Dominica passport photo requirements
The 38 × 45 mm photo rules set by Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica for the Dominica passport, with the official wording and sources.
Quick answer
What size is the Dominica passport photo?
A Dominica passport application needs 2 recent photographs. The Government of Dominica passport page gives 45 mm high by 38 mm wide (1 3/4 x 1 1/2 inches), with the head 3 to 5 mm from the top edge and the chin 10 to 12 mm from the bottom, on a white, light grey, light blue, light brown or beige background. The application instructions cap the size at 45 x 35 mm, so confirm with the Passport and Immigration Office.
Dominican passports are now ePassports with a chip, issued through the Passport and Immigration Department at Police Headquarters in Roseau. An application is a paper form with two printed photographs, and one of them is endorsed on the back by a recommender who knows you. Citizens abroad can apply through a Dominica High Commission or Consulate, although the passport itself is printed in Dominica.
The Government of Dominica web portal sets out the photo rules in a list. The photographs are "45mm x 38mm or 1 3/4 inches by 1 1/2 inches", the image sits between 3 mm and 5 mm from the top edge, the chin sits between 10 mm and 12 mm from the bottom edge, and the shoulders are included. A white, light grey, light blue, light brown or beige background is allowed, and there must be contrast between you and the background.
The government's own application instructions, revised in March 2021, describe the photograph differently: not larger than 45 x 35 mm, not smaller than 36 x 32 mm, with the face taking up 70 to 80 percent of the photo. Both documents are official and neither explains the difference, so this page sets out both. The conflict matters if you print at 38 mm wide, so ask the Passport and Immigration Office which size it accepts before you print.
Dominica passport photo size and specifications
The requirements as published by Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica:[1]
| Print size | 38 x 45 mm (1 1/2 x 1 3/4 inches), 38 mm wide and 45 mm high; the application instructions say at most 45 x 35 mm |
|---|---|
| Digital size | No upload: two printed photographs go with the paper application form |
| Head height | 28 to 32 mm, worked out from the margins (3 to 5 mm above the head, 10 to 12 mm below the chin); the instructions give 32 to 36 mm |
| Background | White, light grey, light blue, light brown or beige, with contrast between face and background |
| Photo age | Not more than six months old (application instructions and London High Commission) |
| Print quality | High-quality paper, high resolution; no shadows or reflections on the face or background |
| Pixels when printed | 449 × 531 px at 300 dpi · 898 × 1063 px at 600 dpi (calculated) |
Key requirements
- Size on the portal page
The Government of Dominica passport page asks for "Two recent passport sized photos (45mm x 38mm or 1 3/4 inches by 1 1/2 inches)". That is 45 mm high and 38 mm wide, and the High Commission in London repeats it as "45mm in height x 38mm in width".
- Size in the application instructions
The instructions for the ePassport form say the photos shall be "not larger than 45 x 35 mm (1.77 x 1.38 in) nor smaller than 36 x 32 mm (1.42 x 1.26 in)" in height and width. A 38 mm wide print is wider than that limit.
- Head position
The image must be between 3 mm and 5 mm from the top edge, and the chin between 10 mm and 12 mm from the bottom edge, with the shoulders included. The instructions add that the face takes up 70 to 80 percent of the photo in length, between 32 mm and 36 mm in their diagram.
- Background and contrast
The portal page lists white, light grey, light blue, light brown and beige. The instructions ask for a plain, light-coloured background, for example white or light blue. Both require contrast, so no white shirt on a white background.
- Expression and face
Look directly at the camera with both ears showing, eyes open and no hair across the eyes. The portal page says a smile is fine if the mouth is not open, and the instructions say "neutral, with mouth closed".
- Clothing
No sleeveless shirts or tank tops, the chest area covered, and no bold prints, military shirts or camouflage.
- Two photos, one endorsed
Two photographs go in with the application. The recommender writes "I certify that this is a true likeness of" followed by your name on the back of one photograph and signs below it.
- Photographs must be recent
The application instructions and the London High Commission say the photos shall not be more than six months old. The portal page says only "recent".
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Print two photographs of the same recent picture, taken within the last six months.
- Keep the top of the head 3 to 5 mm from the top edge and the chin 10 to 12 mm from the bottom.
- Use a plain white or light background and a top that contrasts with it.
- Look straight at the camera with both ears showing.
- Ask a recommender who has known you for two years to sign the back of one photo.
- Check the size with the Passport and Immigration Office before printing.
Don't
- Do not wear tinted shades or sunglasses.
- Do not wear a sleeveless top, a tank top, a bold print or camouflage.
- Do not leave shadows or reflections on the face or the glasses.
- Do not open your mouth in the photograph.
- Do not submit the instruction sheet with your application.
Sample photos
How a Dominica passport photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 38 × 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
The portal page says "No shades or dark sunglasses". The application instructions go further: no tinted shades or sunglasses, no light reflections on the glasses, and frames that do not cover any part of the eyes, with heavy frames avoided if possible. The High Commission in London lists "No shades or sunglasses" and "No light reflections on glasses".
Clear glasses are not banned by any of these pages, but a reflection on the lenses is. Take the photograph from a slight distance, tilt the lenses a little downwards or take the glasses off if the lighting makes reflections hard to avoid.
Headwear and religious dress
The sources differ. The portal page says "No head coverings except in the case of Muslims", and the High Commission in London adds that both ears and forehead must be visible. The application instructions say "No head coverings except for religious, cultural, or medical justification".
Because the pages do not agree, anyone who wears a head covering for religious, cultural or medical reasons should ask the Passport and Immigration Office, or the nearest mission, before taking the photograph. The instructions also require both ears to show, which a head covering may prevent.
Babies and children
Children under 16 apply with the same photo rules as adults; nothing separate is published for babies. New applicants under 16 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, who must provide identification, according to the instructions. The fee table on the portal page also treats children under 16 as a separate group.
Applications on behalf of a child or an incapacitated person must be made by the custodial parent, adoptive parent or legal guardian, or with their notarised consent. The instructions note that children under 10 can leave the signature box unsigned.
Printed and digital photos
Only printed photographs are described. The application form and its instructions are PDFs that you complete and submit with two photographs, and the instructions ask for photos printed on high-quality paper at high resolution. No digital photo upload, pixel size or file size is published, and nothing in the pages we read describes an online photo check.
A digital photo can be cropped to 38 x 45 mm and printed at a photo counter. The Government of Dominica announced in 2023 that the application form is downloaded from the government forms page, and that the fee is paid through a government e-payment portal, but the photographs are still submitted with the paper form.
Where to submit the photo
In Dominica, applications are submitted in person to the Passport and Immigration Department at Police Headquarters on Bath Road in Roseau. First-time applicants are interviewed by an Inspector of Immigration. The government news service said in 2022 that forms are available at police stations and on the government website, and are submitted on weekdays between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Citizens abroad may apply at the nearest Commonwealth of Dominica High Commission or Consulate, or give the application and all supporting documents to a proxy. The High Commission in London processes applications and sends them to the Passport Office in Dominica for printing, and requires first-time applicants to attend an interview by appointment. From 31 January 2023, citizens may not leave Dominica on a machine-readable passport, so an ePassport is needed.
How to get your Dominica passport photo
- Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Dominica passport: 38 × 45 mm print, white background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
- Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: size on the portal page; size in the application instructions; head position; background and contrast.
- Prepare a print or digital file. Only printed photographs are described. The application form and its instructions are PDFs that you complete and submit with two photographs, and the instructions ask for photos printed on high-quality paper at high resolution.
- Submit the photo with your application. In Dominica, applications are submitted in person to the Passport and Immigration Department at Police Headquarters on Bath Road in Roseau. First-time applicants are interviewed by an Inspector of Immigration.
Dominica passport photo FAQ
The Government of Dominica passport page asks for photos 45 mm high by 38 mm wide (1 3/4 x 1 1/2 inches). The ePassport application instructions give a smaller range, not larger than 45 x 35 mm and not smaller than 36 x 32 mm. Confirm with the Passport and Immigration Office before printing.
Two. The portal page asks for two recent passport-sized photos, and the government news service confirmed in 2022 that one of them must be endorsed by a recommender, who signs the back of one photograph.
The portal page lists white, light grey, light blue, light brown and beige. The application instructions ask for a plain, light-coloured background such as white or light blue. Either way there must be contrast between you and the background.
The portal page says the image is 3 to 5 mm from the top edge and the chin is 10 to 12 mm from the bottom edge, with shoulders included. The instructions say the face takes up 70 to 80 percent of the photograph, which is 32 to 36 mm on a 45 mm print.
The portal page says you may smile if your mouth is not open. The application instructions say the expression must be neutral with the mouth closed and eyes open. A closed-mouth, relaxed expression meets both.
Tinted shades and sunglasses are not allowed, and glasses must have no light reflections. The portal page allows head coverings only for Muslims, while the instructions allow them for religious, cultural or medical reasons, so ask the office first.
Yes. The instructions say applicants overseas may apply through the nearest Commonwealth of Dominica High Commission or Consulate, or give the application to a proxy. The passport is printed in Dominica, and the High Commission in London says first-time applicants are interviewed.
A recommender who is a citizen of Dominica, has known you for at least two years and is not in your immediate family. The instructions list professions such as a Justice of the Peace, minister of religion, qualified teacher or senior bank official. They sign the back of one photograph.
Related photo specifications
Passports nearby
- Anguilla passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Antigua and Barbuda passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Aruba passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Bahamas passport photo 2 × 2 in
- Barbados passport photo 50 × 50 mm
- British Virgin Islands passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Cayman Islands passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Cuba passport photo 45 × 45 mm
- Dominican Republic passport photo 50 × 50 mm
- Guadeloupe passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- All Dominica photo specifications
- Passports: photo rules by country
- Every document that uses a 38 × 45 mm photo
- Photo specifications in North America
Official sources
- Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica. How Do I Apply for a Passport? dominica.gov.dm. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica. Application for ePassport or Seafarers' Identity Document: Instructions on how to complete the application (V1, revised 30 March 2021) dominica.gov.dm. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica. Application for ePassport or Seafarers' Identity Document (V1, 30 March 2021) dominica.gov.dm. Checked 2 November 2026.
- High Commission for the Commonwealth of Dominica, London. Passport dominicahighcommission.co.uk. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Government Information Service, Dominica. Over 24,000 e-passports issued to Dominicans news.gov.dm. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Office of the Prime Minister, Dominica. ePassports required to depart Dominica effective January 31, 2023 pressroomopm.gov.dm. Checked 2 November 2026.
Requirements can change, so always confirm with Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.
Cite this page
"Dominica passport photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/dominica/passport-photo