Jamaica passport photo requirements
The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), Jamaica for the Jamaica passport, with the official wording and sources.
Quick answer
What size is the Jamaica passport photo?
A Jamaican passport photo is 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in), in colour, no more than 6 months old, and you send two identical prints. The face measures 25 to 35 mm from chin to top of head, against a plain background with no shadows. Glasses must not be tinted, and headgear is allowed only for religious reasons. Most applications need one of the two photos certified on the back by an authorised person.
Jamaican passports are issued by the Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA) under the Passport Act. An adult passport is valid for ten years and a child's for five. PICA has issued ePassports, with an embedded chip, since 3 April 2023. Every application needs two identical photographs, whether you apply in Jamaica or through a Jamaican embassy, high commission or consulate.
In Jamaica you apply at a PICA office, at the head office in Kingston and at offices in Montego Bay, Mandeville, May Pen, St Ann's Bay and Port Antonio. Adults renewing an expired passport, or one with at most a year left, can use PICA's online platform and upload a digital passport-size photo. First-time adult applicants cannot. Overseas, adults are encouraged to start renewals on the same portal, and everyone else goes through the nearest mission.
PICA publishes its photo rules in several places, and they do not all say the same thing. The photo requirements page asks for a plain background chosen by complexion and hair colour; the adult renewal instruction sheet updated in June 2025 asks for an off-white one and "professionally produced" photographs; and the photo poster carries the 45 x 35 mm dimensions. The sections below say which document each rule comes from.
Jamaica passport photo size and specifications
The requirements as published by Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), Jamaica:[1]
| Print size | 35 x 45 mm: 35 mm wide and 45 mm high (PICA photo poster; renewal sheet diagram) |
|---|---|
| Digital size | Online renewal: a digital passport-size photo is uploaded; PICA publishes no pixel size |
| Head height | Face 25 to 35 mm, chin to top of head; 3 to 4 mm margin between head and photo edge |
| Background | Plain: pastel for light complexions, white for dark complexions, pale blue or pastel for grey or white hair |
| Colour | Colour, matte or dull finish, no excessive light reflection |
| Photo age | Taken no more than 6 months before the application is submitted |
| File size | Not published for the online portal |
| Print quality | No creases or ink marks; no embossed seal on the photographs; sharp and high quality |
| Pixels when printed | 413 × 531 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi (calculated) |
Key requirements
- Two identical photos
PICA asks for two identical photographs with every application. The person who certifies the application also certifies the reverse of one photograph, writing the applicant's name and their own name, number and signature, and dating it. The certification must not be older than six months.
- Size and face length
The photo is 35 mm wide and 45 mm high. The length of the face, chin to top of head, should be 25 to 35 mm, and PICA's photo requirements page adds a margin of 3 to 4 mm between the head and the edge of the photograph. PICA's older photo poster says a margin of at least 2 mm and a face covering 65 to 75% of the photo.
- Background by complexion
The photograph should be taken in colour with a matte or dull finish against a plain background. PICA tells applicants of light complexion to avoid white clothing and use a pastel background, those of dark complexion to wear coloured clothing against white, and those with grey or white hair to use pale blue or pastel. There must be no background shadows.
- Full frontal pose
PICA requires a full frontal pose of head, neck and top of the shoulders, with no other person or object in the picture. Exposed shoulders and chest must be avoided, and bright coloured clothing is not recommended.
- Tinted lenses and heavy frames
Eyeglasses should not have tinted lenses, and heavy or thick frames should be avoided. PICA does not ban clear glasses outright, though its photo poster says it is strongly recommended that glasses be removed.
- Headgear for religion only
PICA says headgear is permitted only for religious purposes. In that case Section H of the application form must be filled in, and the face from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead must be clearly shown.
- Recent and unmarked
The photograph should not be taken more than six months before you submit the application, and must have no creases or ink marks. No embossed seal may be affixed to it. Photographs submitted with an application become the property of the Government of Jamaica.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Take two identical photographs on the same day.
- Use a plain background in the colour PICA names for your complexion and hair.
- Show your head, neck and the top of your shoulders, facing the camera squarely.
- Ask the person certifying your application to certify one photo on the back, in the right words.
- Date the photographs and keep them free of creases and ink marks.
- Fill in Section H of the application form if you wear a religious head covering.
Don't
- Do not wear tinted glasses or heavy frames.
- Do not wear white clothing against a pale background if you have a light complexion.
- Do not let any other person or object appear in the photograph.
- Do not allow shadows on the background or reflections on the image.
- Do not affix an embossed seal to a photograph.
- Do not use photographs older than six months.
Sample photos
How a Jamaica passport 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
PICA does not ban glasses, but it limits them. Its photo requirements page says eyeglasses should not have tinted lenses and heavy (thick) frames should be avoided. The photo poster adds that there should be no reflections from the eyeglasses, the frames should not cover any part of the eyes and the eyes must be clearly shown, and it ends: "It is strongly recommended that glasses be removed."
Taking them off is the safe choice, because it removes any question of reflections or frames covering the eyes. The adult renewal sheet separately says the eyes must be clearly visible.
Headwear and religious dress
Headgear is accepted only for religious purposes, according to PICA's photo requirements page. The applicant then completes Section H of the application form, and the outline of the face from the chin to the top of the forehead must be clearly shown. The adult renewal sheet says no head covering is allowed except for religious purposes.
The photo poster adds that, as far as possible, both ears should be visible, and its examples of faulty photographs include a hood, ears covered and a covered forehead. Hair should not lie across the eyes or on the forehead.
Babies and children
PICA publishes no separate photo rules for children. A minor's application, for a first passport or a renewal, needs two identical photographs, and one must be certified by the same official who certified the application. The parent or legal guardian completes the form. PICA and the Jamaican embassy in Washington both say minors aged 3 and over must appear in person with the parent or guardian.
A passport for a child aged 17 or under is valid for five years, so a child's photo is replaced more often than an adult's. Follow the same background, framing and recency rules as for adults.
Printed and digital photos
Paper applications use two printed photographs. PICA's photo requirements page asks for a matte or dull finish with no excessive light reflection, while its older photo poster recommends semi-gloss, high-quality paper and a professional camera; if in doubt, follow the current page. The adult renewal sheet asks for "professionally produced" photographs. A digital photo can be cropped to 35 x 45 mm and printed on a 4x6 inch sheet at a photo counter, then cut into two identical prints.
Online renewal uses a digital file. PICA's online help says the portal needs a digital passport-size photograph stored on your computer and refers to the same photo specification as the paper rules. It publishes no pixel size or file size, so keep the proportions at 35 x 45 mm, keep the face sharp, and follow the portal's own messages when you upload.
Where to submit the photo
In Jamaica, take the application and photos to a PICA office, or renew online if you are an adult who qualifies. Certification is needed from someone who is a Jamaican citizen, not a family member and personally acquainted with you for at least 12 months, such as a Justice of the Peace, attorney-at-law, medical practitioner, bank manager or school principal. For simplified adult renewals with no change of name, PICA's application page says certification of the form and photograph is no longer required.
Overseas, apply through the nearest Jamaican embassy, high commission or consulate. The embassy in Washington, for example, strongly encourages eligible adults to use PICA's online application portal, and otherwise takes applications by appointment or drop-box, and by mail only from residents of certain states. Overseas, a justice of the peace, attorney-at-law, notary public, medical doctor or minister of religion authorised to perform marriages can certify, and they need not be Jamaican citizens.
How to get your Jamaica passport photo
- Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Jamaica passport: 35 × 45 mm print, plain: pastel for light complexions background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
- Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: two identical photos; size and face length; background by complexion; full frontal pose.
- Prepare a print or digital file. Paper applications use two printed photographs.
- Submit the photo with your application. In Jamaica, take the application and photos to a PICA office, or renew online if you are an adult who qualifies.
Jamaica passport photo FAQ
PICA's photo poster and its adult renewal instruction sheet show a photo 45 mm high and 35 mm wide (35 x 45 mm), with the face 25 to 35 mm long. The photo requirements page itself says only "passport sized" and gives the face length and the head margin.
You need two identical photographs. PICA says one must be certified by the same official who certified your application, except that certification is no longer required for a simplified adult renewal where your name has not changed. The photo must be dated and the certification no older than six months.
A plain one with no shadows. PICA's photo requirements page says pastel for light complexions, white for dark complexions, and pale blue or pastel for grey or white hair. Its adult renewal sheet asks for off-white, and pale blue for grey, white or bleached hair, so match the document for your type of application.
Glasses are not banned, but the lenses should not be tinted, heavy frames should be avoided and nothing may cover the eyes or reflect on them. PICA's photo poster says it is strongly recommended that glasses be removed, which is the safest option.
Only for religious purposes. Fill in Section H of the application form, and keep the whole face from the chin to the top of the forehead clearly visible. PICA's adult renewal sheet also allows no head covering except for religious purposes.
Yes, if you are an adult renewing a machine-readable passport that has expired or has a year or less to run, and your name has not changed. PICA's portal takes a digital passport-size photograph. First-time applicants, lost or damaged passports and applicants whose last passport was issued as a minor cannot use it.
It should not have been taken more than six months before you submit the application. If a certifier signs the back of a photograph, that certification should also be no more than six months old.
Yes. Apply through the nearest Jamaican embassy, high commission or consulate, or start an eligible adult renewal on PICA's online portal. PICA's FAQ says applications from overseas should be submitted through the nearest mission rather than posted to Jamaica.
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
- Dominica passport photo 38 × 45 mm
- Dominican Republic passport photo 50 × 50 mm
Also 35 × 45 mm
- Afghanistan visa photo 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
- All Jamaica photo specifications
- Passports: photo rules by country
- Every document that uses a 35 × 45 mm photo
- Photo specifications in North America
Official sources
- Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), Jamaica. Passport Photo Requirements pica.gov.jm. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), Jamaica. Photograph Specifications for Jamaican Passports (photo poster) pica.gov.jm. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), Jamaica. Jamaica Adult Renewal Passport Application: Instruction Sheet (updated June 2025) pica.gov.jm. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), Jamaica. Applying for a Passport pica.gov.jm. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), Jamaica. Who can certify the passport application pica.gov.jm. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), Jamaica. General Passport Information pica.gov.jm. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), Jamaica. PICA FAQs pica.gov.jm. Checked 2 November 2026.
- PICA Relationship Management help centre, Jamaica. What kind of photographs can I upload online? (Passport Online FAQ) picahelpeu.freshdesk.com. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Embassy of Jamaica, Washington, D.C.. Passport: general information for applicants in the United States embwashington.mfaft.gov.jm. Checked 2 November 2026.
Requirements can change, so always confirm with Passport, Immigration and Citizenship Agency (PICA), Jamaica before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.
Cite this page
"Jamaica passport photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/jamaica/passport-photo