Comoros ID card photo requirements
The photo rules set by Ministère de la Justice de l'Union des Comores for the Comoros ID card, with the official wording and sources.
Quick answer
What are the Comoros ID card photo requirements?
The Comoros publishes no size for the national identity card photo. The Brussels embassy asks for 2 recent identity photos, head bare and both ears clearly visible, for a renewal or a first application. Under the 2014 law the card is for Comorian nationals, is compulsory from age 15 and lasts 10 years. The 2 x 2 inch size has no official basis.
The Comorian national identity card (carte nationale d'identité, CIN) became a digitised, biometric card under a law adopted by the Assembly of the Union on 24 June 2014. It is issued only to Comorian nationals, is compulsory from the age of 15, and is valid for 10 years. The law says it is issued and renewed by the Director General of the Sûreté nationale du territoire.
The front of the card carries the holder's digitised photograph next to the name, dates and place of birth, height, sex and the national identity number. The law leaves the conditions of issue, the biometric elements and the date they become compulsory to a decree of the President of the Union. No such decree was found, so no size or background is published.
Abroad, the embassy in Brussels renews cards and takes first applications from Comorians born in Europe or in its accreditation countries. Its lists ask for two recent identity photos, head bare, both ears clearly visible.
Comoros ID card photo size and specifications
The requirements as published by Ministère de la Justice de l'Union des Comores:[1]
| Print size | Not published. Brussels embassy: two recent identity photos, no dimensions given |
|---|---|
| Digital size | No size published; the 2014 law says the card shows a "photographie numérisée" (digitised photograph) of the holder |
| Background | Not stated by the 2014 law or by the Brussels embassy |
| Photo age | Recent (récentes); no time limit published |
| Print quality | Two photos; head bare, both ears clearly visible (Brussels embassy lists) |
Key requirements
- Nationals only, compulsory from 15
The card is issued only to Comorian nationals and is compulsory for every citizen aged 15 or over. The law adds that any citizen who asks for one can have it, so a younger person is not excluded.
- A digitised photo on the front
The front shows the digitised photograph of the holder with the names, birth details, height, sex, card number and national identity number. The law prints these details in Arabic and Latin characters.
- Two photos with a bare head
The Brussels lists, for a renewal and for a first application, ask for two recent identity photos, head bare and both ears clearly visible (translated from French).
- No decree text was found
The law leaves the conditions of issue and the biometric elements to a presidential decree. With no decree text available, no size, background or head-height rule can be quoted.
- Renewal abroad
The Brussels embassy asks for the originals and copies of a valid identity document and a recent proof of address, plus the two photos.
- First application abroad
Comorians born in Europe or in one of the embassy's accreditation countries bring a birth certificate extract, a Comorian birth extract of one parent, a proof of address and the photos. For a minor, add a signed parental authorisation and a copy of the child's identity document or residence card.
- A name-concordance certificate needs no photo
The attestation de concordance de nom asks for the original birth certificate extract and a valid passport with a copy. No photo is listed for it.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Keep your head bare and both ears visible.
- Bring two recent photos.
- Check the date: the law makes the card valid for 10 years, then it must be renewed.
- Ask your embassy for its size and background before you print.
Don't
- Do not assume the identity card photo is 2 x 2 inches.
- Do not bring photos that hide your ears.
- Do not use an old picture; the lists ask for recent photos.
- Do not go without proof of address; the lists ask for one.
Headwear and religious dress
The Brussels lists ask for a bare head with both ears clearly visible (translated from French). No exception for religious or medical headwear is published on those pages, so ask the embassy if you need one.
Babies and children
The card is compulsory from 15, but the law lets any citizen who applies have one. For a first application for a child born in Europe, the Brussels list asks for a signed parental authorisation and a copy of the child's identity document or residence card, and the same two photos as for adults. No separate child photo rule is published.
Printed and digital photos
The card holds a digitised photograph, but the published texts do not say how the portrait is captured. The Brussels lists name photos among the documents you bring and do not describe a camera at the counter. No file format or pixel size is published, so prepare printed photos. A photo taken at home can be cropped and printed at a photo counter.
Where to submit the photo
Inside the Comoros, the law names the Director General of the Sûreté nationale du territoire as the issuing authority. Abroad, residents of Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands go to the Brussels embassy, where a renewal can be filed without an appointment. Other missions may publish their own lists.
How to get your Comoros ID card photo
- Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Comoros ID card. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
- Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: nationals only, compulsory from 15; a digitised photo on the front; two photos with a bare head; no decree text was found.
- Prepare a print or digital file. The card holds a digitised photograph, but the published texts do not say how the portrait is captured. The Brussels lists name photos among the documents you bring and do not describe a camera at the counter.
- Submit the photo with your application. Inside the Comoros, the law names the Director General of the Sûreté nationale du territoire as the issuing authority.
Comoros ID card photo FAQ
No size is published in the 2014 law or on the Brussels embassy pages. The embassy asks for two recent identity photos, head bare and both ears clearly visible. Ask your mission for its size before you print.
Only Comorian nationals. The card is compulsory from the age of 15 and can be issued to any citizen who asks for it. It is valid for 10 years and then has to be renewed.
Two. Both the renewal list and the first-application list ask for two recent identity photos, head bare and both ears clearly visible. A name-concordance certificate needs no photo.
Yes, at the Brussels embassy: the lists ask for a bare head and both ears clearly visible. The page gives no exception for headwear.
The law says the Director General of the Sûreté nationale du territoire issues and renews the card. Abroad, the Brussels embassy handles renewals and first applications for Comorians born in Europe or in its accreditation countries.
None is published in the law or on the Brussels pages read. The decree that should set the conditions of issue was not found. Ask the mission if you are unsure.
No official source read gives 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) or any other size for the identity card photo. The only published photo rules are the number, recency, bare head and visible ears.
Related photo specifications
Other Comoros documents
- Passport photo
- Visa photo 50 × 70 mm
Identity cards nearby
- All Comoros photo specifications
- Identity cards: photo rules by country
- Photo specifications in Africa
Official sources
- Ministère de la Justice de l'Union des Comores. Loi instituant la carte nationale d'identité comorienne numérisée (biométrique), adopted 24 June 2014 justice.gouv.km. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Ambassade des Comores en Belgique. Carte d'Identité Nationale (CIN) & Concordance de Nom (updated 30 Dec 2025) comoros-embassy.eu. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Ambassade des Comores en Belgique. Délivrance de passeport Biométrique comorien (updated 30 Dec 2025) comoros-embassy.eu. Checked 2 November 2026.
Requirements can change, so always confirm with Ministère de la Justice de l'Union des Comores before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.
Cite this page
"Comoros ID card photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/comoros/id-card-photo