New Zealand Visa and NZeTA Photo (digital 3:4, 512 KB-3.14 MB, face 70-80 %): size and requirements
The New Zealand Visa and NZeTA Photo size is 900 x 1200 pixels for online upload, file under 3.1 MB. Be neutral and plain, and only show you and no other people or objects; good contrast between your face and the background (no colour is named; a plain light wall is our rendering choice); head 70 to 80 percent of the photo height. Photo taken within the last 6 months. Last verified 2026-10-10 against Immigration New Zealand (MBIE), 'Acceptable photos for a visa or NZeTA'.
For the photo uploaded with an online New Zealand visa application or an NZeTA (New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority) request to Immigration New Zealand, by visitors, students, workers and residents of any nationality. Paper visa forms take a 35 x 45 mm print instead (see the gotchas). Not for a New Zealand passport, whose rule is different.
Requirements at a glance
- Size
- 900 x 1200 pixels for online upload, file under 3.1 MB
- Head height
- Head 70 to 80 percent of the photo height (your face covers between 70% and 80% of the image and is in the middle of the frame)
- Background
- be neutral and plain, and only show you and no other people or objects; good contrast between your face and the background (no colour is named; a plain light wall 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
- Photo age
- Taken within the last 6 months
- We deliver
- 900 x 1200 px , under 3215 KB, plus a 4 x 6 inch print sheet
What trips people up
- CheckFile rules: 'between 512 KB and 3.14 MB', 'taken in portrait mode with 3:4 aspect ratio', 'a JPG or JPEG file.' The pixel range is shown only in an image on the page, so 900 x 1200 here is our 3:4 rendering.
- CheckFace, not head: 'your face covers between 70% and 80% of the image and is in the middle of the frame'. Look straight at the camera, neutral expression, mouth closed.
- CheckNo editing at all, including background swaps: 'Photos that are AI enhanced or altered do not meet our standards. If you use AI to edit your photos your visa application or NZeTA request will be delayed or could be declined.' and the banned list includes 'cropping your head and shoulders to place it on a plain background'. We keep your original background for this spec.
- CheckEars: 'Your hair must not cover your face or ears — the photo must show your ears unless you wear a scarf for religious or medical reasons.'
- CheckGlasses: prescription glasses allowed if they 'are clear and not tinted — no sunglasses', have no heavy frames and create no glare; INZ suggests removing them if in doubt.
- CheckLighting and distance: no shadows on face or background, stand 0.5 m from the background, photographer 1.5 m in front. Avoid patterned clothing and backgrounds, which can trip INZ's face-recognition system.
- CheckSelfies only in the app: 'You can only use a selfie photo if you use the mobile app to apply for an NZeTA.' Arm fully stretched, phone at eyebrow height, light behind the phone.
- CheckPaper forms: 'The photo you submit with a paper application must be 35 mm wide and 45 mm high.' NZeTA requests are online only.
- CheckWithin 6 months, not a photo of a photo, and the photo becomes INZ biometric information used to verify your identity.
Good to know before you pay
If you are using the NZeTA mobile app, its in-app selfie is accepted and you do not need a prepared file; a professional photographer who has INZ's requirements can also hand you a ready JPEG.
Source and verification
Read from the official page. Last checked 2026-10-10 at Immigration New Zealand (MBIE), 'Acceptable photos for a visa or NZeTA'.
have been taken within the last 6 months
between 512 KB and 3.14 MB
taken in portrait mode with 3:4 aspect ratio
a JPG or JPEG file.
Photos that are AI enhanced or altered do not meet our standards. If you use AI to edit your photos your visa application or NZeTA request will be delayed or could be declined.
cropping your head and shoulders to place it on a plain background
your face covers between 70% and 80% of the image and is in the middle of the frame
Your hair must not cover your face or ears — the photo must show your ears unless you wear a scarf for religious or medical reasons.
are clear and not tinted — no sunglasses
be neutral and plain, and
You can only use a selfie photo if you use the mobile app to apply for an NZeTA.
The photo you submit with a paper application must be 35 mm wide and 45 mm high.
We are more likely to accept your photo if you use a professional photographer.
All quotes are from source.url (sources/nz/inz-visa-nzeta-photos.txt, read live via r.jina.ai on 2026-10-10; the page uses em dashes). minKb 512 and maxKb 3215 (3.14 MB x 1024) from quote 2; JPEG from quote 4; head 0.7-0.8 from quote 7 (INZ says face, we apply it to the crown-to-chin box); maxPhotoAgeMonths 6 from quote 1; editing from quotes 5-6; headCovering from quote 8; glasses from quote 9; background from quote 10 (no colour named, 'light' is our rendering). digital 900 x 1200 px is our 3:4 rendering: the page's pixel figures are in an image we did not transcribe. The 35 x 45 mm paper size (quote 12) is not modelled as print delivery because its ratio (7:9) differs from the 3:4 upload.
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
