South Korea Passport Photo Requirements: 3.5 x 4.5 cm, Head 3.2–3.6 cm, White Background and 413 x 531 px Online

South Korea’s passport portal describes its photo standard in unusual detail, including the head length in centimetres and what makes a print unusable. Here is the page “passport.go.kr” photo standard, summarised in English.

The basics

• A colour, front-facing upper-body photograph taken within 6 months before the passport application date, without a hat.
• Size: 3.5 cm wide by 4.5 cm high.
• Head length from the crown (top of the head, hair excluded) to the chin: 3.2 to 3.6 cm.
• Background: uniform white, free of ink marks, with no border.
• No other people or objects in the photo.
• A photo you took yourself can be used only if it meets the passport photo specification.

Online applications

For an online application a photo of 413 x 531 pixels is recommended, and when it is printed the head length must still be between 3.2 and 3.6 cm.

Print quality and light

• Prints on plain paper cannot be used: the photo must be printed on photo paper (glossy or matte), sharp, with 300 DPI recommended.
• Blurry or low-resolution photos, and photos with creases or stains, are not usable.
• Use lighting that avoids shadows and reflections on the person and the background, and shows the natural skin tone.

Face, eyes and glasses

• Head in the centre, face and shoulders facing front; no side pose, no head tilted forward or back.
• Mouth closed, teeth not visible; no smile and no raised eyebrows — a neutral expression.
• Hair must not cover the eyes, eyebrows or the face outline (cheekbones, cheeks); the whole face from forehead to chin must be visible.
• Eyes naturally open and looking straight ahead, no red-eye. A catch-light in the pupil is acceptable if the person can be identified and the pupil’s shape and colour are unaffected.
• Cosmetic, coloured or circle lenses, tinted glasses and sunglasses are not allowed. Glasses must not reflect light, and the frames must not cover the eyes.

Typical rejection reasons shown on the page

1. Head length outside 3.2–3.6 cm.
2. Background not white.
3. Hair covering the face outline.
4. Glare on glasses.
5. Uneven lighting or an unnatural skin tone.
6. Teeth visible or a non-neutral expression.

Our South Korea passport photo tool sets the 3.5 x 4.5 cm frame and a head height inside 3.2–3.6 cm.