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 golden visa photo size is 35 × 45 mm. Strictly white, high-quality 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, high-quality background. Make photo background white — UAE golden visa → |
| Pose | Face directly into the camera, no rotation or tilt. |
| Expression | Neutral expression. |
| Glasses | Sunglasses prohibited; medical glasses only, provided they do not cover the eyes. See full rules → |
| Lighting | Shadows and reflections on the face 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 |
| 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 |
For the UAE Golden Visa (Golden Residence) ICP — the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security — lists «Passport» and «Personal Photo» among the required documents of its Golden Residence services — for example individuals with specialized talents and real estate investors — with a passport valid for no less than 6 months; the service pages give no size for the photo. The standard is ICP's «Personal Photo Specifications»: not more than 6 months old, 35–40 mm wide, the head and top of the shoulders so that the face takes up 70–80 % of the photograph, sharp, high quality, natural skin tones, looking directly at the camera with the eyes open and clearly visible, a plain light-coloured background — «white» in the ICP FAQ — and even light without shadows, flash reflections or red eye, no hats, caps or sunglasses: only medical glasses, without tint, reflections or frames over the eyes, and a head covering only for religious reasons, with the face from the chin to the forehead and both edges visible, a neutral expression with the mouth closed, you alone in the picture.
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons UAE golden visa 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 older than six months, or one that is blurred, pixelated, creased or ink-marked | Use a recent, sharp, high-resolution photo taken within the last six months. |
| A background that is not plain and light, shadows on the face or background, flash reflection or red eyes | A plain white or light background with uniform lighting. |
| A hat, cap or sunglasses, tinted lenses, reflections in the glasses, frames over the eyes, a tilted face or another person in the picture | No hat or sunglasses; clear lenses without reflection, frames clear of the eyes; face the camera squarely, mouth closed, you alone in the picture. |
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.
A Golden Residence application is filed with ICP through its smart services (website or app), with the passport, a personal photo and the documents of the category — a recommendation or approval of the competent authority, or the property letter.
icp.gov.ae — Golden Residence service pages
Recent photo within six months, white or plain light background, 35–40 mm wide, face 70–80 %.
Authority page| Authority | Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), UAE |
|---|---|
| Source | ICP UAE FAQ / ICAO standards |
| Verified |
Questions
ICP lists a personal photo among the documents; its standard is a recent photo within six months, 35–40 mm wide, the face taking 70–80 %, on a plain light or white background, looking straight at the camera with a neutral expression, no hats or sunglasses, only medical glasses without tint or reflection.
The service pages give no size; ICP's photo specification asks for a width of 35–40 mm with the head and shoulders filling 70–80 % of the photograph.
The ICP FAQ says white; the specification PDF says plain light-coloured, so white satisfies both.
The Golden Residence service pages read ask for a passport valid for no less than 6 months.
The recommended size for the UAE golden visa photo is 35 × 45 mm. The head occupies 70–80% of the photo height.
Consulates usually ask for a photo taken within the last six months, sometimes within three. Take a new one that looks like you today.
Often yes, but not always: tourist, student, work and transit visas can have different size or background rules. Compare the requirements of each UAE visa — if they match, one photo will do.
We refund the payment in full. Email us within 14 days of purchase with your order number and the consulate’s rejection notice.
Sunglasses prohibited; 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.
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: green visa, resident visa, tourist visa, work permit.