head 70–80 %
Free: cropping, background replacement, check
14-day refund if the authority rejects the photo
SourceFederal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), UAE
Verified
Quick answer: The recommended UAE Emirates ID photo size is 35 × 45 mm. Strictly white background. Head occupies 70–80% of photo height. Neutral expression, medical glasses only. Last verified .
Requirements
| Format | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head height | 70–80% of photo height |
| Background | Strictly white background. Make photo background white — UAE Emirates ID → |
| Pose | Face straight, no tilt. |
| Expression | Neutral expression. |
| Glasses | Medical glasses only, provided they do not cover the eyes. See full rules → |
| Lighting | No shadows or reflections. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
| Attire | Neat neutral clothing. |
| File format | JPEG · sRGB / 24-bit |
| 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 Emirates ID photo is set by ICP — the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security. Its Services Guide lists, for the new ID, the renewal and the lost or damaged card, one line for every category: a personal photo of 4.5 × 3.5 cm with a white background (the same guide writes the passport photo both as 4.5*3.5 and as 3.5 × 4.5 cm), and the ICP service page adds that «the personal photograph must comply with the standards approved by ICAO».
The ICP FAQ answers the question you are really asking: the photo must be recent, must comply with ICAO and must not be identical to the current photograph printed on the ID card — so on a renewal you need a new picture. Its approved standards describe the picture: recent, white background, high quality, clear facial features and eyes with no shadows or reflections, a straight face and a neutral expression, no hats or sunglasses, only medical glasses that do not cover the eyes, and the ICP photo leaflet adds no more than 6 months old, image width 35–40 mm and a face filling 70–80 % of the picture.
For residents the ID card is linked to the residence permit, applied for on a unified form, and the passport must be valid for more than 6 months; documents are attached if they are not available through the institutional linkage, and everybody aged 15 and over completes fingerprints and signature at an ICP service centre. ICP also briefed photography studios in December 2021 on the updated standards for pictures submitted electronically for ID cards and residence permits — a studio that knows the ICP standard is the safest route.
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons UAE Emirates ID photos get rejected.
Typical reasons a photo is rejected under the rules Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), UAE publishes: what is wrong and what to change.
| Reason | Fix |
|---|---|
| A photo identical to the one printed on the current ID card | Take a new, recent photo for the renewal. |
| A background that is not white, shadows or reflections on the face | Use a plain white background and even light. |
| A photo that is not recent (older than 6 months) or not to ICAO | Take a new photo within six months, 3.5 × 4.5 cm, head and top of the shoulders filling 70–80 %. |
| Hats, sunglasses, or glasses that cover the eyes or reflect light | Remove hats and sunglasses; keep only medical glasses that do not cover the eyes. |
| A turned head, a smile or an expression that is not neutral | Face the camera straight with a neutral expression. |
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 35 × 45 mm.
Medical glasses only
Without a medical reason, take them off before the shot.
Neutral expression
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.
The Emirates ID is applied for through the ICP smart services website or smart app, or at an ICP Customer Happiness Center; for residents it is requested together with the residence permit, and fingerprints and signature are completed at an ICP service centre for those aged 15 and over.
icp.gov.ae — New Identity Card Issuance, Identity Card Renewal
Personal photo 3.5 × 4.5 cm, white background, ICAO, not identical to the current card photo.
Authority page| Authority | Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), UAE |
|---|---|
| Source | ICP UAE photo standards |
| Verified |
Questions
A recent personal photo with a white background that complies with ICAO, high quality with clear face and eyes and no shadows or reflections, a straight face and a neutral expression, no hats or sunglasses (only medical glasses that do not cover the eyes), and not identical to the photo on the current ID card.
The ICP Services Guide writes 4.5x3.5 cm with a white background (and the passport photo both as 4.5*3.5 and 3.5 × 4.5 cm); ICP's ICAO leaflet adds an image width of 35–40 mm and a face filling 70–80 %. The «35 × 40 mm» in some articles since December 2022 is that width range read as width × height: neither the Services Guide, the photo leaflet nor the ICP FAQ gives a height of 40 mm.
No: ICP says the photo must be recent and must not be identical to the current photograph printed on the ID card.
ICP's pages say the photo is attached to the application (when it is not available through institutional linkage) and must follow ICAO; the centre visit is for fingerprints and signature for those aged 15 and over. ICP also briefed photography studios on its standards in 2021.
The recommended size for the UAE Emirates ID photo is 35 × 45 mm. The head occupies 70–80% of the photo height. The photo should look like you do day to day.
Strictly white background. A plain, evenly lit wall without shadows or pattern is enough — the tool sets the required background colour.
Yes. Stand against a plain light wall facing a window, and take the photo with a timer or ask someone to help. The tool crops it to size, fixes the background and checks the framing.
For this document the photo must be no older than 6 months. If your hair, beard or face has changed noticeably since then, take a new one.
Medical glasses only, provided they do not cover the eyes. If you need glasses for medical reasons, check the photo: no reflections on the lenses, eyes clearly visible.
We refund the payment in full. Email us within 14 days of purchase with your order number and the rejection notice from the UAE authority.
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.
Yes. The same 35 × 45 mm format and head size apply to: passport.