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: A UAE passport photo must be 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 passport → |
| 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 UAE passport (issued to UAE citizens) takes a photo set by ICP — the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security — in its Services Guide and FAQ: a personal photo of 3.5 × 4.5 cm with a white background that is recent and conforms to ICAO. The guide lists the same conditions for a first passport, a renewal, a renewal from abroad and a replacement: white background, hands not above the shoulder level, eyes open, no frame, image width 35–40 mm.
ICP's «approved photo standards» add that the photo is high quality with clear facial features and eyes and no shadows or reflections, a straight face and a neutral expression, with no hats or sunglasses — only medical glasses that do not cover the eyes. The ICP photo leaflet gives the numbers behind it: no more than 6 months old, 35–40 mm in width, a close-up of the head and top of the shoulders so that the face takes up 70–80 % of the photograph, sharp, without ink marks or creases, printed on photo-quality paper, a plain light-coloured background, uniform light with no flash reflection or red eye, head coverings only for religious reasons with the face from chin to forehead and both edges of the face visible.
A child under 5 whose features have changed can have the photo replaced once with a recent passport photograph of the child. The passport is issued within 48 hours after the requirements are met, through the ICP smart application or website.
Examples and mistakes
A photo that will be accepted, next to the six most common reasons UAE passport 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 background that is not white, a frame around the photo, shadows or reflections | Use a plain white background, no frame, and even light without shadows or reflections. |
| A photo that is not recent or does not conform to ICAO (older than 6 months, wrong proportions, face outside 70–80 %) | Take a new photo within six months, 3.5 × 4.5 cm, with the head and top of the shoulders filling 70–80 %. |
| Hands visible above the shoulder level, or closed eyes | Keep the hands out of the frame and the eyes open, looking at the camera. |
| A hat, sunglasses, tinted lenses, 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.
A UAE citizen applies for a passport through the ICP smart application or website, or at a Customer Happiness Center, with a recent ICAO photo of 3.5 × 4.5 cm on a white background; the passport is issued 48 hours after the requirements are met.
icp.gov.ae — passport services (issuance, renewal, replacement)
Photo 3.5 × 4.5 cm, white background, recent, ICAO, width 35–40 mm, no frame.
Authority page| Authority | Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), UAE |
|---|---|
| Source | ICP UAE — FAQ, passport issuance service |
| Verified |
Questions
ICP asks for a recent personal photo of 3.5 × 4.5 cm on a white background that conforms to ICAO: image width 35–40 mm, eyes open, no frame, hands not above the shoulder level, a straight face with a neutral expression, no hats or sunglasses (only medical glasses that do not cover the eyes), and no shadows or reflections.
3.5 × 4.5 cm (width × height) with a white background; ICP's photo leaflet adds an image width of 35–40 mm and a face filling 70–80 % of the photograph.
The passport photo is 3.5 × 4.5 cm with a white background, recent and to ICAO, and the ID card photo has the same ICAO basis; for the ID card ICP adds that the new photo must not be identical to the one currently printed on the card.
The ICP guide's passport issuance service, which carries a remark on newborn babies, lists the same 3.5 × 4.5 cm personal photo with a white background; for a child under 5 whose features have changed, ICP offers a one-time photo replacement with a recent passport photograph of the child (AED 65, new passport valid for five years).
The UAE passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm. The head must occupy 70–80% of the photo height.
Strictly white background. Behind you there should be only a plain wall: no pattern, shadows or objects. Any light wall at home will do — the tool sets the exact background colour.
Yes. A phone and a light wall near a window are enough. The rear camera is sharper than the front one, so ask someone to take the photo or use a 3-second timer. The tool crops it to size, fixes the background and checks it against the UAE passport photo rules.
Most passport offices ask for a photo taken within the last six months. It should look like you today: after a new haircut or beard, take a new one.
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 — the refund policy page has the details.
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: Emirates ID.