Bhutan Visa / Permit Photo (Immigration Services Portal upload; ICAO 35 x 45 mm reference): size and requirements
The Bhutan Visa / Permit Photo size is 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 inches), or 413 x 531 pixels for online upload. Not published; white is our rendering choice for the reference frame; head 70 to 80 percent of the photo height. Photo taken within the last 6 months. Last verified 2026-10-10 against Department of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Royal Government of Bhutan - Bhutan Immigration Services Portal FAQ, with the ICAO Doc 9303 Part 3 reference frame.
For the recent digital passport-size photograph uploaded with a tourist visa application (all nationalities other than India) or an Indian national's entry permit on the Department of Immigration's Bhutan Immigration Services Portal (immi.gov.bt), filed by the traveller or a tourism service provider. The portal publishes no size or format, so this page is the ICAO reference frame. Not for a Bhutanese passport, which has its own MFA specification, nor for non-tourist visas, whose document list is a separate DoI PDF.
Requirements at a glance
- Size
- 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 inches), or 413 x 531 pixels for online upload
- Head height
- Head 70 to 80 percent of the photo height (no geometry published (the portal asks for 'A recent digital passport size photograph.'); ICAO Doc 9303 crown-to-chin 70 to 80 per cent of the 45 mm height applied as a reference)
- Background
- not published; white is our rendering choice for the reference frame
- Expression
- Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open, looking at the camera
- Glasses
- Allowed without glare or tint
- Head covering
- Only for religious or medical reasons; full face visible
- Photo age
- Taken within the last 6 months
- We deliver
- 413 x 531 px (300 DPI), plus a 4 x 6 inch print sheet
What trips people up
- CheckThe whole photo rule: for a tourist visa 'A digital copy of your passport. The passport must be valid for six months from the intended date of departure from Bhutan.' and 'A recent digital passport size photograph.'; the permit for Indian nationals lists the same photograph with a passport or voter ID card. No size, format, background or age is published, so everything geometric here is the ICAO reference, flagged as such.
- CheckWho needs what: 'Nationals of all countries other than India must obtain a visa prior to entry into Bhutan. The application must be submitted at least 15 days prior to the intended date of arrival in Bhutan.' Bangladesh and Maldives nationals (and Thai and Swiss diplomatic / official passport holders) may get a visa on arrival; Indians get a permit on arrival but are advised to apply in advance.
- CheckProcess on the portal: create an account, complete the application with the document uploads, pay the applicable fees, submit; tourists may also let a Bhutanese tourism service provider file for them. Non-tourist categories follow the DoI's 'revised non-tourist categories' PDF instead.
- CheckSAARC nationals with a valid SAARC Visa Exemption Sticker are exempt from the e-visa / entry permit. Children under 18 from India may enter on a birth certificate or passport with a legal guardian.
- CheckJPEG at 413 x 531 px is our rendering choice; the portal does not state a format, so keep a PDF or PNG copy if the uploader asks for another type.
Good to know before you pay
Any recent passport-style JPEG from a studio uploads as is - the portal publishes no format; your tour operator can also attach it for you.
Source and verification
No national rule published; ICAO 9303 standard applies. Last checked 2026-10-10 at Department of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs, Royal Government of Bhutan - Bhutan Immigration Services Portal FAQ, with the ICAO Doc 9303 Part 3 reference frame.
A recent digital passport size photograph.
A digital copy of your passport. The passport must be valid for six months from the intended date of departure from Bhutan.
Nationals of all countries other than India must obtain a visa prior to entry into Bhutan. The application must be submitted at least 15 days prior to the intended date of arrival in Bhutan.
Nationals of Bangladesh and the Maldives are eligible for visa on arrival. Nationals of Thailand and Switzerland holding diplomatic/official passports are eligible for visa on arrival.
Submitted portraits should be 45.0 mm x 35.0 mm (1.77 in x 1.38 in) in dimension.
The crown-to-chin portion of the facial image shall be 70 to 80 per cent of the longest dimension defined for Zone V, maintaining the aspect ratio between the crown-to-chin and ear-to-ear details of the face of the holder.
We are an independent service, not a government website. Applying for a passport or visa is done with your government; we only prepare the photo.
Frequently asked questions
