Zambia e-Visa Photo (Department of Immigration: passport sized photo, jpg/png/tiff): size and requirements
The Zambia 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 Department of Immigration, Zambia - 'Visa Requirements by Purpose of Visit' (e-Visa attachments table), with the ICAO Doc 9303 Part 3 reference frame.
For the 'Passport sized photo' uploaded with a Zambian e-Visa application on eservices.zambiaimmigration.gov.zm - tourism, business, official, religious, school, ordinary visitor, KAZA and transit categories - which the Department of Immigration lists first in every requirements row and accepts only in jpg, png or tiff. No size, background or pixel rule is published, so the frame and head band here are the ICAO reference. Not for a Zambian passport, which needs two 38 x 51 mm prints (separate page here).
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 ('Passport sized 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
- CheckEvery category opens with the photo: the tourism row reads 'a) Passport sized photo; b) Passport copy of applicant; c) Cover letter from applicant addressed to the Director-General which must be signed by the author; d) Hotel booking; and e) Copy of return air ticket.' Business, official, religious, school, KAZA, ordinary-visitor and transit rows start the same way; diplomats list the photo last.
- CheckFile types only: the table's last row says 'All Documents must be in jpg, png or tiff formats' - no pixel size, file size or background is published, so our 413 x 531 px JPEG on white is the ICAO reference, not a Zambian rule.
- CheckApply on the e-services portal: 'Do you intend to travel to Zambia and require a visa to do so? Please apply for an e-Visa.' - the home page sends every applicant to eservices.zambiaimmigration.gov.zm, a JavaScript portal whose own upload limits we could not read; re-check the form in a browser.
- CheckCover letters are addressed to the Director-General and must be signed by the author; an ordinary-visitor host must attach their NRC or immigration permit, and 'persons on Study, Visiting, Temporary Employment Permit and Temporary Permits cannot invite visitors'.
- CheckTransit visas 'shall be valid for a maximum period of seven (07) days' and cover land transit only; air passengers who stay within the airport need none.
Good to know before you pay
Any passport-size photo saved as jpg or png will upload; use ours when you want a clean white background and a standard frame from a phone photo.
Source and verification
No national rule published; ICAO 9303 standard applies. Last checked 2026-10-10 (archived copy dated 2024-09-12) at Department of Immigration, Zambia - 'Visa Requirements by Purpose of Visit' (e-Visa attachments table), with the ICAO Doc 9303 Part 3 reference frame.
a) Passport sized photo; b) Passport copy of applicant; c) Cover letter from applicant addressed to the Director-General which must be signed by the author; d) Hotel booking; and e) Copy of return air ticket.
All Documents must be in jpg, png or tiff formats
Do you intend to travel to Zambia and require a visa to do so? Please apply for an e-Visa.
Submitted portraits should be 45.0 mm x 35.0 mm (1.77 in x 1.38 in) in dimension.
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.
A submitted portrait shall have been captured within the last six months before application, as outlined in [ISO/IEC 39794-5]. Portraits with a capture time dating back more than three months should not be accepted.
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
