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Malaysia eVisa photo requirements

The 35 × 50 mm photo rules set by Immigration Department of Malaysia for the Malaysia eVisa, with the official wording and sources.

Based on 6 official sources · last checked Official sources Page history

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Quick answer

What size is the Malaysia eVisa photo?

A Malaysia eVISA photo is 35 x 50 mm, with the head 30 to 35 mm from chin to crown, about 5 mm of space above the head and no border. Visa Without Reference (social visit) applications need a plain white background and a studio photo from the last 6 months; Visa With Reference applications accept white or blue. Upload a JPG or PNG of up to 2 MB, or up to 25 KB for VDR.

The Malaysia eVISA is an electronic visa that foreign nationals who need a visa apply for online before travelling to Malaysia. It is run by the Immigration Department of Malaysia, part of the Ministry of Home Affairs, through the MyVISA portal, which the department calls the only official eVISA website. An individual cannot apply from inside Malaysia, and the eVISA is open to holders of international, diplomatic and official passports only.

There are two categories. Visa Without Reference (VTR) is for social visits, such as seeing family or friends. Visa With Reference (VDR) is for students, workers, dependants and professionals who already hold a visa approval letter from a Malaysian authority. Both upload a 35 x 50 mm passport-style photo, but the background, file size and checks differ. Since 1 July 2026, every VDR photo goes through automated validation before the application can continue.

Malaysia eVisa photo size and specifications

The requirements as published by Immigration Department of Malaysia:[1]

Print size35 x 50 mm (1.38 x 1.97 in), no border or frame
Digital sizeUploaded file; the portal gives no pixel dimensions, only the 35 x 50 mm shape
Head height30 to 35 mm from chin to crown; about 5 mm above the head, 5 to 10 mm below the chin
BackgroundVTR: plain white. VDR: plain white or plain blue. No shadows, patterns or gradients
ColourColour photograph
Photo ageTaken within the last 6 months (VTR)
File sizeVTR: up to 2 MB; VDR: up to 25 KB (MyVISA photo checker limits)
File formatJPG, JPEG or PNG
Pixels when printed413 × 591 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1181 px at 600 dpi (calculated)
35 mm50 mm30–35 mm
35 × 50 mm photo drawn to scale, with the 30–35 mm head height from chin to crown. Background: vTR: plain white. VDR: plain white or plain….

In the official words

Exact wording from the official sources, quoted because the details matter:

The photograph must not be blurred, pixelated, overexposed, underexposed, digitally altered or enhanced using filters.

Updated photo requirements for eVISA/MyVisa applications[6]

Key requirements

  • Head 30 to 35 mm, centred

    Measured from chin to crown, your head fills 30 to 35 mm of the 50 mm height. Leave about 5 mm above the top of the head and 5 to 10 mm below the chin, with the head centred left to right.

  • Full face, neutral expression

    Face the camera with your eyes open and a neutral expression. The portal's examples reject blurred and tilted photos, and faces that are too far away or too small.

  • Studio photo for social visits

    For a Visa Without Reference, the portal's FAQ asks for a studio-taken image with a plain white background, taken in the last six months. Scanned photos and selfies are strictly not permitted.

  • Background depends on the category

    VTR photos need plain white; the portal's examples reject a cream tint and an outdoor scene. VDR photos may be white or blue, but must be plain and uniform, with no gradients, patterns, textures, objects, shadows or reflections.

  • Very small files for VDR

    The photo checker on the portal allows up to 2 MB for a VTR photo but only 25 KB for a VDR photo, in JPG, JPEG or PNG.

  • No border, no filters

    The photo must have no frame or border and must be upright. The MDEC notice on the updated eVISA requirements adds that the photograph must not be digitally altered or enhanced with filters.

Do's and don'ts

Do

  • Test your photo with the portal's photo checker before you apply
  • Leave about 5 mm of space above your head
  • Use a plain white background for a social visit eVISA
  • Keep a VDR photo file at 25 KB or less
  • Keep your whole face visible if you wear a religious head covering
  • Upload the photo upright, facing the camera

Don't

  • Do not upload a selfie or a scan of a printed photo
  • Do not add a border or frame
  • Do not use a cream, patterned or outdoor background
  • Do not apply filters or other digital alterations
  • Do not apply through unofficial eVISA websites
  • Do not let hair or glare on glasses hide your eyes

Sample photos

How a Malaysia eVisa photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 35 × 50 mm, head height and background colour.

Correct
Open-mouth smile
Head tilted
Too close: head too big
Too far: head too small
Busy background
Shadows on face or background
Glare on glasses

Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.

Glasses

The MyVISA specification does not ban glasses outright. It asks for a full face with the eyes open, and the MDEC notice on eVISA photos says the eyes and facial features must not be obstructed by hair, glare from spectacles, headwear or other objects.

If you keep your glasses on, make sure there is no reflection on the lenses and that nothing hides your eyes.

Headwear and religious dress

Religious head coverings are allowed. The portal's photo specification says no head covering, except for religious reasons, and the face must remain fully visible. The MDEC notice puts it the same way for religious and medical reasons: hair, headwear and other objects must not hide the eyes or facial features.

One FAQ answer for social visit applications says the photo must show the full face from chin to crown without any headgear. Read with the main specification, ordinary hats and caps are not accepted, and a hijab or turban worn for religious reasons must leave the whole face uncovered. The eVISA rules say nothing about the ears.

Babies and children

Children need their own application and their own photo to the same 35 x 50 mm specification, and a social visit application for a minor also needs the child's birth certificate. The MDEC notice asks that an infant's or young child's face is clearly visible, unobstructed and photographed against a plain background.

One account can hold up to five applications for up to five people at a time, so a parent can apply for the family, though the portal advises applicants to submit their own applications where possible.

The eVISA takes only a digital photo: there is no paper form and no print to hand in. Upload a JPG, JPEG or PNG, keeping a VTR photo at or under 2 MB and a VDR photo at or under 25 KB. The portal states the photo as 35 x 50 mm rather than in pixels, so crop the image to that 7:10 shape with the head 30 to 35 mm high on the 50 mm scale, then resize the file to fit the limit.

Once the visa is approved, a download link is emailed to you. Print the eVISA on A4 paper, in colour or black and white, or show the digital eVISA Note on your phone on arrival.

Where to submit the photo

Apply only on the MyVISA portal at malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my, run by the Immigration Department of Malaysia. Its FAQ warns that applications made through third-party websites cannot be verified by the official system. You register an account, choose the category, upload your passport biodata page, photo and supporting documents, pay online and download the visa when it is approved. The portal recommends applying at least 14 days before you travel.

For a VDR, you must first hold the Visa Approval Letter (eVAL) issued by the relevant Malaysian authority, and your details must match it. A VDR photo that fails the automated validation must be referred to the relevant VDR Issuing Office for further action.

How to get your Malaysia eVisa photo

  1. Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Malaysia eVisa: 35 × 50 mm print, vTR: plain white. VDR: plain white or plain… background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
  2. Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: head 30 to 35 mm, centred; full face, neutral expression; studio photo for social visits; background depends on the category.
  3. Prepare a print or digital file. The eVISA takes only a digital photo: there is no paper form and no print to hand in. Upload a JPG, JPEG or PNG, keeping a VTR photo at or under 2 MB and a VDR photo at or under 25 KB.
  4. Submit the photo with your application. Apply only on the MyVISA portal at malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my, run by the Immigration Department of Malaysia. Its FAQ warns that applications made through third-party websites cannot be verified by the official system.

Make this photo online

Malaysia eVisa photo FAQ

35 mm wide and 50 mm high, with no border. The head measures 30 to 35 mm from chin to crown, with about 5 mm of space above the head and 5 to 10 mm below the chin.

For a Visa Without Reference (social visit), plain white. For a Visa With Reference, plain white or plain blue. In both cases the background must be uniform, without patterns, gradients, objects, shadows or reflections.

For a social visit eVISA, the portal's FAQ says the photo must be studio-taken and that scanned and selfie photos are strictly not permitted. The VDR rules do not mention a studio but require a plain, shadow-free background and a clear, sharp image.

Common causes in the portal's own examples are a border or frame, a background that is not white (or blue for VDR), a tilted or upside-down image, and a face that is blurred, too far away or too small. A VDR file over 25 KB or a VTR file over 2 MB is also refused by the photo checker.

Yes, if you wear it for religious reasons. The portal allows a head covering for religious reasons as long as the face remains fully visible. Other hats and headwear are not allowed.

Up to 2 MB for a Visa Without Reference and up to 25 KB for a Visa With Reference, according to the photo checker on the MyVISA portal. The accepted formats are JPG, JPEG and PNG.

No. The eVISA is applied for online on the Immigration Department's MyVISA portal and uses an uploaded photo. A paper visa is applied for at a Malaysian mission on Form IM.47 with printed photos, and holders of travel documents other than passports must use that route.

Related photo specifications

Other Malaysia documents

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Official sources

  1. Immigration Department of Malaysia. MyVISA: Passport Photo Requirements malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my. Checked 1 November 2026.
  2. Immigration Department of Malaysia. MyVISA frequently asked questions malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my. Checked 1 November 2026.
  3. Immigration Department of Malaysia. MyVISA Passport Photo Verification malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my. Checked 1 November 2026.
  4. Immigration Department of Malaysia. Activation of photo validation for eVISA VDR applications imi.gov.my. Checked 1 November 2026.
  5. Immigration Department of Malaysia. Department profile: Introduction imi.gov.my. Checked 1 November 2026.
  6. Malaysia Digital Economy Corporation (MDEC). Updated photo requirements for eVISA/MyVisa applications mdec.my. Checked 1 November 2026.

Requirements can change, so always confirm with Immigration Department of Malaysia before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.

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"Malaysia eVisa photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/malaysia/evisa-photo

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