How we verify document photo requirements

The step-by-step process behind every spec sheet on this site — where the numbers come from, how we resolve ambiguity, and what happens when a country changes its rules.

1. Identify the issuing authority

For each country × document combination we identify the body that issues the document and publishes its photo specifications. For passports this is usually a ministry of internal affairs or a dedicated passport agency; for visas it is a consular service; for driving licences a transport ministry. We do not rely on third-party photo printers or studios.

2. Capture the authoritative source

We record the exact URL, page title and publication date of the primary specification. Where the source is a PDF, we capture the version label and the section number cited.

3. Reduce prose to measurable parameters

A typical authority page mixes prose ("plain background, no shadows") with numbers ("35 × 45 mm"). We extract eight measurable parameters: print size, head height (mm and percent), background rule, pose, expression, glasses rule, lighting rule and head-covering rule. Whenever the source is ambiguous on one of these, we note it in the profile's "still conservative because" list rather than guess.

4. Cross-check against ICAO 9303

ICAO 9303 is the global baseline for machine-readable travel documents. National rules can be stricter or looser but rarely contradict ICAO. When a national source is silent on a parameter (e.g. head height), we fall back to ICAO and flag the inference.

5. Review, publish, schedule re-verification

Each profile is reviewed by an editorial reviewer before publishing. Profiles that pass are marked index,follow and entered into our quarterly re-verification queue. Profiles where we are still uncertain stay as Draft until the next round of source checking.

Less common but verified document formats

These countries have fewer than three verified specifications on Anfas.Pro. Each link below points to a leaf page with the exact size, background, head ratio, and the official source the spec was traced to.