Malaysia photo specifications
Photo sizes and rules for 4 documents issued in Malaysia, taken from the issuing authorities and linked to their official pages.
At a glance
Malaysian passport photos are 35 x 50 mm on white, though most applicants are photographed at the counter. The eVISA takes a 35 x 50 mm upload with the head 30 to 35 mm, on white or, for VDR, blue. Embassy visas use the 3.5 x 5.0 cm box on Form IM.47, usually on white. The APEC Business Travel Card form asks for a passport-size print on blue.
Overview
A Malaysian passport photo is 35 x 50 mm on a plain white background without shadow, with the face at least 25 to 30 mm high; online renewals upload it as a digital file with no published pixel size, and most applicants at a passport counter are photographed on the spot.
The Immigration Department of Malaysia (Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia), part of the Ministry of Home Affairs, sets the photo rules for all four documents here, but each one takes its photo in a different way.
For the Malaysian passport, counters capture a live photo, so only children under 4, online renewals through MyOnline Pasport and some missions abroad need a photo from you, always on white. The eVISA for foreign visitors is applied for on the MyVISA portal with an uploaded 35 x 50 mm photo. Visitors who apply on paper at a Malaysian embassy or high commission attach printed photos to Form IM.47, and each mission sets its own count and background. Malaysian business travellers applying for the APEC Business Travel Card stick a blue-background print on the department's paper form.
Photo specifications by document
Passports
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport | 35 × 50 mm | — | Plain white without shadow |
Visas and travel authorisations
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| eVisa | 35 × 50 mm | — | VTR: plain white. VDR: plain white or plain… |
| Visa | 35 × 50 mm | — | Plain white at most missions |
Travel documents
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| APEC business travel card | 35 × 50 mm | — | Blue |
Frequently asked questions
35 x 50 mm, with a plain white background and the face at least 25 to 30 mm high. The same 35 x 50 mm size is used for the eVISA upload and for the photo box on the IM.47 visa form.
Passport photos must be white, and so must social visit eVISA photos. Visa With Reference eVISA photos may be white or blue, a few missions such as Abu Dhabi accept light blue for paper visas, and the APEC Business Travel Card form asks for blue.
Yes for the eVISA and for passport renewals through MyOnline Pasport. Paper visas at missions and the APEC Business Travel Card need printed photos, and first-time passport applicants are photographed at the counter.
No for passports: MyOnline Pasport rejects photos generated or modified with AI, without a refund. For the eVISA, MDEC's notice on the updated requirements says photos must not be digitally altered or enhanced with filters.
One print of 35 x 50 mm with a shadowless white background, with the child's face at least 25 to 30 mm high, which the Immigration Department describes as 50 to 60% of the photo following ICAO. The High Commission in London asks for two such photos for children below 4. A parent or guardian attends with their MyKad and the birth certificate.
For an online renewal photo, dark clothing that covers your shoulders and chest and, if you wear a tudung or hijab, a dark one without a pattern that leaves the face uncovered. At the counter, take off hats, keep hair off your face and keep your forehead clear under a tudung. Glasses and contact lenses are not allowed in either case.
Nearby countries
Other countries in South-eastern Asia:
Official sources
- Immigration Department of Malaysia. Malaysian International Passport imi.gov.my. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Immigration Department of Malaysia. MyOnline Pasport: online renewal of the Malaysian International Passport imigresen-online.imi.gov.my. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia. Passport renewal, High Commission of Malaysia in London kln.gov.my. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Immigration Department of Malaysia. MyVISA: Passport Photo Requirements malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Immigration Department of Malaysia (hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Visa application form IM.47 kln.gov.my. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Immigration Department of Malaysia. APEC card applicant checklist imi.gov.my. Checked 3 November 2026.
Cite this page
"Malaysia photo specifications". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/malaysia