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Malaysia visa photo requirements

The 35 × 50 mm photo rules set by Immigration Department of Malaysia (hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) for the Malaysia visa, with the official wording and sources.

Based on 11 official sources · last checked Official sources Page history

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Quick answer

What size is the Malaysia visa photo?

For a Malaysian visa applied for on paper at a Malaysian embassy, high commission or consulate, Form IM.47 has a photo box of 3.5 x 5.0 cm (35 x 50 mm). Mission pages that name a colour mostly ask for a plain white background; the Embassy in Abu Dhabi also accepts light blue. Missions want one to three recent prints, so check the list of the mission where you apply.

Foreign nationals who need a visa for Malaysia apply either online for an eVISA or on paper at a Malaysian mission abroad. This page covers the paper route. You fill in the Immigration Department of Malaysia's visa application form, IM.47, and hand it to the embassy, high commission or consulate with your passport, photos and supporting documents; some missions also take applications by post or courier. Holders of travel documents other than passports cannot use the eVISA system and are referred to their nearest mission for a normal paper visa.

The IM.47 form has a box marked Photograph of Applicant measuring 3.5 x 5.0 cm, and missions add their own rules on top: how many prints, which background colour and how recent the photo must be. These details differ from one mission to the next, so the page of the mission where you apply is the one to follow.

Malaysia visa photo size and specifications

The requirements as published by Immigration Department of Malaysia (hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs):[1]

Print size3.5 x 5.0 cm (35 x 50 mm, 1.38 x 1.97 in), the photo box on Form IM.47
Digital sizeNo digital file at most missions: printed photos go with the paper IM.47 form
BackgroundPlain white at most missions; Abu Dhabi accepts plain white or light blue
ColourColour (Abu Dhabi and Frankfurt ask for coloured photos)
Photo ageRecent; Abu Dhabi asks for a photo taken within the last 3 months
Print qualityGood-quality prints (Manila); Paris accepts photo booth prints
Pixels when printed413 × 591 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1181 px at 600 dpi (calculated)
35 mm50 mm
35 × 50 mm photo drawn to scale. Background: plain white at most missions.

Key requirements

  • Match the IM.47 photo box

    Form IM.47, the visa application form of the Immigration Department of Malaysia, marks its photo box 3.5 cm x 5.0 cm. The Consulate General in Frankfurt and the Embassy in Manila ask for photos of exactly this size.

  • White unless your mission says otherwise

    Manila, Rabat and London ask for a white background. The Embassy in Abu Dhabi accepts plain white or light blue for social visits and for employment, student and dependant passes.

  • Bring the right number of prints

    Abu Dhabi, Frankfurt and London ask for one photo; New York, Brasilia, Paris and Manila ask for two; the Embassy in Rabat asks students and MTCP participants for three.

  • Recent and in colour

    Abu Dhabi wants a coloured photo taken within the last three months, and Frankfurt asks for a recent coloured photograph. Other missions simply say recent.

  • Some missions want a scan first

    The Embassy in Manila checks a copy of your application online before giving you an appointment, and for employment visas asks you to scan and send the actual photo in good quality.

  • Host-country standards

    The Consulate General in Melbourne's checklist asks for one recent passport-sized photo to the Australian standard with a white background, and the Embassy in Paris accepts Photomaton booth photos.

Do's and don'ts

Do

  • Read the photo list on your own mission's page before printing
  • Print at 3.5 x 5.0 cm unless your mission names another standard
  • Use a plain white background
  • Bring as many identical prints as your mission lists
  • Make an appointment where the mission asks for one
  • Type the IM.47 form, as the form itself instructs

Don't

  • Do not use a blue background unless your mission accepts it
  • Do not send Abu Dhabi a photo older than three months
  • Do not send Manila a blurred or low-quality scan of your photo
  • Do not assume the eVISA upload rules apply to a paper application
  • Do not bring fewer prints than your mission asks for

Sample photos

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

Headwear and religious dress

Mission pages and Form IM.47 do not publish rules on head coverings, glasses or expression for paper visa photos. The nearest published rule from the same department is its eVISA photo specification, which allows no head covering except for religious reasons and requires the face to remain fully visible.

If you wear a head covering for religious reasons, keep your whole face uncovered, and ask the mission if you are unsure what it accepts.

A paper visa needs printed photos. You hand them in, or post them, with the IM.47 form. The Embassy in Manila also wants a good-quality scan of the photo during its online pre-submission. If your nationality can use the eVISA instead, the photo is uploaded as a file to the Immigration Department's portal, which has its own size and background rules.

Which size to choose: 35 x 50 mm on white is the size of the IM.47 photo box and what Frankfurt and Manila state, so use it unless your mission says otherwise. Use 35 x 50 mm on blue only where a mission accepts blue, such as the Embassy in Abu Dhabi, which lists plain white or light blue. No Malaysian mission page or form we read gives 35 x 45 mm; if your mission names a host-country standard, as Melbourne does, follow that wording.

A digital photo can be printed on a 4x6 inch sheet at a photo counter and cut to 3.5 x 5.0 cm.

Where to submit the photo

Apply at the Malaysian embassy, high commission or consulate that covers where you live. Most want you in person. Frankfurt and Paris ask you to make an appointment first, Abu Dhabi has set morning hours for submission, and London requires holders of UK travel documents to appear in person because they cannot use the online system. New York accepts tourist applications in person or by mail, and Brasilia lets applicants who live far away send their documents by prepaid courier.

Brasilia notes that the IM.47 form is available from the embassy or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. Missions may also ask for a return ticket, proof of funds, accommodation details or, for study and work, a visa approval letter from the Immigration Department.

How to get your Malaysia visa photo

  1. Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Malaysia visa: 35 × 50 mm print, plain white at most missions background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
  2. Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: match the IM.47 photo box; white unless your mission says otherwise; bring the right number of prints; recent and in colour.
  3. Prepare a print or digital file. A paper visa needs printed photos. You hand them in, or post them, with the IM.47 form. The Embassy in Manila also wants a good-quality scan of the photo during its online pre-submission.
  4. Submit the photo with your application. Apply at the Malaysian embassy, high commission or consulate that covers where you live. Most want you in person.

Make this photo online

Malaysia visa photo FAQ

3.5 x 5.0 cm, which is 35 x 50 mm. That is the size of the photo box on Form IM.47, and the missions in Frankfurt, Manila and Abu Dhabi state the same size on their visa pages.

White at most missions. Manila, Rabat, London and the Melbourne checklist ask for a white background. The Embassy in Abu Dhabi accepts plain white or light blue, so blue is only safe where your mission says so.

It depends on the mission. Abu Dhabi, Frankfurt and London ask for one, New York, Brasilia, Paris and Manila ask for two, and Rabat asks students and MTCP participants for three.

If your nationality is eligible, you can apply for an eVISA online, and individuals must do so before travelling, not from inside Malaysia. Holders of travel documents other than passports cannot use the eVISA and should ask their nearest mission about a paper visa.

The Embassy of Malaysia in Paris says Photomaton booth photos are accepted. Other missions do not say either way, so make sure a booth print is 3.5 x 5.0 cm and has the background colour your mission asks for.

None of the Malaysian mission pages we read, nor Form IM.47, gives 35 x 45 mm. The form's box is 3.5 x 5.0 cm. The Consulate General in Melbourne asks for a photo to the Australian standard instead, so check your own mission's wording.

Related photo specifications

Other Malaysia documents

Visas and travel authorisations nearby

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Official sources

  1. Immigration Department of Malaysia (hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Visa application form IM.47 kln.gov.my. Checked 1 November 2026.
  2. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia. Visa requirements for foreigners, Embassy of Malaysia in Abu Dhabi kln.gov.my. Checked 1 November 2026.
  3. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia. Visa requirements for foreigners, Embassy of Malaysia in Manila kln.gov.my. Checked 1 November 2026.
  4. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia. Visa requirements for foreigners, Consulate General of Malaysia in Frankfurt kln.gov.my. Checked 1 November 2026.
  5. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia. Visa requirements for foreigners, Embassy of Malaysia in Rabat kln.gov.my. Checked 1 November 2026.
  6. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia. Visa requirements for foreigners, Embassy of Malaysia in Paris kln.gov.my. Checked 1 November 2026.
  7. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia. Visa requirements for foreigners, Consulate General of Malaysia in New York kln.gov.my. Checked 1 November 2026.
  8. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia. Visa requirements for foreigners, Embassy of Malaysia in Brasilia kln.gov.my. Checked 1 November 2026.
  9. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia. Requirements, High Commission of Malaysia in London kln.gov.my. Checked 1 November 2026.
  10. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia. Checklist for Malaysian visa application, Consulate General in Melbourne kln.gov.my. Checked 1 November 2026.
  11. Immigration Department of Malaysia. MyVISA frequently asked questions malaysiavisa.imi.gov.my. Checked 1 November 2026.

Requirements can change, so always confirm with Immigration Department of Malaysia (hosted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.

Cite this page

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

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