Japan photo specifications
Photo sizes and rules for 6 documents issued in Japan, taken from the issuing authorities and linked to their official pages.
At a glance
Japanese passport photos are 35 x 45 mm, as is the box on the MOFA visa form, though some missions ask for 2 x 2 inches. Residence card applications need 30 x 40 mm, a driving licence application photo is 24 x 30 mm, and an international driving permit needs 35 x 45 mm. The APEC Business Travel Card and JAPAN eVISA take uploaded files only.
Overview
A Japanese passport photo is 35 x 45 mm with no border, on a plain background with no shadows (white is recommended), with the face 32 to 36 mm from the top of the head to the chin; for an online application in Japan it is a JPG of up to 600 KB uploaded to Mynaportal, which MOFA lays out at 600 x 730 pixels.
Three national bodies set Japan's photo rules. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) covers passports, visas issued by Japanese missions abroad and the APEC Business Travel Card. The Immigration Services Agency handles the residence card for foreign residents, which replaced the alien registration certificate in July 2012. Driving licences and international driving permits come from the public safety commission of your prefecture, through its police licence centres, following guidance from the National Police Agency.
The photos differ in size and in how they are handed over. A passport photo is a 35 x 45 mm print at the prefectural counter or a file uploaded through Mynaportal. A visa photo is pasted on the form, or uploaded on JAPAN eVISA. A residence card photo is a 30 x 40 mm print, or a 4:3 JPEG online. The ABTC is applied for online only. For a driving licence in Tokyo, staff take the licence photo at the centre; the National Police Agency lists a 24 x 30 mm application photo, which some renewal counters do not require.
Photo specifications by document
Passports
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport | 35 Γ 45 mm | 600 Γ 730 px | Plain, with no objects or shadows |
Visas and travel authorisations
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visa | 35 Γ 45 mm | β | Plain and untextured, with no shadows |
Driving licences
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driving licence | 24 Γ 30 mm | β | No background: plain, with no scenery, patternβ¦ |
| International driving permit | 35 Γ 45 mm | β | No background: plain, with nothing behind you |
Residence and work permits
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residence card (alien registration) | 30 Γ 40 mm | β | No background and no shadows |
Travel documents
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| APEC business travel card | 35 Γ 45 mm | 600 Γ 800 px | Plain, and white as far as possible |
Frequently asked questions
On the standard forms, yes: both are 35 mm wide and 45 mm high. Some Japanese missions abroad set their own visa photo size, for example 2 x 2 inches at the Embassy of Japan in Washington DC, so check the page of the mission where you apply.
The National Police Agency lists one application photo, 3.0 cm high and 2.4 cm wide (24 x 30 mm), taken within 6 months, bareheaded, facing forward, with no background and the name and date on the back. Some renewal counters need no photo; in Tokyo, staff take the licence photo, and a brought photo is accepted only at the three test centres.
The National Police Agency gives 4.5 cm high and 3.5 cm wide (35 x 45 mm), the same as a passport photo, taken within 6 months with the name and date on the back. The size is set nationally in the Road Traffic Act Enforcement Regulations and has applied since 13 May 2022, when the permit photo rules changed to passport size.
The APEC Business Travel Card is online only and takes a JPG of up to 10 MB. Passports can be applied for online through Mynaportal or ORR net, residence applications through the Online Residence Application System, and tourist visas through JAPAN eVISA. Paper applications for these still take prints.
The residence card (zairyu card), issued by the Immigration Services Agency to mid to long-term residents since 9 July 2012, when the Alien Registration Act was abolished. Applications that lead to a residence card need a 30 x 40 mm photo with a face of 22 to 28 mm.
Yes. MOFA sets no studio rule. Online, you can take the picture with the camera in the Mynaportal or passport app or upload a saved JPG, and Mynaportal turns the background white itself, so check the processed image before sending. On paper, print a 35 x 45 mm photo on paper made for photos. Avoid edits that change your face, such as enlarged eyes or whitened skin, and make sure the image is not mirrored.
One. A paper application takes a single borderless print, 45 mm high and 35 mm wide, taken within 6 months, as the Kyoto Prefecture passport office lists. Osaka asks you to bring it loose instead of pasting it on the form, and MOFA asks for your name on the back. An online application takes one file instead of a print.
Nearby countries
Other countries in Eastern Asia:
Official sources
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Passport photo standards mofa.go.jp. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Face photos and signature images in online applications mofa.go.jp. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Osaka Prefectural Government. Passport photos pref.osaka.lg.jp. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Kyoto Prefectural Government. Documents for a new passport application (ζ°θ¦η³θ«γ«εΏ θ¦γͺζΈι‘) pref.kyoto.jp. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Visa Application Form to Enter Japan (PDF) mofa.go.jp. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan. Photo standards for submission moj.go.jp. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. APEC Business Travel Card: application overview mofa.go.jp. Checked 3 November 2026.
- National Police Agency. For holders of a Japanese driving licence living in Japan npa.go.jp. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. Application photos and brought photos keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. International driving permit keishicho.metro.tokyo.lg.jp. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Shimane Prefectural Police. Application photos pref.shimane.lg.jp. Checked 3 November 2026.
Cite this page
"Japan photo specifications". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/japan