UAE Passport Photo Size & Requirements
35×45mm, face 70-80% of the frame, on a plain light-coloured background — confirmed against icp.gov.ae's official photo specification.
Same size and background rules — infant mode swaps the crop guide for a lay-flat framing box. See our infant photo guide.
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Blue band = acceptable head-height range · yellow dashed = eye line · fit your head between the solid lines
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UAE passport photo specification
- Print size
- 35×45mm (1.38×1.77 in)
- Digital output
- 630×810px
- Head height (chin to crown)
- 32–36mm (70–80% of frame)
- Background
- Plain, light-coloured background — commonly treated as white, though ICP's own wording does not specify pure white
- ·Face must cover 70-80% of the photo, from the top of the head/shoulders framing down to the chin
- ·Plain, light-coloured background with uniform lighting and no shadows or flash reflections
- ·Neutral expression, mouth closed, looking directly at the camera, both eyes open and clearly visible
- ·No head coverings except for religious reasons — even then, the full face from chin to forehead and both edges must stay visible
- ·If you wear glasses: no tinted lenses, no flash reflection on the lenses, and frames must not cover any part of your eyes
- ·No hats, caps, or other people/objects visible in the photo
- ·Taken within the last 6 months, in sharp focus, with natural skin tones and no digital retouching
- ·Digital upload (ICP smart services): commonly cited as 600dpi minimum, JPEG, maximum 240KB — unconfirmed against a primary numeric source, re-verify at the live upload portal before relying on it
Source: icp.gov.ae's official "Personal Photo Specifications" PDF, published by the UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security — directly fetched and read this session. That document confirms the 35-40mm width and 70-80% face-to-frame ratio directly, but does not give an exact height, DPI, or file-size cap; the 45mm height and digital-upload figures used here are the consistent third-party consensus, flagged accordingly.
Is the background white or just "light-coloured"?
The UAE's Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP) publishes an official "Personal Photo Specifications" guide that calls for aplain, light-coloured background — it does not say "white" outright, even though most third-party guides describe it that way. A plain white background is the safest, most widely accepted choice and is what this tool defaults to, but if your application centre gives different guidance, follow that instead.
Applying through ICP smart services?
For digital uploads through ICP's smart services portal, a minimum of 600dpi and a maximum file size of 240KB (JPEG) are widely cited — though these exact figures aren't stated in ICP's own printed photo-specification PDF, so treat them as a strong convention rather than a guaranteed rule. Crop with the tool above first, then resize or compress to hit the file-size cap if your upload gets rejected.
Related photo requirements
Common rejection reasons
Background isn’t plain or uniform
Shadows, patterns, furniture, or other people in frame are among the most common reasons photos get bounced back. Use a plain wall and even, shadow-free lighting.
Head size or position is off
Too zoomed in, too zoomed out, or off-center. Each country specifies an exact head-height range and crown position, and that's exactly what the crop guide in this tool aligns to.
Glasses, glare, or head coverings
Most countries now disallow glasses entirely (or require them glare-free with no frame over the eyes), and disallow non-religious head coverings that hide the hairline or face.
Photo is filtered, retouched, or AI-enhanced
Beauty filters, background blur, skin smoothing, and AI-generated backgrounds are explicitly rejected by several passport authorities, including the UK’s HM Passport Office.
Photo is outdated
Most countries require a photo taken within the last 6 months (the UK requires within the last month). An old photo, even a good one, can be rejected on this basis alone.
Expression or eye contact issues
Closed eyes, mouth open, smiling with teeth showing, or not looking straight at the camera are all common rejection triggers. A neutral, closed-mouth expression is the safe default.
Want the full picture across every country? See all passport photo requirements for 2026, read how to take a passport photo at home, or check what to wear and expression rules.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a UAE passport or Emirates ID photo?
35x45mm, with your face taking up 70-80% of the frame from chin to the top of your head. The 35-40mm width and 70-80% face ratio are confirmed directly on icp.gov.ae's official photo specification PDF; the exact 45mm height figure is the consistent third-party convention rather than independently stated by that document.
Does a UAE passport photo need a white background?
A plain, light-coloured background is what's officially required — the ICP document doesn't use the word "white" specifically, though white is the safest and most commonly used choice in practice.
Can you wear glasses in a UAE passport photo?
Yes, as long as the lenses aren't tinted, there's no flash reflection on them, and the frames don't cover any part of your eyes. Heavier frames should be avoided if you have lighter ones available.
What are the UAE passport photo requirements?
A recent (within 6 months) colour photo, 35x45mm, on a plain light-coloured background, face covering 70-80% of the frame, neutral expression with your mouth closed, both eyes open, and no hat or head covering unless worn for religious reasons.
What are the digital upload requirements for UAE ICP smart services?
Widely cited as 600dpi minimum, JPEG format, and a maximum file size of 240KB — these figures aren't stated in the primary ICP specification PDF, so treat them as a strong convention rather than a guaranteed rule, and confirm at the live upload portal if your application rejects a file.
What is the UAE passport photo size in inches and pixels?
About 1.38x1.77in, or 35x45mm — the same physical size as the UK, Japan, and Schengen visa photo. This tool exports it at 630x810 pixels.
Does this tool upload my photo anywhere?
No. All the cropping and resizing happens locally in your browser using the canvas element, so your photo is read from your device, processed there, and never transmitted anywhere.
Can you smile in a UAE passport photo?
No. The requirements call for a neutral expression with your mouth closed, same as most biometric photo standards. See our guide to smiling in a passport photo for what counts as neutral.
Are the requirements different for a baby or infant UAE passport photo?
The size and background rules stay the same, but a baby obviously can't hold a neutral, forward-facing pose unassisted. See our newborn and infant passport photo guide for how that's usually handled.