Hong Kong photo specifications
Photo sizes and rules for 3 documents issued in Hong Kong, taken from the issuing authorities and linked to their official pages.
At a glance
Hong Kong's Immigration Department issues all three documents. HKSAR passport photos are 40 x 50 mm on a plain white background, with a 32 to 36 mm head. Visa and APEC Business Travel Card forms take a print from 40 x 50 mm to 45 x 55 mm, with no published background colour. Online, a passport photo is a JPEG of at least 1200 x 1600 pixels, while an APEC card photo must be 300 to 600 pixels wide.
Overview
An HKSAR passport photo is 40 x 50 mm on a plain white background, with the head 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown, and for an online or app application it is a JPEG of 5 MB or less: a camera image of at least 1200 x 1600 pixels or a 600 dpi scan of the print.
Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China with its own immigration system, run by the Immigration Department (ImmD). ImmD issues the HKSAR passport to Chinese citizens who are Hong Kong permanent residents, visas and entry permits to people coming to work, study, live or visit, and the APEC Business Travel Card to business people who hold a permanent identity card.
The passport has the most detailed photo standard, which it shares with the Document of Identity for Visa Purposes. Visa and APEC card photos are governed mainly by the photo box on the paper forms and by the file rules of the online services on GovHK. The Hong Kong identity card works differently: you apply in person at a Registration of Persons Office, and the photo is taken at the registration booth.
Photo specifications by document
Passports
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport | 40 × 50 mm | 1200 × 1600 px | Plain white |
Visas and travel authorisations
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa | 40 × 50 mm | — | Not published for visa and entry permit photos |
Travel documents
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| APEC business travel card | 40 × 50 mm | 600 × 800 px | Not published for the ABTC photo |
Frequently asked questions
The sizes overlap. The passport photo is exactly 40 x 50 mm, and the visa forms accept any print from 40 x 50 mm up to 45 x 55 mm, so a correct passport-size print also falls inside the visa range. Only the passport rules require a white background.
Normally not. The photo is taken at the registration booth when you apply in person at a Registration of Persons Office. One exception: a child under 11 who is no taller than 90 cm and is replacing a lost or damaged card brings a 50 x 40 mm full-face photo.
The Immigration Department of the HKSAR Government issues both, as well as the APEC Business Travel Card and Hong Kong identity cards. Outside Hong Kong, Chinese diplomatic and consular missions accept HKSAR passport applications for ImmD, and visit visa applications from residents of their countries.
HKSAR passports (first applications and normal renewals), most visa and entry permit applications, and the APEC Business Travel Card can be submitted online through GovHK with an uploaded photo, and the passport and APEC card also through the ImmD Mobile Application. Each service sets its own file rules.
Nearby countries
Other countries in Eastern Asia:
Official sources
- Immigration Department, HKSAR Government. Photograph Requirements for Travel Document immd.gov.hk. Checked 3 November 2026.
- GovHK. Online Application for HKSAR Passport gov.hk. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Immigration Department, HKSAR Government. Application for Entry for Visit/Transit in Hong Kong, form ID 1003A (PDF) immd.gov.hk. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Immigration Department, HKSAR Government. APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) Scheme immd.gov.hk. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Immigration Department, HKSAR Government. Registration and Replacement of Hong Kong Identity Card immd.gov.hk. Checked 3 November 2026.
Cite this page
"Hong Kong photo specifications". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/hong-kong