Crop a photo to 35 × 45 mm — South Africa visa
Upload a photo — the frame is already set for a South Africa visa. Ready to print or upload.
Document
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Want studio precision?AI correction fixes the light, shadows, clothing and pose — to the document's rules.€5.99
Exact numbers for this document
| Parameter | What it must be |
|---|---|
| Print size | 35 × 45 mm |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | 413 × 531 px |
| Pixels at 600 dpi | 827 × 1063 px |
| Aspect ratio | 7:9 |
| Head, share of height | 70–80% of photo height |
| Background | Plain white, light grey, or cream background. #ffffff |
| Glasses | Glasses must not cover the eyes; tinted lenses permitted only for medical reasons. |
| Head covering | Religious reasons only; must not cover the facial oval. |
What these millimetres work out to
- In a 35 × 45 mm frame a head band of 70–80% is 31.5–36 mm from the chin to the crown.
- Of the 45 mm of height that leaves 9–13.5 mm for the gap above the crown and the space below the chin together.
- At 300 dpi that is a head 372–425 pixels tall — below 372 px the file is too small to print, however good the crop is.
How to crop it, in three steps
- 01
Upload a photo taken face-on, in even light
- 02
The tool finds the face and aligns the frame itself — check that the head lands in 70–80%
- 03
Save the 35 × 45 mm result — print it or attach it to the application
What we fix for free, and what AI fixes
Fixed for free
- Background. Replaced with the one this document asks for: plain white, light grey, or cream background.
- Head tilt. Straightened if the head leans slightly to one side.
- Frame. Exactly 35 × 45 mm, by the document’s rules.
- A light shadow on one side of the face. Gently brightened.
- File and print sheet. A file to the document’s rules and a 10 × 15 or A4 sheet to print.
What can't be fixed for free, AI correction fixes
- Hard shadows and uneven light on the face.
- A smile, raised brows or a half-open mouth. Cropping keeps the face it was given.
- Too few pixels. If the original is smaller than 413 × 531 px, enlarging it only blurs the face.
- Clothing and pose. Shoulders out of frame, body turned away from the camera.
Glare on the lenses. Take the glasses off or turn away from the light source and shoot again.
Why these photos get rejected — and how to fix each one
South Africa-specific things to know
- The sources do not agree on background and head size: Home Affairs says plain without a «white lining» and a head of 22–25 mm, while VFS India and Cotonou say white, and VFS India a face of 70–80 % (about 31–36 mm of 45 mm). Where the figures conflict, follow the list of the centre that takes your file.
- The number is two identical photographs on every list read. The age limit is one month at VFS India and «recently taken» at Cotonou; colour is required in India and Cotonou, colour or black-and-white at Stockholm.
- Machine-type or instant photographs are not accepted for the long-term visa (Stockholm); print the photographs on proper photo paper without border, holes or marks.
Printing on a single sheet
4 × 2 frames fit on one 10×15 cm sheet — 8 copies from a single print.
Print at 100% scale, borderless, and turn off fit-to-page so each photo keeps its exact size.
10 × 15 cm · 4 × 6″Photos: 8 (4 × 2)
A4 · 21 × 29.7 cmPhotos: 36 (6 × 6)
Where these numbers come from
Source: South African Department of Home Affairs and DIRCO missions; VFS Global as the visa application centre. Last checked against the official page on 1 Oct 2026.
What the source confirms
- VFS Global South Africa (DR Congo), Home Affairs specification: «Length - 45mm Width - 35mm»; «The background of the photograph shall be plain and free of shadows and shall not have a white lining»; only the head and shoulders, and «the head from the chin to the top of the hair shall not be smaller 22mm and not larger than 25mm».
- Same specification: no head-gear or veil and no additions to the face that alter the natural likeness (the Director-General may exempt); «Spectacles may be worn provided that the lenses do not make the eyes invisible»; dark lenses only if the eyes look distorted without them or the person is blind; the full face directly from the front, the head not bent or turned sideways; head, hair, eyebrows, eyes, nose and moustache or beard sharply and clearly defined; no holes, pencil or ink marks.
- VFS Global South Africa (India), photo specifications: «The photograph must be in color. It should be without border. It should have a white background only. It should have a close up of your head and top of your shoulders so that your face takes up 70-80% of the photograph… It should be 3.5 cm X 4.5 cm… not more than 1 month old… taken without headgear» (with headgear after case-by-case consideration); the visitor visa checklist asks for two recent passport-size photographs (35 mm × 45 mm of the picture).
- DIRCO Embassy in Stockholm, visitor's visa (DHA-84): «Two (2) identical photographs 35x45mm, colour or black/white»; for the long-term visa application form DHA 1738: «two passport type photographs. Machine-type or instant photographs are not acceptable». DIRCO Embassy in Cotonou, visitor visa: «Two recently taken identical passport photographs with white background (35 mm width and 45 mm length)».
Questions people ask before cropping
What size must a visa photo be in South Africa?
35 × 45 mm. 70–80% of photo height.
How many pixels is 35 × 45 mm when printed?
413 × 531 px (300 dpi) · 827 × 1063 px (600 dpi).
How much of the frame should the head take?
70–80% of photo height.
What background does this document need?
Plain white, light grey, or cream background.
What can’t be fixed here for free?
Hard shadows and uneven light on the face. A smile, raised brows or a half-open mouth. Cropping keeps the face it was given. Clothing and pose. Shoulders out of frame, body turned away from the camera. AI fixes this from the same photo — you see the result before paying.
How many photos fit on one 10×15 cm sheet?
4 × 2 frames fit on one 10×15 cm sheet — 8 copies from a single print.