Loading…
Loading…
ICAO Doc 9303 photo rules: the head, chin to crown, fills 70–80% of the portrait’s height. Most ICAO-aligned countries print at 35×45 mm (a national choice, not an ICAO mandate). Plain, uniform light background; neutral expression, mouth closed; both eyes open and visible; no shadows on face or background; no tinted glasses or glare over the eyes.
| ICAO rule | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Head size (chin to crown) | 70–80% of the portrait height (Doc 9303 Part 3). Capture tolerance: 60–90% of image height, head width 50–75% of image width. |
| Photo size | 35×45 mm is the most common: 139 of the 162 passport specs we support. ICAO sets only a 35 mm minimum width; each country picks its size. |
| Background | Plain and uniform, light coloured (grey, white or light blue). No texture, objects or shadows. |
| Expression | Neutral. Mouth closed, teeth not visible, no smile. |
| Eyes | Both open naturally, pupils and irises fully visible. |
| Head pose | Facing the camera: pitch and yaw within ±5°, roll within ±8° (±5° recommended). |
| Shadows and glare | No shadows on the face or behind the head. Reflections must not hide the eyes. |
| Glasses | Only where the issuing country allows them: clear lenses, frames off the eyes, no sunglasses or tint. Many countries ban glasses outright. |
Sources: ICAO Doc 9303 Part 3 · ICAO Portrait Quality report (ISO/IEC 19794-5 based). Your country’s own spec wins where it differs.
Got ‘photo is not valid as per ICAO standards’? Check your photo free with the full ICAO compliance check — download the compliant file for a one-time $6.99.
ICAO Doc 9303 sets the passport photo standard followed by all 193 member states. Upload an existing photo or use your camera — PassportPic.ai checks every requirement (face ratio, pose, expression, background) and produces a compliant file in under 30 seconds.
Free check · $6.99 to download · photo never leaves your device.
These six rules apply to every ICAO member state passport and travel document.
Select your country to see exact ICAO Doc 9303 specifications and get your compliant photo.
The two use different sizes: Indian passport photos are 35×45 mm, while OCI photos are a 51×51 mm square. Pick the one that matches your application.
Six failure modes account for nearly every ICAO rejection. PassportPic.ai flags each before you finalise the photo.
Phone selfies pull the face too small; macro shots make it too big. Either direction rejects. PassportPic.ai measures chin-to-crown and crops to centre the face inside the ICAO band.
Slight tilts you don't notice in a mirror — chin up, shoulder roll, head turn — break the biometric template. We detect tilt in degrees and flag anything above tolerance before you finalise.
Patterns, gradients, soft shadows behind the head, and off-white walls all reject. Pure white is technically accepted but fine hair edges halo against it — light grey is the safer choice for most subjects.
ICAO requires neutral expression and both eyes fully visible. A slight resting expression is fine; an active smile is not. Hair covering an eyebrow or eye is rejected separately.
ICAO allows clear prescription glasses only where the issuing country permits them, and frames or glare must not hide the eyes. Many countries now ban glasses outright because reflections and frames interfere with e-gate facial recognition. Religious head coverings are still allowed.
ICAO Doc 9303 requires 300 DPI at print size and JPEG quality ≥ 90 — so visible blocking, banding, or pixel-level noise reject. WhatsApp / Telegram forwarded images almost always fail this test.
Nine questions covering how to check, how to make, what Doc 9303 actually says, and where smartphone photos go wrong.
Upload a photo or use your camera. AI checks all six ICAO Doc 9303 requirements in under 30 seconds. Photos never leave your device.
Get Started →No account needed · 162 countries · Photos stay on your device