What size is a South African Passport photo?

35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 inches). We render the file at 827 x 1063 pixels (600 DPI).

How big should the head be in a South Africa passport photo?

Head 64 to 76 percent of the photo height (At least 29mm, No more than 34mm (diagram labels on a 45 mm high photo, read as the head height); a close-up of your head and top of your shoulders so that your face takes up 70 – 80% of the photograph). Our tool places the crop inside this range automatically and shows the guide lines so you can see it.

Can I wear glasses in a south african passport photo (35 x 45 mm, dha template)?

Yes, provided there is no glare on the lenses, the frames do not cover your eyes, and the lenses are not tinted.

How recent does the photo have to be?

Taken within the last month. Our tool reads the date from your photo file and warns you if it is older.

Can I take the photo myself with my phone?

Yes. Use the rear camera if you can, stand about 1.5 metres (5 feet) from the camera in front of a plain wall, face a window for even light, and have someone else press the button or use the timer. Our live guide shows where your head should be.

South African Passport Photo (35 x 45 mm, DHA template): size and requirements

Q: Is this the official Department of Home Affairs (DHA), 'Passport & ID Photograph Specifications' photographic template, hosted by the South African High Commission Canberra (DIRCO); DHA 'Travel Documents' page website?

No. We are an independent tool that prepares the photo. You apply for the document with Department of Home Affairs (DHA), 'Passport & ID Photograph Specifications' photographic template, hosted by the South African High Commission Canberra (DIRCO); DHA 'Travel Documents' page. The requirements on this page are quoted from their official page, linked above, and were last checked on 2026-10-08.

The South African Passport Photo size is 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 inches). Be taken with a light grey or plain cream-coloured background; head 64 to 76 percent of the photo height. Photo taken within the last month. Last verified 2026-10-08 against Department of Home Affairs (DHA), 'Passport & ID Photograph Specifications' photographic template, hosted by the South African High Commission Canberra (DIRCO); DHA 'Travel Documents' page.

For the two printed colour photographs attached to a South African passport application (tourist, maxi, minor or official passport) at a Home Affairs office that is not yet automated, or at a South African embassy or consulate abroad. Not for applications at Smart ID card / live-capture offices, bank branches or eHomeAffairs, where the image is captured digitally and no photograph is accepted; not for a South African visa.

Buy only if you are applying at a non-automated Home Affairs office or at a mission abroad; otherwise the counter photographs you. Print the sheet at a photo lab, not at home. See the South Africa documents we can prepare.

Make this photo for $6.99 Read the full rules

Table Mountain across the bay from Bloubergstrand beach, Cape Town

VerifiedRead from the official pageLast checked 2026-10-08Department of Home Affairs (DHA), 'Passport & ID Photograph Specifications' photographic template, hosted by the South African High Commission Canberra (DIRCO); DHA 'Travel Documents' page

Requirements at a glance

Size: 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 inches)
Head height: Head 64 to 76 percent of the photo height (At least 29mm, No more than 34mm (diagram labels on a 45 mm high photo, read as the head height); a close-up of your head and top of your shoulders so that your face takes up 70 – 80% of the photograph)
Background: be taken with a light grey or plain cream-coloured background
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 month
Prints needed: 2
We deliver: 827 x 1063 px (600 DPI), plus a 4 x 6 inch print sheet

What trips people up

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Most people in South Africa do not need a photo at all: 'Two colour photographs that comply with the Passport and ID Photograph Specifications (NOT needed at Smart ID card offices as ID images are captured digitally)'. Check whether your office is a live-capture office before buying.
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The photo must be no more than ONE month old ('not more than one (1) month old'), far stricter than the six months most countries allow.
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Head height is 29 to 34 mm on a 45 mm print, and the template adds that the face should fill 70 to 80 per cent of the photograph; it also wants 'show both edges of your face clearly'.
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Background is light grey or plain cream, not white: 'be taken with a light grey or plain cream-coloured background'.
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DHA expects a lab print: 'be printed professionally - photographs printed at home are not likely to be of an acceptable quality'. Have our 4x6 / A4 sheet printed at a photo counter, not on an inkjet.
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Glasses are tolerated only without reflections, tint or heavy frames: 'no dark-tinted lenses or heavy frames' and 'make sure that the frames do not cover any part of your eyes'.
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Head coverings 'are not permitted except for religious reasons', and even then chin to forehead and both edges of the face must show. Passports use colour only; black-and-white is allowed for IDs.
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Every passport application is made in person, and for a child both parents must attend: 'Both parents and the children concerned must be present when applying for passports for children'.

Known portal issues

Note
eHomeAffairs has no photo upload step
Book and pay on eHomeAffairs without looking for an upload field. Read the fix

Source and verification

VerifiedLast checked 2026-10-08Department of Home Affairs (DHA), 'Passport & ID Photograph Specifications' photographic template, hosted by the South African High Commission Canberra (DIRCO); DHA 'Travel Documents' page

Read from the official page. Last checked 2026-10-08 at Department of Home Affairs (DHA), 'Passport & ID Photograph Specifications' photographic template, hosted by the South African High Commission Canberra (DIRCO); DHA 'Travel Documents' page.

Two colour photographs that comply with the Passport and ID Photograph Specifications (NOT needed at Smart ID card offices as ID images are captured digitally)
two identical colour photos for passports
not more than one (1) month old
35mm in width and 45mm in height
a close-up of your head and top of your shoulders so that your face takes up 70 – 80% of the photograph
be taken with a light grey or plain cream-coloured background
be printed professionally - photographs printed at home are not likely to be of an acceptable quality
no dark-tinted lenses or heavy frames
are not permitted except for religious reasons, but your facial features from bottom of chin to top of forehead and both edges of your face must be clearly shown
show you looking at the camera with a neutral expression and mouth closed
A passport application, whether lodged in South Africa or abroad, must be made in person.
Both parents and the children concerned must be present when applying for passports for children

Quotes 1, 11 and 12 are from the DHA Travel Documents page (sources/za/dha-travel-documents.txt, read via the text proxy because dha.gov.za answers 403 to curl). Quotes 2-10 are from the DHA photographic template PDF at source.url (sources/za/dirco-canberra-passport-photo-requirements.txt, text extracted by the proxy; the PDF uses Wingdings bullets rendered as 'w'). Quote 5 keeps the sheet's en dash in '70 – 80%'. Head band 0.644-0.756 = 29/45 and 34/45 from the template diagram labels 'At least 29mm' and 'No more than 34mm'; the extraction shows these labels only as '45mm At least 29mm No more than 34mm 35mm' with no caption saying what the 29-34 mm measures, so reading them as the crown-to-chin head height is inferred from the diagram layout (the same layout as the UK-derived 29-34 mm templates), not from the text. The text's 70-80 % 'face' band is quoted in statedAs. dpi 600 is our rendering choice for the 35 x 45 print. maxPhotoAgeMonths 1 from 'not more than one (1) month old'. glasses 'allowed-no-glare' from the glasses paragraph; headCovering 'religious-medical-only' is the nearest type value to the template's religious-only exception. background 'light-grey' from 'light grey or plain cream-coloured'. eligibility 'restricted': photographs are accepted only at non-automated offices and missions; the template also expects professional printing. dha.gov.za no longer links the template (no live page, no Wayback capture found); the Canberra mission copy dated April 2026 is used. child left undefined: the template publishes no child relaxation.

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

Woman taking a selfie with her phone in front of a bright outdoor wall — A plain wall and daylight are enough.