South Africa Passport Photo Requirements 2026: 35x45 mm Size, 29-34 mm Head Height, and Grey or Cream Background
South Africa passport photo requirements from the Department of Home Affairs template: exact 35x45 mm size, 29-34 mm head height, light grey or plain cream background, and the current passport checklist.
Overview
South Africa’s official passport and ID photograph flyer still gives a very specific template: 35 × 45 mm, a head height between 29 mm and 34 mm, and a light grey or plain cream-coloured background. It also makes clear that the face should take up about 70–80% of the image.
That combination is stricter than a generic “passport-style photo” label suggests. If you want a safe result, treat the South African passport photo as a fixed biometric print specification rather than a loosely cropped portrait.
Official Specifications
| Requirement | Value |
|---|---|
| Document | Passport |
| Size | 35 × 45 mm |
| Background | Light / neutral |
| Head height | 29–34 mm |
| Note | South African passport photos use a light grey or plain cream background. The official template requires the face to cover about 70–80% of the photo and the prints to be professionally produced. |
The Department of Home Affairs template shows a 35 mm × 45 mm photograph with the head between 29 mm and 34 mm. The same flyer also says passport applicants must provide two identical colour photographs and that the photos should be no more than one month old.
| Requirement | South Africa passport rule |
|---|---|
| Print size | 35 × 45 mm |
| Head height | 29–34 mm |
| Background | Light grey or plain cream |
| Recency | No more than one month old |
| Copies | Two identical colour photographs |
Quality, Lighting, and Print Rules
South Africa’s official flyer explicitly says the photographs must be in sharp focus and clear, show a strong distinction between the face and the background, and be printed professionally. Home-printed photos are described as unlikely to be of acceptable quality.
- Lighting: uniform light, no heavy shadows, no flash reflection, and no red-eye.
- Pose: look directly at the camera with a neutral expression and mouth closed.
- Crop: close-up of the head and top of shoulders, with the face taking up 70–80% of the frame.
- Condition: no ink marks, creases, or visible damage.
Glasses and Head Coverings
The official South African template also separates out glasses and head coverings. Eyes must stay open and clearly visible, flash must not reflect off the lenses, and dark-tinted lenses or heavy frames are not acceptable.
- Glasses: no dark-tinted lenses, no heavy frames, no glare over the eyes.
- Headwear: only for religious reasons, while the full face from chin to forehead and both edges of the face remain clearly visible.
- Hair: must not cover the eyes or the sides of the face.
How to Make It with Passlens
- Choose the South Africa Passport preset.
- Upload a recent, front-facing portrait with your mouth closed.
- Use Auto fit to keep the head inside the official 29–34 mm range.
- Switch the background to a plain light grey or cream tone with no visible shadows.
- Export a clean 35 × 45 mm file for professional photo printing.