UAE visa photo rules in plain words
The ICP, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, publishes the photo specifications. The photo is 35x45 mm, or 413x531 px at 300 DPI as a JPG file.
- Background: white is required by ICP, although the ICAO leaflet says plain light-coloured. White is the safe choice.
- Head size: 31.5-36 mm from chin to crown, with the face filling 70-80% of the photo.
- Width: the ICP PDF allows a width of 35-40 mm.
- Glasses: medical glasses only, and they must not cover the eyes. Avoid glare.
- Head covering: religious reasons only, with the face fully visible.
How to take it at home with a phone
Stand in front of a plain wall in even light, with no shadows from a lamp or window frame. Hold the phone at eye height, or have someone else take the picture. Keep your head straight, look at the lens and keep a neutral expression.
Leave some room around your head and shoulders. The tool crops the picture so that the face fills the correct share of the frame, so you do not need to zoom in on your phone.
Cropping and checking
Your photo is processed in the browser and is not uploaded. It is cropped to 35x45 mm, the background is made white, and the result is checked against the head height and face share above.
Common reasons for rejection
- A background that is not white, or has shadows.
- A face that is too small in the frame, below the 70-80% range.
- Glare on glasses, or lenses that hide the eyes.
- Non-medical or tinted glasses.
- A head covering that hides part of the face.
- Photo edited in an app, which can leave halos around the hair.
Printing and uploading
You can use the result both ways. For a printed photo, print at 300 DPI at 35x45 mm and check it with a ruler. For an online application, download the JPG file at 413x531 px.
No official pixel or KB limit is published for uploads, so if the portal you use states its own limit, follow that. If an authority rejects the photo, you get a full refund.
Printed or digital: which one to use
The submission can be printed and digital, so keep both versions of the file. Use the printed photo when an office asks for a paper copy, and use the JPG when you fill in a form online. Since the white background is a requirement of ICP, do not swap it for a light colour even if another leaflet allows it.