Malawi passport photo requirements
The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, Malawi for the Malawi passport, with the official wording and sources.
Quick answer
What size is the Malawi passport photo?
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services asks for two passport-size photographs with a new, renewal, child or temporary passport application, and one with a lost-passport application. It publishes no dimensions. The London High Commission gives 4.5 x 3.5 cm (35 x 45 mm), and London and Berlin both ask for a clear white background. In Malawi, your picture is also captured live at the immigration office.
Malawian passports are issued by the Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services. The ordinary passport is valid for 10 years, a child passport is valid for 5 years and is issued to children under 10, and a temporary passport is valid for six months. The Department's passport pages send online applicants to the ePassport portal, which also tracks the status of an application.
The channels handle the photo differently. The Department's page on types of passport lists the number of passport-size photographs for each kind of application, and its passport-process page says the applicant's biometrics (picture, fingerprints and signature) are captured live at an immigration office in Blantyre, Lilongwe or Mzuzu. Missions abroad do not process passports. London and Berlin ask for printed photographs with the form, take the fingerprints, and send the application to Malawi, where passports are processed.
Only one official page gives a size: the London High Commission asks for photos of 4.5 x 3.5 cm with a renewal, which is 35 x 45 mm in portrait. The Department itself says only "passport size". No Malawian page read for this guide publishes a head size, a pixel size, a file size or a rule about glasses.
Malawi passport photo size and specifications
The requirements as published by Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, Malawi:[1]
| Print size | 35 x 45 mm (4.5 x 3.5 cm): London High Commission, renewals; the Department says only passport size |
|---|---|
| Digital size | None published; the ePassport portal asks for an uploaded photo but its file rules could not be read |
| Background | Clear white background (London High Commission and Berlin embassy) |
| Print quality | Two printed photos for new, renewal, child and temporary passports; one for a lost passport |
| Pixels when printed | 413 × 531 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi (calculated) |
In the official words
Exact wording from the official sources, quoted because the details matter:
Inclusive Fashion, Beauty and Personal Style
Key requirements
- Two photos for most applications
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services lists two passport-size photographs for a new passport, a renewal, a child passport and a temporary passport. A lost-passport application lists one photograph, together with a police report and a report of lost form.
- Size: 35 x 45 mm at London
The Department gives no dimensions. The London High Commission asks for two photos of 4.5 x 3.5 cm with a renewal, which is 35 x 45 mm. Its lost-passport lines and the Berlin embassy say only passport size.
- Clear white background
London and Berlin both ask for a clear white background. The Department's own pages do not name a colour, so white is the only background any official Malawian page mentions.
- Picture captured live in Malawi
The Department's passport-process page says that at the immigration offices in Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu the applicant's biometrics (picture, fingerprints and signature) are captured live. The same Department still lists photographs on its application checklist, so follow the checklist.
- Missions take prints and fingerprints
London and Berlin ask for printed photographs with the application. London takes fingerprints at an appointment and says the application is then sent to Malawi for processing and payment. Berlin says passports are processed in Malawi.
- Online ePassport portal
The Department sends online applicants to the ePassport portal. As archived on 25 April 2026, its front page listed the steps: fill in the online form and upload a passport-size photo and documents, book an appointment at a registration centre, then complete biometric verification there. The portal could not be loaded securely on 2 November 2026, so its photo rules could not be read.
- Child passports
A child passport is valid for 5 years and is issued to children under 10. The Department lists two forms, two passport-size photographs and a consent form from a parent or legal guardian.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Bring two passport-size photographs for a new, renewal, child or temporary application.
- Use a clear white background.
- Use 35 x 45 mm (4.5 x 3.5 cm) if you apply through the London High Commission.
- Check the photo count for your case: a lost-passport application lists one photograph at the Department.
- Book an appointment first if you apply at the London High Commission.
- Attend in person for fingerprints and the live picture.
Don't
- Do not use a coloured or patterned background.
- Do not send a 2 x 2 inch (51 x 51 mm) US-style print; no Malawian page asks for it.
- Do not photocopy the application form; each form has a unique barcode number.
- Do not make travel plans before the passport is ready.
- Do not rely on a size for other missions: only London states one.
Sample photos
How a Malawi passport photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 35 × 45 mm and background colour.
Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.
Glasses
No Malawian page read for this guide sets a rule on glasses. None sets a rule on headwear, expression or head size either. The picture that goes on the passport is captured live at the immigration office, so ask the office or mission handling your application if you have a particular need, such as a medical or religious reason.
Babies and children
A child passport is issued to children under 10 and is valid for 5 years. The Department's checklist asks for two filled forms, two passport-size photographs, a consent form from either parent or legal guardian, a photocopy of a parent's passport or birth certificate, and a copy of the birth certificate for children born outside Malawi.
London lists two passport-size photographs with a clear white background for replacing a minor's lost passport. No page gives separate photo rules for babies or small children.
Printed and digital photos
Every channel read for this guide asks for paper photographs, and none publishes a digital file size. The Department lists two prints for most applications and one for a lost passport. London asks for two even for a lost-passport replacement, so check which count applies to your mission.
The Department's ePassport portal has an online step, but its photo rules could not be read for this guide. A digital photo can be cropped to 35 x 45 mm on a white background and printed on a 4x6 inch sheet at a photo counter, then cut into prints.
Where to submit the photo
In Malawi, forms are free from any immigration office and can be downloaded from the Department's website. The page on the passport process says you have Part B commissioned by a magistrate or a Commissioner for Oaths, have the place of origin confirmed at your District Commissioner's office, then attend an immigration office in Blantyre, Lilongwe or Mzuzu for an interview and live capture of your biometrics.
Abroad, apply through the nearest mission. London asks every applicant to book an appointment and attend in person, and says the High Commission only assists with fingerprint taking. Berlin asks you to post the filled form with fingerprints, two passport photos, a copy of the old passport and a stamped return envelope. Both say the passport is processed in Malawi.
How to get your Malawi passport photo
- Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Malawi passport: 35 × 45 mm print, clear white background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
- Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: two photos for most applications; size: 35 x 45 mm at London; clear white background; picture captured live in Malawi.
- Prepare a print or digital file. Every channel read for this guide asks for paper photographs, and none publishes a digital file size. The Department lists two prints for most applications and one for a lost passport.
- Submit the photo with your application. In Malawi, forms are free from any immigration office and can be downloaded from the Department's website.
Malawi passport photo FAQ
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services says only "passport size". The London High Commission asks for 4.5 x 3.5 cm, which is 35 x 45 mm, with a renewal. No Malawian page gives a head size or pixel size.
A clear white background. The London High Commission and the Berlin embassy both ask for it. The Department's own pages name no colour, and no page mentions any other background.
The Department lists two passport-size photographs for a new passport, a renewal, a child passport and a temporary passport, and one for a lost passport. London and Berlin ask for two.
Your picture is captured live there, together with your fingerprints and signature, according to the Department's passport-process page. The checklist still lists passport-size photographs, so bring the number your case needs.
The Department points applicants to the ePassport portal. Its front page, as archived on 25 April 2026, described an online form with a photo upload, an appointment and biometric verification at a registration centre. The portal could not be loaded securely on 2 November 2026.
No official Malawian page read for this guide gives a rule on glasses. The live capture at the immigration office takes the picture that goes on the passport, so ask the office or mission handling your application.
No official page asks for it. The only size stated by any Malawian mission is 4.5 x 3.5 cm (35 x 45 mm), so have your prints made at that size rather than the square US format.
London and Berlin ask for printed photographs with the application, and London takes fingerprints at an appointment. Both send the application to Malawi, where the passport is processed. Neither page says the mission takes the photo.
Related photo specifications
Passports nearby
- Comoros passport photo
- Djibouti passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Eritrea passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Ethiopia passport photo 30 × 40 mm
- Kenya passport photo 2 × 2 in
- Mauritius passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Mayotte passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Mozambique passport photo
- Réunion assport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Seychelles passport photo
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 Malawi photo specifications
- Passports: photo rules by country
- Every document that uses a 35 × 45 mm photo
- Photo specifications in Africa
Official sources
- Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, Malawi. Types of Passport immigration.gov.mw. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, Malawi. Passport Process immigration.gov.mw. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, Malawi. Apply for ePassport immigration.gov.mw. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, Malawi. Passports immigration.gov.mw. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, Malawi. Malawi e-Passport Online Pre-registration epassport.gov.mw. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Malawi High Commission, London. Immigration and Consular Services malawihighcommission.co.uk. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Embassy of the Republic of Malawi, Berlin. Malawi Passport malawiembassy.de. Checked 2 November 2026.
Requirements can change, so always confirm with Department of Immigration and Citizenship Services, Malawi before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.
Cite this page
"Malawi passport photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/malawi/passport-photo