white background, full-face and directly facing the camera, with a neutral expression and both eyes open. Montreal adds a commercial photographer's date stamp on the back.
3.5 cm × 4.5 cm (35 × 45 mm) on every mission page read — for the printed photograph and the digital one for the e-Form.
Plain white or off-white (Finland); white (Sweden, Montreal).
For the e-Form some embassies ask for a digital photograph (natural colour, 3.5 cm × 4.5 cm), but Finland states that accepting a digital image or photo is at the discretion of the embassy where you apply; bring the printed photograph to the visit.
The South Korea visa photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The head must occupy 56–78% 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 South Korea 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.