Visa Photo FAQ — Real Questions, Official Answers

Yes. Authorities specify the photo's size, background and framing — not where you take it. Take it against a plain wall in even daylight, then crop it to your country's exact specification with the free tool on this site.

Yes. Use the rear camera (better lens than the front one), hold the phone at eye level, stand against a plain background in daylight. Every preset on this site exports at official resolution, so a modern phone photo has more than enough pixels.

Not directly. Arm's-length shooting distorts the face and you cannot keep a straight background. Prop the phone or use a timer with the rear camera instead, then crop here.

It depends on the destination. Most accept plain prescription glasses if the frames do not hide your eyes and there is no glare; the US State Department recommends removing them entirely. Reflections across the lenses are a common rejection — this site's export check helps you retake before you submit.

Yes, clear lenses are fine. Decorative coloured contacts that change the appearance of your iris are not — eyes must look natural.

Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed or naturally relaxed. Broad smiles with visible teeth are on most authorities' retake lists, including the US and UK.

Light everyday makeup is fine. What is prohibited is anything that changes how officials identify you — heavy contouring, false lashes that alter the eye line, or retouching apps.

Small studs are generally accepted. Anything large, shiny or face-framing risks glare and review flags — take it off to be safe.

Your hairstyle may not hide your face or eyes, and your head contour must be visible. Ponytails and buns are fine; long bangs over the eyebrows are not. Hair accessories that blend in are tolerated, flashy ones are not.

Most official standards (ICAO-based) do not literally require visible ears — they require a clear face outline and unobstructed eyebrows. Keep hair off your brows and you are safe.

Everyday clothing that contrasts with the background. Uniforms (military, airline, police) are not allowed except religious dress worn daily. Avoid white on a white background.

You can, but your shoulders will melt into the background and that is a rejection reason. Switch to a mid-tone or dark top — it takes one retake to avoid a week-long delay.

Mostly, but not always — New Zealand asks for plain light (not white), and some countries accept light grey. If your wall is slightly off, the background-replace feature on this site snaps it to the exact tone; it changes background colour only, never your face.

It differs per country — 2x2 inches for the US, 33x48 mm for China, 35x45 mm for Schengen. Our size chart lists all 30 countries in pixels with the exact crop preset for each.

The common rule is 6 months, and your face must match how you look on the day you apply. A photo from a clearly different period (different hair colour, major change) gets bounced even within that window.

The usual culprits: wrong size, shadows on the face or background, glare on glasses, head too small in frame, or a smile showing teeth. The guide lines and export checks on this site exist precisely to catch those before an officer does.

Editing the face is prohibited by the US, UK and Canada — 'unedited digital photo' is written into their rules. Background colour correction is a grey area: widely practised, accepted by most review desks, but check your destination's wording. Our tool changes background colour only and shows a warning for the strict destinations.

Lay the baby on a white sheet and shoot from above — no shadows, no hands in frame. Eye-open requirements are relaxed for infants (the US does not require a gaze at the camera under 6). Crop to the same country spec as adults.

Print at 300 DPI on photo paper; glossy is accepted almost everywhere, matte where stated. For online applications you only need the digital file — which is exactly what this tool exports, compressed under your country's KB cap.

Often not. The US uses the same 2x2 inch square for both, but China's visa (33x48 mm) differs from its passport photo, and India's visa upload (350x350 px) differs again. Always crop from the country's visa preset, not a passport crop.