Estonian ID Card Photo (digital, at least 1,300 x 1,600 px, 1-5 MB, light background): size and requirements
The Estonian ID Card Photo size is 1300 x 1600 pixels for online upload, file under 5 MB. Background should be light and of single colour, without extraneous objects (including patterns); head 70 to 80 percent of the photo height. Photo taken within the last 6 months. Last verified 2026-10-10 against Politsei- ja Piirivalveamet (Police and Border Guard Board, PPA), 'Requirement and instructions for the document photo'.
For the digital document photo uploaded to the Police and Border Guard Board self-service portal, or sent by e-mail, with an Estonian ID card application by citizens, EU citizens and children, or taken in the free booth at a PPA service office. The PPA photo rule is shared with the passport (separate spec), alien's passport and residence card. Not for a driving licence or a visa.
Requirements at a glance
- Size
- 1300 x 1600 pixels for online upload, file under 5 MB
- Head height
- Head 70 to 80 percent of the photo height (The face must be in the centre of the photograph (no head-height figure is published; ICAO Doc 9303 crown-to-chin 70 to 80 per cent applied))
- Background
- Background should be light and of single colour, without extraneous objects (including patterns)
- Expression
- Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open, looking at the camera
- Glasses
- Allowed without glare or tint
- Head covering
- Not allowed
- Photo age
- Taken within the last 6 months
- We deliver
- 1300 x 1600 px , under 5120 KB, plus a 4 x 6 inch print sheet
What trips people up
- CheckFile: 'The file size for the document photo must be between 1MB and 5MB. The dimensions of the photo must be at least 1,300 × 1,600 pixels.' A 1,300 x 1,600 export is the smallest file PPA takes; the page names no file format, so JPEG is our rendering choice.
- CheckUnedited: 'The photograph must be a colour photograph and unedited' and 'Submitting a scanned photograph, or a screenshot of a computer screen or a mobile phone screen, is not allowed'. We keep your original background for this spec and do not retouch.
- CheckBackground: 'Background should be light and of single colour, without extraneous objects (including patterns)'. A plain pale wall works; shadows and furniture do not.
- CheckHeadwear: 'The person on the photograph should not wear headwear or headphones'. The page lists no religious exception, so take coverings off or ask PPA before uploading.
- CheckCamera: 'Use the help of a family member, friend or acquaintance to take the photo. When taking the photo with a mobile phone, use the rear camera of the device, the front-side camera distorts the shape of the face'.
- CheckPose: 'Look straight into the camera, the eyes must be level (head should not be tilted)', 'The face must be in the centre of the photograph', 'The eyes must be visible from behind the spectacle frames and glasses may not reflect light'.
- CheckRecency: 'The photograph taken by yourself shall not be older than six months'; a booth photo 'can be used in the self-service portal within 183 days'.
- CheckFree booth: 'A document photo can be taken for free in the photo booth in all service offices even if you do not want to submit an application at the service office.' PPA recommends the booth or a studio and warns that a non-compliant upload 'will extend the time of receipt of the document'.
- CheckNo head-size figure is published; the 70-80 % head band here is the ICAO Doc 9303 reference, flagged as such.
- CheckBooth scope: 'Depending on the application to be submitted, fingerprints and signature sample can also be provided in the photo booth.' The booth photo serves every PPA document except the weapons permit.
Good to know before you pay
Every PPA service office has a free photo booth whose digital photo is valid for 183 days in the self-service portal; if you can visit one, you need no file from anyone.
Source and verification
Read from the official page. Last checked 2026-10-10 at Politsei- ja Piirivalveamet (Police and Border Guard Board, PPA), 'Requirement and instructions for the document photo'.
You can also upload a photo taken by yourself to the self-service portal, but the instructions for taking a document photograph should be followed carefully when taking the photo
The photograph must be a colour photograph and unedited
The file size for the document photo must be between 1MB and 5MB. The dimensions of the photo must be at least 1,300 × 1,600 pixels.
Submitting a scanned photograph, or a screenshot of a computer screen or a mobile phone screen, is not allowed
Background should be light and of single colour, without extraneous objects (including patterns)
The person on the photograph should not wear headwear or headphones
The eyes must be visible from behind the spectacle frames and glasses may not reflect light
The photograph taken by yourself shall not be older than six months
The child must look straight into the camera and the mouth must be closed
Depending on the application to be submitted, fingerprints and signature sample can also be provided in the photo booth.
The photograph taken in the photo booth is digital and it can be used within 183 days for applications submitted at any service office or in the self-service portal (except for weapons permit).
All quotes are from source.url (sources/ee/politsei-document-photo-requirements.txt, read live via r.jina.ai on 2026-10-10); the page is written for every PPA document, so it is applied to the ID card unchanged. digital min 1300 x 1600 px and 1-5 MB from quote 3 (minKb 1024, maxKb 5120); format 'jpeg' is our rendering choice. maxPhotoAgeMonths 6 from quote 8; background from quote 5; headCovering 'not-allowed' from quote 6; glasses from quote 7; editing 'unaltered-required' from quotes 2 and 4. neutralExpression and mouthClosed are stated only for the child list (quote 9); for adults they are ICAO-style defaults. head 0.7-0.8 is the ICAO Doc 9303 default, flagged in statedAs. child.underAge 7 from the page's '0-7 years' heading; child.eyesOpenRequired is an ICAO-style default (the child list says only to look straight at the camera with the mouth closed).
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
