Somalia eTAS e-Visa Photo (etas.gov.so upload: selfie or passport-type photo): size and requirements
The Somalia eTAS e-Visa 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 Immigration and Citizenship Agency (ICA), Federal Government of Somalia, eTAS portal 'What do I require to apply?', with the ICAO Doc 9303 reference frame.
For the photo uploaded with a Somali Electronic Travel Authorisation System (eTAS / e-Visa) application on etas.gov.so, mandatory for all foreign nationals since 1 September 2025: the portal asks for a 'Selfie or passport-type photo' at its 'Selfie/Passport Size Photo' step with no size, background or file rule, so the frame and head band here are the ICAO reference and the pixel size is ours. Not for a Somali passport (two prints) and not for the diplomatic / laissez-passer route, which uploads a Note Verbale instead.
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 ('Selfie or passport-type photo' with no dimensions; ICAO Doc 9303 crown-to-chin 70 to 80 per cent of the height applied)
- 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
- CheckWhat the portal wants: under 'What do I require to apply?' - 'Valid passport for at least six (6) months after your planned date of arrival into Somalia, with at least one blank page', 'Selfie or passport-type photo', contact details and the arrival and departure itinerary. The upload step is titled 'Selfie/Passport Size Photo' ('Drop Selfie here or click to upload'); no size, background or file-size limit is shown.
- CheckEveryone applies, including children: 'All visitors including infants and children who intend to travel to the Federal Republic of Somalia must have an approved Electronic Visa (eTAS) before the start of their journey.' The Agency's news item adds that from 1 September 2025 'all foreign nationals wishing to travel to Somalia are required to apply for their entry authorisation online, in advance of their journey.'
- CheckSingle entry, dated: 'The eTAS issued is a Single Entry permit, allowing the applicant to enter Somalia only once, within the approved dates specified on the visa.' Entry must occur within 180 days of the arrival date you declare; fees are non-refundable once paid, and errors mean a new application and a new fee.
- CheckCarry a copy: 'applicants are advised to carry a printed or digital copy of their electronic visa (e.g., on a smartphone or tablet) in case of system outages.' Diplomats and laissez-passer holders use a separate option that uploads a Note Verbale.
- CheckThe portal is behind a Cloudflare check for automated readers; the text here is from its 5 October 2025 archived copy. Our 413 x 531 px JPEG at an ICAO 70-80 per cent head band is a rendering choice, since the portal publishes no geometry; a plain phone selfie is explicitly allowed.
Good to know before you pay
You do not need us at all: the portal accepts a selfie. Use ours only if you prefer a clean passport-style file over a phone selfie.
Source and verification
No national rule published; ICAO 9303 standard applies. Last checked 2026-10-10 (archived copy dated 2025-10-05) at Immigration and Citizenship Agency (ICA), Federal Government of Somalia, eTAS portal 'What do I require to apply?', with the ICAO Doc 9303 reference frame.
Selfie or passport-type photo
Valid passport for at least six (6) months after your planned date of arrival into Somalia, with at least one blank page
All visitors including infants and children who intend to travel to the Federal Republic of Somalia must have an approved Electronic Visa (eTAS) before the start of their journey.
The eTAS issued is a Single Entry permit, allowing the applicant to enter Somalia only once, within the approved dates specified on the visa.
Effective 1 September 2025, all foreign nationals wishing to travel to Somalia are required to apply for their entry authorisation online, in advance of their journey.
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
