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UAE Passport Photo (ICP Smart Services upload, 3.5 x 4.5 cm): size and requirements

The UAE Passport Photo size is 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 inches), or 827 x 1063 pixels for online upload (minimum 413 x 531). A personal photo sized 3.5×4.5 cm with a white background.; head 70 to 80 percent of the photo height. Last verified 2026-10-08 against Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP), FAQ (Passport and Identity Card sections) and 'Issue New Passport' / 'Renewal Passport' service cards.

For the personal photo a UAE national attaches when applying for a new or renewed Emirati passport through the ICP Smart Services website or ICP UAE app, or that the ICP FAQ lists for a renewal lodged from abroad. Not for the Emirates ID card, a visit visa or a residence permit, which have their own pages, and not for travellers who are not UAE citizens.

Make this photo for $6.99Read the full rules
Dubai skyline with the Burj Khalifa seen from the Ras Al Khor wetlands
VerifiedRead from the official pageLast checked 2026-10-08Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP), FAQ (Passport and Identity Card sections) and 'Issue New Passport' / 'Renewal Passport' service cards

Requirements at a glance

Size
35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 inches), or 827 x 1063 pixels for online upload (minimum 413 x 531)
Head height
Head 70 to 80 percent of the photo height (comply with the specifications of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) (ICP publishes no head size; ICAO Doc 9303 crown-to-chin 70 to 80 per cent applied to the 4.5 cm height))
Background
A personal photo sized 3.5×4.5 cm with a white 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
We deliver
827 x 1063 px (600 DPI), plus a 4 x 6 inch print sheet

What trips people up

  • Check
    The whole application is online and the photo is an upload: 'Attach the required documents in case they are not available through institutional linkage.' The only document listed for a passport is 'Personal Photo'.
  • Check
    ICP states the size and background in its FAQ: 'A personal photo sized 3.5×4.5 cm with a white background.' The same FAQ repeats it in the document list for citizens renewing from abroad, next to 'A letter from the embassy explaining the reasons for the applicant’s presence outside the country.'; it does not say how or where the photo is submitted.
  • Check
    Renewals and replacements add a likeness rule: 'A recent personal photograph must be provided when submitting the application and must not be identical to the current photograph printed on the passport.' Do not re-use the old passport photo.
  • Check
    ICP's photo standard: 'Wearing hats or sunglasses is not allowed, and only medical glasses are permitted, provided they do not cover the eyes.' and 'The face must be straight and the expression neutral.' No shadows or reflections.
  • Check
    ICP publishes no pixel or file-size limit for the upload; our 827 x 1063 px JPEG is a 600 dpi rendering of 3.5 x 4.5 cm. The portal needs a UAE Pass login ('This service requires you to login using UAE Pass').
  • Check
    Fingerprints and signature are collected separately at a service centre for applicants over 15 ('The applicant must have a signature and fingerprint registered on the Emirates ID if they are over 15 years old'); the face image is the photo you upload.

Known portal issues

  • Note

    UAE Pass login required

    Set up UAE Pass before starting, or ask the sponsor or head of family to file. Read the fix
  • Note

    Photo must differ from the one in your current document

    Take a fresh photo rather than reusing the file from your last application. Read the fix
  • Note
    The passport is delivered by the approved courier ('Receive the new passport through the authorized delivery company.'); for renewals from abroad the FAQ adds 'The old passport must be presented when receiving the new one.'

Good to know before you pay

If you already have a recent 3.5 x 4.5 cm white-background photo file that is not the one printed in your current passport, you can upload it directly; ICP publishes no pixel or file-size rule.

Source and verification

VerifiedLast checked 2026-10-08Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP), FAQ (Passport and Identity Card sections) and 'Issue New Passport' / 'Renewal Passport' service cards

Read from the official page. Last checked 2026-10-08 at Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP), FAQ (Passport and Identity Card sections) and 'Issue New Passport' / 'Renewal Passport' service cards.

  • A personal photo sized 3.5×4.5 cm with a white background.
  • The photo must be recent and comply with the specifications of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
  • What are the approved photo standards at the Authority?
  • According to ICAO standards, photos must fully comply with these requirements, which include: the photo must be recent, with a white background and high quality, showing clear facial features and eyes without visual distortions such as shadows or reflections.
  • Wearing hats or sunglasses is not allowed, and only medical glasses are permitted, provided they do not cover the eyes.
  • The face must be straight and the expression neutral.
  • Adherence to these standards is essential for the photo to be accepted.
  • A recent personal photograph must be provided when submitting the application and must not be identical to the current photograph printed on the passport.
  • The personal photograph must comply with the standards approved by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
  • Attach the required documents in case they are not available through institutional linkage.
  • This service requires you to login using UAE Pass
  • Receive the new passport through the authorized delivery company.
  • The applicant must have a signature and fingerprint registered on the Emirates ID if they are over 15 years old.
  • If your child is under 5 years old and their facial features have changed noticeably, you may apply for the Passport Replacement Service – Change of Personal Photograph and submit a recent passport photograph of the child.
  • صورة شخصية بحجم 3.5×4.5 سم بخلفية بيضاء.
  • يُمنع ارتداء القبعات أو النظارات الشمسية، ويُسمح فقط بالنظارات الطبية بشرط عدم حجب العينين.
  • A letter from the embassy explaining the reasons for the applicant’s presence outside the country.
  • The old passport must be presented when receiving the new one.
  • The photo must be recent and comply with the specifications of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), and must not be identical to the current photograph printed on the passport.

Quotes 1-7, 13, 14 and 17-19 are from the ICP English FAQ at source.url (sources/ae/icp-faq-en.txt): 1-2 from 'What are the required documents?' under the passport issuance section (1 is repeated verbatim in the renewal-from-abroad document list), 3-7 from 'What are the approved photo standards at the Authority?', 13 and 19 from 'What are the requirements for renewing a passport?', 14 from the under-5 photo-change answer, 17-18 from 'What are the required documents for renewal service provided for those outside the country?' (the FAQ lists the photo and the embassy letter but does not say how or where the photo is submitted). Quotes 8-12 are from the 'Issue New Passport' and 'Renewal Passport' service cards (sources/ae/icp-service-issue-new-passport.txt, icp-service-renewal-passport.txt): 8 is the Renewal Passport card's terms (it is not in the FAQ, whose renewal answer is quote 19), 9 terms and conditions on both cards, 10 service step 3, 11 access control, 12 step 5. Quotes 15-16 are the Arabic originals of quotes 1 and 5 from icp.gov.ae/faq/ (sources/ae/icp-faq-ar.txt). Confidence 'official' because ICP publishes the English text itself. Head band 0.7-0.8 is the ICAO Doc 9303 default (sources/icao/): ICP names ICAO but no millimetres. Digital 827 x 1063 px JPEG (min 413 x 531) is our 600 dpi rendering of 3.5 x 4.5 cm; ICP publishes no pixel, KB or format rule, so 'jpeg' is our choice. glasses 'allowed-no-glare' from 'only medical glasses are permitted, provided they do not cover the eyes'; headCovering 'religious-medical-only' is the nearest type value to 'Wearing hats ... is not allowed' (ICP does not mention religious coverings; the national dress is worn in practice). mouthClosed true is an ICAO-style default ('expression neutral' only). maxPhotoAgeMonths left undefined ('recent' only). printsRequired left undefined (upload; the abroad renewal hands in a photo but states no count). child.underAge 5 is the age limit of the photo-change replacement service, not a posing 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.