Photo rules · cross-country
Visa photo size by country
visa photo dimensions are not standardised globally. 136 countries in this table use 13 different size formats — from the compact 33 × 48 mm Chinese standard to the larger 2 × 2 inch (51 × 51 mm) US format.
Quick answer
Most common sizes: 35 × 45 mm, 2 × 2 inches, 35 × 35 mm
35 × 45 mm is used across the Schengen Area, the UK and most former British Commonwealth countries. 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm) is the US standard, also used by some Caribbean and Latin American states. 35 × 35 mm is the Indian standard. China uses 33 × 48 mm. Last reviewed .
Why visa photo sizes differ by country
Visa photo size usually matches the issuing country's passport photo size, but several authorities apply different rules for visa applications versus their own national passport. Indian visa centres often request 50 × 50 mm even though the Indian passport is 35 × 35 mm. US ESTA and DS-160 both require 2 × 2 inch. Schengen visa applications use 35 × 45 mm across all 27 member states.
A visa photo that fits the consulate's size requirement but uses the wrong background, wrong head ratio or wrong expression will still be rejected. Size is necessary but not sufficient — use the per-country guide on this table for the complete specification.
Visa photo size by country — full table
Click any country to see the full specification, source link and shooting guide.
| Country | Size | Background | Head height |
|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 35 × 45 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Albania | 36 × 47 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Algeria | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Angola | — | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Argentina | 40 × 40 mm | Plain white background. | — |
| Armenia | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Australia | 35 × 45 mm | White or light uniform background. | 71–80% |
| Austria | 35 × 45 mm | Plain background without shadows per official Austrian Passbildkriterien. | 71–80% |
| Azerbaijan | 30 × 40 mm | Plain white background. | — |
| Bahamas | 51 × 51 mm | Plain white or off-white background. | 70–80% |
| Bangladesh | 35 × 45 mm | Plain white background. | — |
| Barbados | 51 × 51 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Belarus | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without shadows or foreign objects. | 70–80% |
| Belgium | 35 × 45 mm | White or very light plain background without shadows or gradients. | 69–80% |
| Belize | 51 × 51 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Benin | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Botswana | 30 × 40 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Brazil | 35 × 45 mm | Strictly white background. | 70–80% |
| Bulgaria | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background. | 70–80% |
| Burkina Faso | 35 × 45 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Cambodia | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Cameroon | 51 × 51 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Canada | 35 × 45 mm | White or light uniform background. | 69–80% |
| Chile | 50 × 50 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| China | 33 × 48 mm | Plain white background. | 58–69% |
| Colombia | 30 × 40 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Comoros | 51 × 51 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Costa Rica | 51 × 51 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Croatia | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background. | 70–80% |
| Cyprus | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light grey background without shadows or patterns. | 70–80% |
| Czech Republic | 35 × 45 mm | Plain white background. | — |
| Denmark | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background, e.g. light blue or light grey. | 67–80% |
| Djibouti | 51 × 51 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Dominican Republic | 40 × 50 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Ecuador | 50 × 50 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Egypt | 51 × 51 mm | Plain white background. | — |
| Estonia | 40 × 50 mm | Plain light background without foreign objects or patterns. | 70–80% |
| Ethiopia | 30 × 40 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Finland | 36 × 47 mm | Plain light neutral background without shadows. | 68–77% |
| France | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background per ISO/IEC and ICAO standards. | 70–80% |
| Georgia | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures, shadows, or foreign objects. | 50–70% |
| Germany | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background. | 71–80% |
| Ghana | 35 × 45 mm | Plain white or off-white background. | 70–80% |
| Greece | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Guinea-Bissau | 30 × 40 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Hungary | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Iceland | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background. | 70–80% |
| India | 51 × 51 mm | White or off-white background. | 49–69% |
| Indonesia | — | Strictly white background. | 50–60% |
| Iraq | — | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Ireland | 35 × 45 mm | Plain white or light grey background. | 70–80% |
| Israel | 50 × 50 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Italy | 35 × 45 mm | Even plain background without shadows. | 70–80% |
| Ivory Coast | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Japan | 35 × 45 mm | White or light uniform background. | 71–80% |
| Jordan | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Kazakhstan | 35 × 45 mm | Plain white or light grey background. | 71–80% |
| Kenya | — | Plain white or off-white background. | 70–80% |
| Kyrgyzstan | 35 × 45 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Laos | 40 × 60 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Latvia | 35 × 45 mm | Plain background without foreign objects. | 70–80% |
| Lebanon | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Lesotho | 51 × 51 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Liberia | — | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Libya | 40 × 60 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Liechtenstein | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background. | 70–80% |
| Lithuania | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without shadows or foreign objects. | 70–80% |
| Luxembourg | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Macau | 35 × 45 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Madagascar | 35 × 45 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Malawi | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Malaysia | 35 × 50 mm | Strictly white background. | 50–60% |
| Malta | 35 × 45 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Mexico | — | Plain white background. | — |
| Moldova | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Mongolia | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Montenegro | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Morocco | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Mozambique | 35 × 45 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Myanmar | — | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Namibia | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Netherlands | 35 × 45 mm | Even light background without patterns. | 58–67% |
| New Zealand | — | Plain light-coloured background (not white). | 70–80% |
| Niger | 40 × 40 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Nigeria | 35 × 45 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| North Macedonia | 35 × 45 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Norway | 35 × 45 mm | Evenly lit background. | 70–80% |
| Oman | — | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Pakistan | 35 × 45 mm | Recent photo (max 6 months old), plain background without shadows. | — |
| Palestine | 30 × 40 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Panama | 51 × 51 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Paraguay | 30 × 40 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Peru | 35 × 43 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Philippines | 51 × 51 mm | Strictly white background. | 50–69% |
| Poland | 35 × 45 mm | Strictly white background; one colour photo 35 × 45 mm, not older than 6 months. | 70–80% |
| Portugal | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background. | 70–80% |
| Republic of the Congo | 51 × 51 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Romania | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background per Schengen standard. | 70–80% |
| Russia | 35 × 45 mm | Light grey plain background without textures or shadows; this differs from the Russian international passport, where the background is white. | — |
| Rwanda | — | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Samoa | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Saudi Arabia | — | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Schengen area | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background. | 70–80% |
| Serbia | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background. | 70–80% |
| Sierra Leone | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Singapore | — | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Slovakia | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background. | 70–80% |
| Slovenia | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background per ICAO-compatible standard. | 70–80% |
| Somalia | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| South Africa | 35 × 45 mm | Plain white, light grey, or cream background. | 70–80% |
| South Korea | 35 × 45 mm | Strictly white background. | 56–78% |
| Spain | 35 × 45 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Sri Lanka | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Sudan | 40 × 50 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Suriname | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Sweden | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Switzerland | 35 × 45 mm | Uniform neutral background without shadows or foreign objects. | 64–76% |
| Syria | 40 × 60 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Taiwan | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Tajikistan | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without shadows or foreign objects. | 70–80% |
| Tanzania | 35 × 45 mm | Plain background without foreign objects. | 70–80% |
| Thailand | 40 × 60 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Togo | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Tunisia | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Turkey | 50 × 60 mm | Plain white background. | 53–60% |
| UAE | 35 × 45 mm | Strictly white, high-quality background. | 70–80% |
| Uganda | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| UK | 35 × 45 mm | Plain neutral background in a light grey or cream shade with clear contrast against the face. | 64–76% |
| USA | 51 × 51 mm | Plain white or off-white background without shadows or foreign objects. | 50–69% |
| Uzbekistan | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures, shadows, or foreign objects. | — |
| Venezuela | 30 × 40 mm | Plain white background. | 70–80% |
| Vietnam | 40 × 60 mm | Plain light background without textures, shadows, or foreign objects. | — |
| Yemen | 40 × 60 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Zambia | — | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
| Zimbabwe | 35 × 45 mm | Plain light background without textures or noticeable gradients. | 70–80% |
Frequently asked questions
01Is the visa photo size always the same as the passport photo size?
Usually but not always. Schengen visa = Schengen passport (35 × 45 mm). US visa = US passport (2 × 2 inches). But Indian visa often uses 50 × 50 mm while Indian passport uses 35 × 35 mm. Chinese visa often uses 33 × 48 mm matching the passport.
02What size for a Schengen visa photo?
35 × 45 mm across all 27 Schengen member states. The size is set by the EU Visa Code and identical at every consulate. See our Schengen pillar guide for the full specification and country-by-country application route.
03What size for a US ESTA or B1/B2 visa photo?
2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm). The US Department of State requires the same size for ESTA, B1/B2 visitor, F-1 student, H-1B work and most other US visa categories. Some immigration forms (I-130, I-485) accept a slightly different format.
04My visa photo was rejected at the appointment — what should I check?
Size, background, head height, expression and image quality in that order. A correct size with a wrong-shade background is rejected. A perfect background with a head that occupies the wrong percentage of the frame is rejected. Use our rejection guide for a fix-it checklist.
Related guides
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