Afghanistan visa photo requirements
The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by E-Afghans Visa Portal, authorised by the Consulate General of Afghanistan, Dubai for the Afghanistan visa, with the official wording and sources.
Quick answer
What size is the Afghanistan visa photo?
For the Afghan tourist e-visa, the photo is a colour picture on a white background, 35 x 45 mm (the e-visa page writes 45 mm x 35 mm), uploaded with your application after a live identity check. Embassies and consulates take printed photos on white: two at most missions, sized 5x4 on the Foreign Ministry's e-Consulate page and 2 x 2 inches in Jakarta. No glasses rule is published for visas.
Visas for Afghanistan are issued by the consular directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul and by Afghan embassies and consulates abroad. There is also an online tourist e-visa, applied for on the E-Afghans visa portal, which states that its content is authorised by the Afghan Consulate General in Dubai. The e-visa is a single-entry tourist visa for a stay of up to 30 days, valid for entry only through Kabul International Airport; for other visa types the portal sends you to an embassy or consulate.
The photo depends on the channel. The e-visa asks for a colour photograph with a white background, 45 mm x 35 mm, uploaded with your documents, and before that a live photo of yourself and a photo of your passport page for identity verification. For applications through a mission, the Ministry's e-Consulate visa page asks for two standard photos (5x4) on white, no more than 6 months old, and you then attend the mission with your passport and documents. Individual missions publish their own wording: Bonn and Berlin ask for two recent photos, Jakarta for three 2 x 2 inch photos and Ottawa for two passport-size photos showing both ears.
Not every mission is issuing visas. The Embassy in Stockholm has suspended all visa categories, and the Embassy in Ottawa says it is not currently issuing visas for international visitors. The US State Department warns that Afghan immigration officials may refuse visas issued by certain Afghan embassies and consulates abroad that they do not consider aligned with the authorities in Kabul, so confirm before you apply which office's visa will be accepted.
Afghanistan visa photo size and specifications
The requirements as published by E-Afghans Visa Portal, authorised by the Consulate General of Afghanistan, Dubai:[1]
| Print size | E-visa: 35 x 45 mm (written 45 mm x 35 mm); missions: 5x4 (e-Consulate), 2 x 2 in (Jakarta) |
|---|---|
| Digital size | E-visa: no pixel size published |
| Head height | Ottawa only: 25 to 35 mm (1 to 1 3/8 in), chin to top of head |
| Background | White |
| Colour | In colour |
| Photo age | No more than 6 months old (e-Consulate, Jakarta, Ottawa) |
| File size | E-visa uploads: each file up to 50 MB |
| File format | E-visa uploads: JPG, PNG or PDF |
| Print quality | Ottawa: matte or glossy photo-quality paper |
| Pixels when printed | 413 × 531 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi (calculated) |
Key requirements
- E-visa: colour photo on white
The e-visa requirements list a coloured photograph with a white background, 45 mm x 35 mm, among the documents to upload, together with a scan of the passport biodata page.
- Live identity check
Before the e-visa form, you complete identity verification by taking a live photo of yourself and a photo of your passport page. This is separate from the passport-style photo you upload.
- Photo check before upload
The e-visa portal's guide says you must pass its photo verification before you can continue, as the system checks the photo against the consulate's standards. If the score is low, its PhotoTool can be used to improve it.
- Mission applications: two photos on white
The Foreign Ministry's e-Consulate page asks for two standard photos, written 5x4, with a white background and no more than 6 months old. The Consulate General in Bonn and the Embassy in Berlin also ask for two recent photos.
- Jakarta: three 2 x 2 inch photos
The Embassy in Jakarta asks for three 2 x 2 inch photos with a white background, taken within the last 6 months, in full-face view directly facing the camera, with a neutral expression and both eyes open.
- Ottawa: ears and head size
The Embassy in Ottawa wants two identical, recent colour photos on white, taken directly of the face and showing both ears, with the head 25 to 35 mm from chin to top, affixed to the form.
- Check the mission first
Some missions have suspended visas, and the US State Department warns that visas from certain missions may be refused on arrival. Confirm the office is issuing visas, and that its visa will be accepted, before you print photos.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Use a colour photo with a white background.
- Upload a 45 x 35 mm format photo for the e-visa.
- Pass the portal's photo check before continuing.
- Bring two prints on white to a mission, or three in Jakarta.
- Use a photo taken within the last 6 months.
- Show both ears for the Ottawa embassy.
Don't
- Do not wear white clothing or a white scarf against the white background.
- Do not apply at a mission that has suspended visas, such as Stockholm.
- Do not use the e-visa if you plan to enter overland.
- Do not upload files over 50 MB or in formats other than JPG, PNG or PDF.
Sample photos
How a Afghanistan visa photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 35 × 45 mm, head height and background colour.
Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.
Glasses
None of the visa pages read for this guide sets a rule on glasses: the e-visa requirements, the Foreign Ministry's e-Consulate page and the mission pages are all silent. The Jakarta and Ottawa embassies ask for a full-face photo with both eyes open, and the e-visa photo must pass the portal's check against the consulate's standards.
Headwear and religious dress
No visa page read sets a general rule on hats or headscarves. The Embassy in Ottawa asks for a photo taken directly of the face that shows both ears, and warns that because the background is white you should avoid white clothing and white scarves. The e-visa portal, the Foreign Ministry's e-Consulate page and the other missions publish no headwear rule, so ask the office you apply to if you are unsure.
Babies and children
For the e-visa, applicants under 18 must also upload a clear copy of a parent's passport. For applications through a mission, the Foreign Ministry's e-Consulate page says a visa for an applicant under 18 is issued only on the written request of the parents, guardian or legal guardian, or with a court's permission; a mother making the request must establish her relationship to the child. Children need their own photo, with the same size and background as adults.
Printed and digital photos
The e-visa is fully digital: you upload a colour photograph on white in the 45 mm x 35 mm format, as JPG, PNG or PDF, each file up to 50 MB, and the e-visa itself is downloaded from the portal or received by email. A digital photo can be cropped to the 35 x 45 mm shape and resized before upload. Mission applications use prints: two on white for most missions, three 2 x 2 inch prints in Jakarta, printed on matte or glossy photo-quality paper for Ottawa. These can be printed on a 4x6 inch sheet at a photo counter.
If you apply from the United States, note that the US State Department says there is no Afghan embassy or consulate in the United States and refers people to the Afghan embassy in Ottawa. The Ottawa embassy's visa page refers to payments from the United States, but it also says it is not currently issuing visas for international visitors, so its position for US residents is unclear. The 2 x 2 inch photo once linked to Washington is still the size the Jakarta embassy asks for.
Where to submit the photo
For the tourist e-visa, register on the E-Afghans visa portal, complete the identity check and form, upload your documents and pay; the portal has an eligibility checker by nationality and country of residence. For other visas, or if you are not eligible, fill in the Foreign Ministry's e-Consulate online form, then attend the embassy or consulate with the printed form, your original passport and two photos.
Missions differ. The Consulate General in Bonn takes visa applications from residents of Germany in person only, after the e-Consulate form. The Embassy in Berlin asks applicants to email the form and documents to its visa section for a preliminary review first, and its visa form has a box beside the photo for a guarantor to sign as a true likeness of the applicant. The Embassy in Stockholm has suspended visas.
How to get your Afghanistan visa photo
- Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Afghanistan visa: 35 × 45 mm print, white background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
- Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: e-visa: colour photo on white; live identity check; photo check before upload; mission applications: two photos on white.
- Prepare a print or digital file. The e-visa is fully digital: you upload a colour photograph on white in the 45 mm x 35 mm format, as JPG, PNG or PDF, each file up to 50 MB, and the e-visa itself is downloaded from the portal or received by email.
- Submit the photo with your application. For the tourist e-visa, register on the E-Afghans visa portal, complete the identity check and form, upload your documents and pay; the portal has an eligibility checker by nationality and country of residence.
Afghanistan visa photo FAQ
The e-visa requirements ask for a colour photograph with a white background, with a size of 45 mm x 35 mm, which is the usual 35 mm wide by 45 mm high passport format. You upload it as a JPG, PNG or PDF file, and it must pass the portal's photo check.
Usually two. The Foreign Ministry's e-Consulate page and the missions in Bonn, Berlin and Ottawa ask for two photos, on a white background wherever the background is stated. The Embassy in Jakarta asks for three 2 x 2 inch photos.
The US State Department says there is no Afghan embassy or consulate in the United States and refers people to the Afghan embassy in Ottawa, which says it is not currently issuing visas for international visitors. Check the e-visa portal's eligibility checker, which works by nationality and country of residence.
Not necessarily. The US State Department warns that Afghan immigration officials may refuse visas issued by certain Afghan embassies and consulates abroad if those offices are not considered aligned with the authorities in Kabul. Confirm the issuing office before you apply.
At the Embassy in Jakarta, yes: it asks for three 2 x 2 inch photos on white. The e-visa asks for 45 mm x 35 mm, and the Foreign Ministry's e-Consulate page for two photos sized 5x4, so use the size of the channel you apply through.
No visa page read bans one. The Embassy in Ottawa asks you to avoid white clothing and white scarves because the background is white, and wants both ears visible. Other missions and the e-visa publish no headwear rule.
The e-visa portal accepts uploads in JPG, PNG or PDF format, with each file no larger than 50 MB. Blurred, cropped or unreadable passport copies and documents are listed among the reasons processing can be delayed.
Related photo specifications
Other Afghanistan documents
- Passport photo 40 × 50 mm
- ID card photo
Visas and travel authorisations nearby
- Bangladesh eVisa photo 35 × 45 mm
- Bangladesh visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- India e-Visa photo
- India visa photo 2 × 2 in
- Iran eVisa photo
- Nepal visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- Pakistan visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- Sri Lanka visa photo 35 × 45 mm
Also 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria ID card photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria residence permit photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria work permit photo 35 × 45 mm
- Andorra passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Anguilla passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Antigua and Barbuda passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Armenia visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- Armenia return certificate photo 35 × 45 mm
- All Afghanistan photo specifications
- Visas and travel authorisations: photo rules by country
- Every document that uses a 35 × 45 mm photo
- Photo specifications in Asia
Official sources
- E-Afghans Visa Portal, authorised by the Consulate General of Afghanistan, Dubai. Visa Requirement (e-Visa) eafghans.com. Checked 2 November 2026.
- E-Afghans Visa Portal, authorised by the Consulate General of Afghanistan, Dubai. E-Afghans Visa Portal eafghans.com. Checked 2 November 2026.
- E-Afghans Visa Portal. How to apply for an e-visa via the E-Afghans Visa Portal (PDF) eafghans.com. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Consulate General of Afghanistan, Dubai. Applying for Visa afghanconsulate.ae. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Visa Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan. Visa application instructions econsulate.mfa.gov.af. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan. Tourist Visa mfa.gov.af. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Consulate General of Afghanistan, Bonn. Visa Services afghanmissionbonn.de. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Embassy of Afghanistan, Berlin. Visa Services afghanembassy.berlin. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Embassy of Afghanistan, Berlin. Visa Application Form (PDF) afghanembassy.berlin. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Embassy of Afghanistan, Jakarta. Visa afghanembassyjkt.id. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Embassy of Afghanistan, Ottawa. Visa Application Guidelines afghanembassy.ca. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Embassy of Afghanistan, Stockholm. Visa afghanembassy.se. Checked 2 November 2026.
- U.S. Department of State. Afghanistan Travel Advisory travel.state.gov. Checked 2 November 2026.
- U.S. Department of State. Consular Notification and Access: Afghanistan travel.state.gov. Checked 2 November 2026.
Requirements can change, so always confirm with E-Afghans Visa Portal, authorised by the Consulate General of Afghanistan, Dubai before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.
Cite this page
"Afghanistan visa photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/afghanistan/visa-photo