UAE Visit / Entry Visa Photo (ICP e-visa upload, white background): size and requirements
The UAE Visit / Entry Visa 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 colored personal photo 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), 'Issuance of a Visa' service card and ICP FAQ (Visas section).
For the coloured personal photo attached to a UAE entry permit or visit visa application (tourist, family visit, business, study, medical, job exploration) filed through ICP Smart Services, the ICP UAE app or an approved typing or tourism office. Not for the UAE passport or Emirates ID, not for the residence permit (separate page), and not for Dubai-sponsored visas handled through GDRFA, which we have not read.
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 (A colored personal photo with a white background (no size or head rule is published for visas; ICP's 3.5 x 4.5 cm passport frame and the ICAO Doc 9303 crown-to-chin 70 to 80 per cent applied))
- Background
- A colored personal photo 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
- CheckICP's visa FAQ asks for 'A colored personal photo with a white background' and a passport copy valid for more than six months; the service card lists 'Passport Personal Photo' for every visa category.
- CheckThe visa is applied for by the visitor or the sponsor ('The visitor themselves, the sponsor (such as a family head, employer, tourism establishment, educational institution, or medical facility)'), so the photo file is often handed to a typing office or agent: send them the JPEG, not a print.
- CheckNo size is stated for visa photos; we render ICP's passport size of 3.5 x 4.5 cm, which also satisfies the FAQ's general 'approved photo standards' (white background, no hats or sunglasses, neutral expression).
- CheckThe upload happens only if the data cannot be fetched automatically: 'Attach the required documents in case data retrieval through integration fails.'
- CheckFees are charged per application: on the card at the time of reading, 'Application Fees - 100 AED' and 'Smart Service Fees - 100 AED', plus a visit-visa issuance fee of 100 AED for a single entry or 200 AED for a multiple entry, per month. A rejected photo means a second round of fees.
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 - NoteDocuments are attached only when integration fails; visa validity ranges from 30 to 90 days for most visit visas.
Good to know before you pay
If a hotel, airline or sponsor files the visa for you, they will ask for a plain colour photo file on white; any recent ICAO-style photo meets ICP's published visa rule.
Source and verification
Read from the official page. Last checked 2026-10-08 at Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP), 'Issuance of a Visa' service card and ICP FAQ (Visas section).
What are the general required documents?
A colored personal photo with a white background
A copy of the passport (valid for more than 6 months)
The visitor themselves, the sponsor (such as a family head, employer, tourism establishment, educational institution, or medical facility), or government or private
Attach the required documents in case data retrieval through integration fails.
A service whereby an entry permit is issued for a specific period, either for tourism, visit, or treatment, or to complete the procedures for issuing a work residency or residence for family members.
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.
صورة شخصية ملونة بخلفية بيضاء
Quotes 1-4 and 7 are from the ICP English FAQ (sources/ae/icp-faq-en.txt, visa section: 'What are the general required documents?' and 'Who can apply for the service?'; 7 is the general photo-standards answer). Quotes 5-6 are from the 'Issuance of a Visa' service card at source.url (sources/ae/icp-service-issuance-of-a-visa.txt). Quote 8 is the Arabic original of quote 2 (sources/ae/icp-faq-ar.txt). Confidence 'official' because ICP publishes the English text itself. ICP publishes no size, head, pixel or KB rule for visa photos: physical 3.5 x 4.5 cm is ICP's passport size applied by inference, head band 0.7-0.8 is the ICAO default (sources/icao/), digital 827 x 1063 px JPEG is our 600 dpi rendering and 'jpeg' our choice. glasses, headCovering and mouthClosed follow the FAQ's general standard and ICAO-style defaults. maxPhotoAgeMonths undefined ('recent' in the general standard only); printsRequired undefined (upload); child undefined. GDRFA Dubai pages were not read.
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
