is visa photo requirements

by Alf Deckow Published 2 years ago Updated 2 years ago

The photograph specifications for any short-term Schengen visa application are:

Two identical photos . Not older than six months.
Photo size: 35x45mm.
In color. No black and white
Head should take 70-80% of the photo.
Brightly colored background. Light grey is suggested.No patterns.
The applicant should be looking straight at the camera.
Neutral face expression. No smile and mouth closed

Full Answer

What are the criteria for a passport photo?

Passport Photo Requirements. Passport photo size 2 x 2. Taken within the past 6 months. A color photo only (black and white photos are no longer accepted) Full face, front view with a plain white or off-white background. Head measures between 1 inch and 1-3/8 inches. Your eyes may not be more than 1-3/8 inches from the bottom of the photo and ...

What is an acceptable passport photo?

The height of the face should be between 1 and 1 3/8 inches.
The nose should be centered horizontally in the picture.
The eyes should be between 1 1/8 and 1 3/8 inches from the bottom edge of the picture.

What are photo requirements?

The general photo requirements are:

The photo should be the right size, which depends on whether it's a printed photo or digital photo.
The photo should be in color. ...
The photo should be taken within six months of submitting your immigration or passport application. ...
The photo background should be white or off-white.

More items...

What are the photo requirements for US passport?

Photo Dimensions and Specifications. There are a number of passport photo requirements concerning the image itself. Your photo must be a high-resolution color photograph measuring 2 inches by 2 inches (51 mm x 51 mm). Use glossy or matte finish photo stock. The photo must not have any defects, digital artifacts (like dead pixels or dots), or ...

What type of photograph is required for visa?

The photograph should be in colour and the size of 2 inch x 2 inch (51 mm x 51 mm). The photo-print should be clear and with continuous-tone quality. It should have full face, front view, eyes open.

Does a visa need a photo?

If you are applying for an immigrant visa, using Form DS-260, you must provide two (2) identical photos at your immigrant visa interview. Your photos must be: Printed on photo quality paper. 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) in size.

Is photo required for US visa interview?

When applying for a nonimmigrant visa, you are required to upload a digital photograph taken within the last six months as part of completing and submitting the Form DS-160. You should also bring a copy of your photograph to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate on the day of your interview.

Is visa photo same as passport photo?

What is this? Many places can also print visa photos that differ from the size requirements of the U.S. passport photos, but you need to be very clear of the needed size dimensions and any other requirements (size of head, background color, etc.) that may differ.

Can US visa be rejected because of photo?

Photos can be rejected due to inappropriate dimensions, background, texture (matte finish rather than glossy), the number of copies, scanned instead of hard copy, spectacles versus no spectacles, or old photos (if your passport itself or any recent visas have the same photo that you brought for the current visa ...

Can I edit my visa photo?

In general, you are not allowed to digitally enhance or alter the photo to change your appearance in any way.

Can you smile for visa photos?

Yes, but it must be a natural, unexaggerated smile. Both your eyes must be open.

Can I smile in my US visa photo?

Contrived expressions such as raised eyebrows, squinting or frowning are not acceptable. When having their photos captured, applicant may smile, but without showing their teeth and gums. The 'Mona Lisa' smile is recommended. Eyeglasses should always be removed before capturing the applicant's photo.

Can I wear makeup for visa photo?

No. Any properly trained immigration official uses facial recognition techniques that do not rely on hair colour, makeup or even skin colour.

Can I take visa photo on iPhone?

Yes, you can use your iPhone, Android device, or other smartphone to take your passport photo. Make sure you follow all guidelines when taking the photo to include a white background, good lighting, and a friend for assistance (selfies are not allowed).

Can I wear earrings in visa photo?

Photographs that show only a portion of the chin or have a portion of the head cut off will not be accepted. Both ears must be totally visible, free of hair or other covering. Earrings should not be worn, unless they are small, post earrings, and do not cover any part of the ears.

How many photos are required for visa?

You must provide one photo with your passport application.

How do I attach a picture to my visa application?

Photos should be stapled or glued to Form DS-82 or DS-11 (application for U.S. passport). If the photograph is stapled, the staples should be placed as far away as possible from the applicant's face. Photos taken in front of busy, patterned, or dark backgrounds will not be accepted.

Can I submit DS 160 without photo?

Overview. When applying for a nonimmigrant visa, you are required to upload a digital photograph taken within the last six months as part of completing and submitting the Form DS-160. You should also bring a copy of your photograph to the U.S. Embassy or Consulate on the day of your interview.

Is photograph required for passport?

A: Yes, all applicants need to carry two coloured photographs (size 4.5 x 3.5 cm) with white background. Applicants should affix photographs on the printed copy of the online filled application form.

How do I upload a visa photo?

Quick Instructions:First, get a correct US Visa photo at visafoto.com.Then go to the ceac.state.gov website.Do not test your photo at the beginning of your application. ... Press the Start an application button.Complete your application form.In the Upload Photo section press the Upload Your Photo button.More items...

How big is a visa photo?

The US visa photo size should be 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm). The photo should be positioned in a way that the head is between 1 and 1 3/8 inches (22 mm and 35 mm) or 50% and 69% of the image’s total height from the bottom of your chin to the top of the head.

Where to Take US visa Photos?

That is why it is better to seek professional photo services to take the photos and submit them to the US Embassy you are applying to.

What is the difference between physical and digital photos?

Physical photos mean that you have to print them and send them as part of the visa application, while digital photos can be attached online when you submit your Form DS-160 or Form DS-260.

How many physical photos do you have to submit to a photo contest?

In addition to the digital photo, you might also have to submit 1 physical photo as per their requirements

What size photo is needed for a JPEG?

The photo must be in color such as the sRGB color space. The format of the photo must be in JPEG. The size of the photo must be less or equal to 240 kilobytes (kB). If your photo is bigger than that size, it can be compressed to a ratio of less than or equal to a 20:1 ratio. If you already have a physical photo which meets ...

How many pixels are in a photo?

The photo must be square and its dimensions must be 600×600 pixels.

Can you scan a photo?

If you already have a physical photo which meets the physical photo requirements, you can scan it and make it as follows:

How tall is a face in a photo?

The photo must have a plain white or off-white background with your face centered in the photo. Your face must be between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches in height and centered.

How to take a picture of a toddler?

One way to do this is to lay the child on his or her back on a white sheet and take the photo from above.

Do you staple a photo to an application?

The U.S. Department of State advises applicants to staple their photo to the application. Be sure that the photo is aligned with the square provided for it on the application, and take care not to fold, bend, or damage the photo while attaching it to the application.

Can hearing aids be worn in photos?

Hearing aids and similar devices may appear in the photo if they are worn all the time. Headsets, headphones, and other listening devices may not be worn in photographs.

Do you want to take the photo yourself?

While we recommend you use a professional visa photo service to ensure your photo meets all the requirements, you may take the photo yourself. Photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance in any way. Please review the following technical requirements and references for guidance on taking your own photo.

How old do you have to be to get a photo of your passport?

If your photo (s) or digital image does not reflect your current appearance, even if it is not older than 6 months, the U.S. embassy or consulate will request that you provide a new photo with your application.

When taking a picture of a baby, should you take a picture of the baby?

When taking a photo of your baby or toddler, no other person should be in the photo, and your child should be looking at the camera with his or her eyes open.

How to turn a passport photo into a visa?

Use a passport photo cropping tool to turn your regular photographs into U.S. visa pictures without any undue effort. We recommend using Passport Photo Maker. This software offers biometric face recognition and auto crop features. You just need to upload your photo, select an ID type and make a click to get a perfect visa photo.

What should a photo be?

The photo should be of high quality, without any grain, underexposure, etc.

How to apply for a non-immigrant visa?

for long, then you need to apply for the non-immigrant visa. Fill in the DS-160 form, and don’t forget to upload a digital photo. The image should have the same specs as the standard visa photo. You can find the exact dimensions and other requirements for it above. Before submitting this application, check your embassy website: some officials need a hard copy of your photo as well.

How to apply for a diversity visa?

Want to try your luck and apply for the Diversity Visa Lottery (Green Card)? All you need to do is to fill in the form on the official website of the U.S. Department of State, attach your photo and submit your application. If your application gets accepted, you will receive a special code that you can send to the online validator and check if you got to the next stage - the interview. In this case, you will need to bring hard copies of your images as well.

How to apply for citizenship in the USA?

Decided to move to the USA and apply for citizenship? Then you just need to fill in the DS-260 form and hope that your application will be accepted. Don’t forget to bring two physical copies of your photo printed on a high-quality paper as well. The images should comply with the standard U.S. visa requirements: 2x2 inches size, white background, high quality, etc.

What is the compression ratio for a picture?

You can compress your picture to fit it into the allowed size. In this case, the compression ratio must be around 20:1

What should the background be for a baby shoot?

The background should be light and plain. You can put a baby on a white cover and shoot from above. However, make sure to remove all the nearby toys or bottles

Want to scan an existing photo?

In addition to the digital image requirements, your existing photo must be:

Already have a photo?

Use our Photo Tool to upload your photo and crop it so it's the right size. Compare your photo with examples of good photos.

What is the best way to take a visa photo?

Head Orientation. Head orientation is important when taking your visa photo. Frame yourself within the photo so that your full face shows. Face directly toward the camera and make sure your eyes are open.

How long do you have to upload a photo for a nonimmigrant visa?

How far up should your eyes be in a photo?

Make sure your eyes are open. Your eyes should be 2/3 of the way up the photo, or between 1-1/8 inches to 1-3/8 inches (28 mm and 35 mm) - about 60% - from the bottom of the photo.

How much should your head be in a photo?

Your head height, measured from the top of your head, including the hair, to the bottom of your chin, must be between 50% and 70% of the photo's total height. Your eye height, measured from the bottom of the photo to the level of your eyes, should be between 55% and 70% - or roughly 2/3 - of the photo's height.

Do you have to wear a hat when taking a photo?

Be sure to have a natural expression on your face when you take your photo, like those shown here: Do not wear a hat or head covering that obscures the hair or hairline, unless worn daily for a religious purpose. Your full face must be visible, and the head covering must not cast any shadows on your face.

How big should a photo be for a passport?

The ideal image should be a minimum of 1 MB and a maximum of 10 MB. Well, to know the size is not hard particularly if you are using one of those mobile devices like a tablet or a smartphone. Once someone captures your image to be passport-sized, check the properties/details of it and you will know the size. Note that, someone has to take this image – a selfie is a NO go zone. It will result in visa rejection.

How old do you have to be to get a photo for an Indian visa?

A photograph that fulfills Indian visa requirements should be how old?The appropriate photograph should be recent and not more than six months in age. If the photo is too old, like your high school passport photo that is ten years old, then chances are it will be rejected. 2.

What format is acceptable for visas in India?

The acceptable format that meets visa requirements for India is JPEG. Although that word sounds technical, you can check the format on the properties of the image.

How to make a picture look good?

Have even lighting with minimal shadowing. Light should be evenly distributed and the image should be big enough; with proper contrast and clarity.

What should the background be on a photo?

The photo should present full center head from top of hair to bottom of chin within the frame. The background should be plain light colored or white background . There should not be any distracting shadows on the face or on the background.

Can you see with glasses?

The glasses do not have a glare and thus you can see the eyes well . This is how it should be if spectacles are to be worn for medical reasons.

Is light enough for a face?

Light is not enough and the face is not visible and thus incorrect. It is too dark.

What happens if a photo fails to meet all the requirements for a visa?

If a photo fails to meet all the specifications it can cause an unnecessary delay in the visa application process. To ensure your photo meets the Korea visa photo requirements it is important to revise the list of specifications before submitting the photo.

How big is a photo for a child in Korea?

However, the hands of others cannot be visible in the photo. The Korea visa application photo size for children is exactly the same: 45mm (length) by 35mm (width).

Why do we need a passport in South Korea?

The passport details are used to carry out security checks and make South Korea a safe travel destination.

Why are photos rejected?

Common reasons why photos are rejected are an overexposed or underexposed photo. Shadows and glare are not acceptable and the applicant’s head and the background need to clearly contrast. Headwear (such as hats, wigs, and large pieces of jewelry) is not acceptable.

Do you need a visa to go to Korea with a child?

If you are planning to travel to Korea with a child, be aware that they will need their own Korea visa regardless of age. There are a few extra photo requirements which apply specifically to young children and babies. Babies and infants cannot hold any objects in the photo such as toys, pacifiers, and bottles.

Can you smile in a photo?

This can be avoided if the flash is not aimed directly at the eyeball. If the center of the applicant’s eye or eyes appear red, the photo will need to be retaken. No smiling is allowed in the photo.

Do you have to shave your beard off for a photo?

If you normally have a beard there is no need to shave it off, the photo should reflect your current appearance. Glasses are allowed as long as they do not hinder the view of the eyes. This means that you cannot wear sunglasses and tinted lenses, nor can the frame block the eyes.