Brazil photo specifications
Photo sizes and rules for 7 documents issued in Brazil, taken from the issuing authorities and linked to their official pages.
At a glance
Brazilian offices usually take the photo themselves. The Polícia Federal photographs passport applicants aged 5 and over; under-5s bring a 5 x 7 cm print. Consulates want a local-size print, such as 35 x 45 mm or 2 x 2 inches, and the visa form takes a file of at least 431 x 531 pixels. State offices capture the 3 x 4 cm identity card photo, Detrans capture licence photos, the work card is digital, and SPTrans takes an uploaded 3 x 4 photo.
Overview
In Brazil the Polícia Federal photographs every passport applicant aged 5 or over at the appointment, so the only print it takes is a recent 5 x 7 cm (50 x 70 mm) photo on a white background for a child under 5; consulates abroad want one print on white in the local size, such as 2 x 2 inches in the United States, and their online form takes a JPG, GIF or PNG of at least 431 x 531 pixels and up to 300 KB.
Several bodies issue Brazilian documents, and most capture the photo themselves. The 5 x 7 cm format for young children is covered by the passport-or-visa page. Brazilian consulates, under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, handle passports abroad and all visas; London, for example, asks for 3.5 x 4.5 cm. US, Canadian and Australian visitors upload a photo for an eVisa instead.
Identity and driving documents are photographed at the counter. State identification offices issue the Carteira de Identidade Nacional with a photo in the 3 x 4 cm (30 x 40 mm) format. State Detrans capture the driving licence (CNH) photo digitally, as a colour image of at least 640 x 480 pixels under SENATRAN rules, with no print. The Carteira de Trabalho (employment record book) is now digital and has no photo step; a physical card, issued only in exceptional cases by the Ministry of Labour, uses a photo captured by its system, or a recent 3 x 4 cm print where no system exists. São Paulo's transport company SPTrans issues personalised Bilhete Único cards from a 3 x 4 photo uploaded during online registration.
Photo specifications by document
Passports
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport | 50 × 70 mm | 431 × 531 px | White |
| Passport or visa | 50 × 70 mm | — | White |
Visas and travel authorisations
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa | 35 × 45 mm | 431 × 531 px | White |
Identity cards
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| ID card | 30 × 40 mm | — | White |
Driving licences
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driving licence | 640 × 480 px | 640 × 480 px | Light, uniform colour, preferably white |
Bus and transport cards
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| SPTrans bilhete único | 30 × 40 mm | — | Neutral, as in official ID photos, with no… |
Other documents
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment record book | 30 × 40 mm | — | Not specified in the MTE rules |
Frequently asked questions
Not in Brazil if you are 5 or older: the Polícia Federal photographs you at the appointment. Children under 5 bring a recent 5 x 7 cm print on white. Abroad, consulates ask for a print in the local passport size.
The 3 x 4 cm (30 x 40 mm) format is the identity card standard set by the CIN decree, although the state office usually takes the picture. The Ministry of Labour asks for a 3 x 4 cm print for a physical work card only where its system is unavailable, and SPTrans asks for a 3 x 4 photo file.
No. Under SENATRAN rules the state Detran, working through companies SENATRAN has authorised, captures your photo, signature and fingerprints in person when the licensing or renewal process opens. Since August 2025 a captured image stays valid as long as the CNH and can be reused within that period.
The standard version is now the digital Carteira de Trabalho, enabled in its app or on gov.br with your CPF, and it has no photo step. A physical card is issued only in exceptional cases, with the photo captured by the Ministry of Labour system.
Register online with SPTrans and upload a digitised 3 x 4 photo. SPTrans checks it within 3 working days and emails whether it was approved; profile shots, selfies, group photos, sunglasses, caps and low-quality images are rejected.
Use white. The PF asks for a white background on the print for a child under 5, and the consulate pages read, from Chicago to London and Faro, ask for white as well. Only the Miami consulate's visa page also allows a light colour.
Nearby countries
Other countries in South America:
- Argentina
- Bolivia
- Chile
- Colombia
- Falkland Islands
- French Guiana
- Guyana
- Peru
- Suriname
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
Official sources
- Polícia Federal. Documentação necessária: lista geral (Portuguese) gov.br. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Polícia Federal. Foto: posso levar uma fotografia ao invés de tirar na hora? (Portuguese) gov.br. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Consulate General of Brazil in Chicago. Fotografia para Passaporte - Especificações (Portuguese) gov.br. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Consulate General of Brazil in London. Guide to uploading documents to the SCI-NG visa online form gov.br. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brazil (Itamaraty). e-consular: Consulado do Brasil em Faro (Portuguese) ec-faro.itamaraty.gov.br. Checked 3 November 2026.
- VFS Global for the Government of Brazil. Brazil eVisa official portal brazil.vfsevisa.com. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Presidency of the Republic of Brazil. Decreto nº 10.977/2022 (Portuguese) planalto.gov.br. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Secretaria Nacional de Trânsito (SENATRAN). Portaria SENATRAN nº 968/2022: coleta de dados biométricos (Portuguese) gov.br. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego. Obter a Carteira de Trabalho (Portuguese) gov.br. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Ministério do Trabalho e Emprego. Portaria MTE nº 1/2025, consolidated (Portuguese) gov.br. Checked 3 November 2026.
- SPTrans (São Paulo Transporte S/A). Perguntas e respostas: Bilhete Único (Portuguese) sptrans.com.br. Checked 3 November 2026.
- City of São Paulo. Bilhete Único: saiba como solicitar o cartão personalizado (Portuguese) prefeitura.sp.gov.br. Checked 3 November 2026.
Cite this page
"Brazil photo specifications". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/brazil