Nigeria passport photo rules in plain words
The Nigeria Immigration Service passport portal runs an image compliance check on uploads. The photo is digital only: 600x800 px as a JPG, under 2 MB (2048 KB), at 300 DPI.
- Ratio: 3:4. This is not the 35:45 ratio used by many other passports.
- Background: white.
- Hair: must not cover the face or ears.
- Headphones and masks: not allowed.
- Glasses: allowed with no glare.
- Head covering: religious reasons only, with the face fully visible.
- Head height: not specified officially.
How to take it at home with a phone
Stand in front of a plain white wall in even light, a little away from it so your shadow stays off the wall. Tuck your hair behind your ears if it falls over your face, and remove any headphones. Hold the phone at eye level, or ask someone to take it.
Look straight into the lens, close your mouth and keep a neutral expression. Leave room around your head, since the tool will crop to the 3:4 ratio.
Processing
The picture is processed in your browser and never uploaded. It is cropped to 600x800 px, the background is made white and the file is kept under 2 MB.
Common reasons for rejection
- A 35:45 crop in place of 3:4.
- An image that is not 600x800 px.
- A file over 2 MB.
- A background that is grey, patterned or shadowed.
- Hair covering the face or the ears.
- Headphones, a mask or glare on glasses.
Uploading
This is a digital upload. Download the JPG and upload it in the NIS passport portal, which validates your image with its photo checker. No print is needed for the upload.
Biometrics are still captured at enrolment, so the uploaded photo does not replace that step. If an authority rejects the photo, you get a full refund.
Why the 3:4 ratio matters
Many people start from a 35x45 mm passport photo they already have and upload it to the portal. That crop has a different shape from 600x800 px, and stretching it to fit makes the face look distorted. It is better to start from a fresh photo and crop it to 3:4 from the beginning, which is what the tool does.
Before you click upload
Check that both ears and the whole face can be seen, that there are no headphones or masks, and that the file is a JPG under 2 MB. Run the portal's own checker as a second test, since it validates every upload. If the check fails, retake the photo with more even light on the wall, and try again.