Ethiopian Origin ID Photo (one recent passport-sized photograph): size and requirements
The Ethiopian Origin ID Photo size is 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 inches). Not stated by the ICS; white is our rendering choice; head 70 to 80 percent of the photo height. Last verified 2026-10-09 against Immigration and Citizenship Service (ICS), Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, 'Ethiopian Origin ID' service page, with ICAO Doc 9303.
For the single printed photograph attached to an application for the Ethiopian Origin ID (the identity card for foreign nationals of Ethiopian origin, including children under 18) lodged with the Immigration and Citizenship Service. Not for an Ethiopian passport, the e-Visa or the Fayda national ID of Ethiopian citizens.
Requirements at a glance
- Size
- 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 inches)
- Head height
- Head 70 to 80 percent of the photo height (One recent passport-sized photograph. (no size or head rule is published; ICAO Doc 9303 35 x 45 mm and crown-to-chin 70 to 80 per cent applied))
- Background
- not stated by the ICS; white is our rendering choice
- 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
- Prints needed
- 1
- We deliver
- 827 x 1063 px (600 DPI), plus a 4 x 6 inch print sheet
What trips people up
- CheckOne print and nothing more is published: 'One recent passport-sized photograph.' No size, background or head rule, so we render the ICAO 35 x 45 mm frame with a 70 to 80 per cent head on white.
- CheckThe general ICS requirement note repeats it for every service: 'The general requirements include a valid passport, a completed application form, recent passport-sized photographs, and specific documents depending on the type of service.'
- CheckYou need a valid foreign passport and proof of Ethiopian origin: 'An ordinary passport valid for more than 6 months.' plus a machine-readable Ethiopian passport or authenticated birth certificate, and copies of a parent's Kebele ID or passport.
- CheckChildren under 18 apply on the same list with adoption papers where relevant: 'If the child is under 18 years old, a legal adoption document and a copy of the adoptive parent's passport must be attached.'
Good to know before you pay
If you already have one recent passport-style print from a studio, it meets the only published rule.
Source and verification
No national rule published; ICAO 9303 standard applies. Last checked 2026-10-09 (archived copy dated 2024-09-12) at Immigration and Citizenship Service (ICS), Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, 'Ethiopian Origin ID' service page, with ICAO Doc 9303.
One recent passport-sized photograph.
The general requirements include a valid passport, a completed application form, recent passport-sized photographs, and specific documents depending on the type of service.
An ordinary passport valid for more than 6 months.
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.
Quotes 1-3 are from the 'Ethiopian Origin ID' page at source.url (sources/et/ics-ethiopian-origin-id.txt, read via r.jina.ai with x-no-cache on 2026-10-09; quote 2 is the page's general FAQ answer). Quotes 4-5 are ICAO Doc 9303 Part 3 (sources/icao/, Wayback 2024-09-12) and supply the 35 x 45 mm size and head band because the ICS publishes none; archiveSnapshot is that excerpt's date, not source.url's. printsRequired 1 from quote 1; dpi 600 is our print choice; background 'white', glasses and headCovering are defaults; maxPhotoAgeMonths undefined ('recent' only). type 'id-card' because the document is an identity card for foreign nationals of Ethiopian origin.
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
