GuidePassportUAE

UAE Passport Photo Requirements (ICP): 3.5 x 4.5 cm, White Background, ICAO Standard and the "Not Identical" Rule

ICP asks for a recent 3.5 x 4.5 cm ICAO photo on a white background; no hats or sunglasses, and a renewal photo may not be identical to the old one.

Published 3 min read

Paper illustration of a white-background portrait with a ruler marked 3.5 x 4.5 and an old print set aside
In this article · 5 sections
  1. 01What ICP asks for
  2. 02The renewal rule
  3. 03Common mistakes
  4. 04Questions
  5. 05Official sources

Key points

5 points
  1. ICP states that passport issuance and renewal need a personal photo of 3.5 x 4.5 cm with a white background.
  2. The photo must be recent and comply with ICAO specifications.
  3. It must be high quality, with clear facial features and eyes and no visual distortions such as shadows or reflections.
  4. Hats and sunglasses are not allowed; only medical glasses are permitted, provided they do not cover the eyes. The face is straight with a neutral expression.
  5. For a renewal, the new photo must not be identical to the photograph already printed in the passport.

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) publishes its photo standard in the FAQ for passport and Emirates ID services. It is short, and it contains one rule that surprises many people: a renewal photo must not be the same picture as the one already printed in the passport.

What ICP asks for

RequirementICP wording, in plain English
SizePersonal photo, 3.5 x 4.5 cm
BackgroundWhite
AgeRecent
StandardComplies with ICAO specifications
QualityHigh quality, clear facial features and eyes
DistortionsNo shadows or reflections
Headwear and glassesNo hats or sunglasses; medical glasses only, not covering the eyes
PoseFace straight, neutral expression
The same formats at one scale

UAEPassport · requirements

The Authority adds that adherence to these standards is essential for the photo to be accepted.

The renewal rule

For a passport renewal, the requirement is that the photo must be recent, must comply with ICAO specifications and “must not be identical” to the current photograph printed on the passport. The same wording appears for the Emirates ID card. In practice that means a new photograph, not a re-print or re-crop of the old one. The renewal service for citizens abroad also lists a 3.5 x 4.5 cm photo with a white background among its required documents; the new passport is sent to the UAE Embassy in the country chosen during the application.

Common mistakes

  1. Re-using the old photo. A renewal photo may not be identical to the one in the current passport.
  2. Off-white or grey background. ICP says white.
  3. Shadows and glare. Even light from the front, no reflections on the face or on glasses.
  4. Sunglasses or a hat. Both are excluded; only medical glasses are permitted.
  5. Tilted head or a smile. The face must be straight with a neutral expression.

Our UAE passport photo tool lays out the 3.5 x 4.5 cm frame on a white background to the ICAO proportions.

04Questions

4 answers
01What size is a UAE passport photo?

A personal photo of 3.5 x 4.5 cm with a white background, according to ICP.

02Can I use the same photo when I renew my passport?

No. For a renewal the new photo must not be identical to the photograph printed in the current passport.

03Can I wear glasses in a UAE passport photo?

Only medical glasses, and only if they do not cover the eyes. Sunglasses and hats are not allowed.

04Which standard does ICP follow?

The ICAO specifications: a recent, high-quality, white-background photo with clear features and no shadows or reflections.

05Official sources

  1. ICP UAE — FAQ: passport and photo standards
    icp.gov.ae
  2. ICAO — Doc 9303, Machine Readable Travel Documents (the international biometric portrait standard)
    icao.int

Author: Yevhen Kravchenko. Published . Checked against official sources on .

More on this

All news
GuideVisaUAE

Photo for a visa and Emirates ID in the UAE / Dubai: 2026 requirements

For a UAE visa and Emirates ID you need a recent colour photo on a pure white background, full-face, with open eyes, without glasses and without headwear (except religious/national).

5 min read35 × 45 mmICP — Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (FAQ)

Make the photo for this document

Upload a selfie — we crop it to 35 × 45 mm, replace the background and check it against the document rules. Free.

Upload photo
Passport · UAEUpload
Create preview · no card Free preview