Maldives passport photo requirements
The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by Maldives Immigration for the Maldives passport, with the official wording and sources.
Quick answer
What size is the Maldives passport photo?
A Maldivian passport photo is 35 x 45 mm with a white, unpatterned background, taken within one month of applying. Maldives Immigration's standard asks for a face 32 to 36 mm tall (70 to 80% of the photo), a neutral expression with the mouth closed, and no head covering unless allowed for religious reasons. You upload a digital photo, not a scan, on the IMUGA portal when you apply online.
Maldivian passports are issued by Maldives Immigration to Maldivian citizens. The application is made online on its IMUGA portal: you register, choose the Dhivehi Passport service, select New Application, fill in the fields, and upload a passport-size photo together with a clear photo of your signature. Immigration's own photo guide, the Maldives Passport Photo Standard, sets the rules for that photo.
The standard says it aligns with ICAO specifications for machine readable travel documents and that the same guideline is followed for Immigration's other identification documents. It also explains why the photo must be clean and high in contrast. The second-generation Maldivian ePassport has a polycarbonate data page, and the image printed on it is black and white grey scale, so a face that blends into the background will not reproduce well.
The responsibility is yours: the standard states that it is the applicant's responsibility to make sure the submitted photo meets its requirements, and that applicants with special needs and other exceptional cases will be considered. The application pages describe Immigration taking the photo itself in two situations, set out under where to apply.
Maldives passport photo size and specifications
The requirements as published by Maldives Immigration:[1]
| Print size | 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in), as labelled on the standard's sample photo |
|---|---|
| Digital size | No pixel size published; upload a digital photo (not a scan) on the IMUGA portal |
| Head height | Face 32 to 36 mm (70 to 80% of the photo); refused only if under 27 mm or over 40 mm |
| Background | White, in contrast with face and hair; not patterned; no borders |
| Colour | Natural colour; the FAQ asks for clear, full-colour files |
| Photo age | Taken within one month (the standard says the last 30 days) before the application |
| File size | Not published; the IMUGA upload screen shows the size limit |
| File format | Set by the upload screen; the FAQ says commonly PDF or JPG/PNG |
| Print quality | If printed: high-quality paper, at least 600 dpi, no creases or staples; the online route takes a digital file |
| Pixels when printed | 413 × 531 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi (calculated) |
Key requirements
- Face fills 70 to 80% of the photo
The photo must clearly show the facial features from the bottom of the chin to the crown, which is the top of the head, not the top of the hair, with the left and right sides of the face. The face must take up 70 to 80% of the photo, which corresponds to 32 to 36 mm. Because the crown is hard to judge without hair, photos should be rejected only if the face measures less than 27 mm or more than 40 mm.
- Digital, and taken within one month
The IMUGA application asks for a passport-size photo taken within one month of the application date. The FAQ adds that it must be a digital photograph, not a scanned copy or a photograph of another photograph. The standard's own wording is that the photo must be taken within the last 30 days.
- White background, nothing else in view
The background must be white, in contrast with face and hair, and must not be patterned. The photo must not include borders, and it must show only the person being photographed, with no other people or objects. A blue background is shown as a fault.
- Neutral face, head straight
The head should be neither tilted nor turned, in portrait style, with a neutral expression, the mouth closed and the person looking directly at the camera. Lighting must be even, and shadows, reflections and red eyes are to be avoided. Facial ornaments that obscure the face, and make-up that is non-neutral or gives a deceptive look, are not allowed.
- Eyes open and clear
The eyes must be open and clearly visible and must not be covered by hair or eyeglass frames. Flash reflection on lenses or sunglasses is unacceptable, and the edge of the lenses or frames must not cover any part of the eyes.
- No sharp-edge edits
Under "Lighting and Editing", the standard says that sharp edge edits on the photo will not be accepted. Its example of a fault is sharp edge edits on hair. The pages read do not list any other editing rule.
- Darker clothes
The standard asks for a darker shade of clothing because the photo must have a white background, and says light clothes blend into it. Light-coloured clothing and a light-coloured hijab are both shown as faults. Photos taken in uniform are not accepted if they show any component of the uniform.
- Smaller face for children
For children aged 9 and under, the face should take up 50 to 80% of the photo and measure between 22 and 36 mm. For children aged 5 and under, the face should take up 50 to 80% of the photo, and the child does not need a neutral expression, to look at the camera or to be centred.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Take the photo within one month before you apply.
- Upload a digital photo, not a scan of a print.
- Stand in front of a plain white wall with even light on your face.
- Look straight at the camera with a neutral expression and your mouth closed.
- Keep your face 32 to 36 mm tall on a 45 mm photo, which is 70 to 80% of the height.
- Wear a darker top so you stand out against the white background.
- Show your whole face from chin to crown, with both sides visible.
Don't
- Do not upload a scanned copy or a photograph of another photograph.
- Do not use a patterned or coloured background, or add a border.
- Do not let hair, glasses frames or flash reflections cover your eyes.
- Do not wear tinted glasses or a hat, apart from a religious head covering that leaves the face clear.
- Do not apply edits that leave sharp edges, especially around the hair.
- Do not wear light clothes that merge with the background, or any part of a uniform.
- Do not include other people or objects in the picture.
Sample photos
How a Maldives passport photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 35 × 45 mm, head height and background colour.
Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.
Glasses
The standard does not ban glasses. It asks for eyes that are open and clearly visible, not covered by hair or eyeglass frames. Flash reflection on the lenses or on sunglasses is unacceptable, and the edge of the lenses or frames must not cover any part of the eyes. Its fault examples include dark tinted glasses, frames covering the eyes and flash reflection. If reflections are a problem, retake the photo rather than editing it.
Headwear and religious dress
Hats and head coverings are not permitted. The standard says exceptions may be made, in particular for religious reasons, with women wearing a hijab as its example. If a head covering is allowed, the face must be visible from the bottom of the chin to the crown. A hijab that covers the chin and eyebrows is shown as a fault, and the standard notes that a light-coloured hijab blends into the white background.
Babies and children
For children aged 9 and under, the face should take up 50 to 80% of the photo, measured from the bottom of the chin to the crown, and should measure between 22 and 36 mm. Photos are rejected only if the face is under 17 mm or over 40 mm.
For children aged 5 and under, the face should also take up 50 to 80% of the photo. They do not need a neutral expression or to look directly at the camera, and their heads do not have to be centred. The standard's examples for babies list headwear, an object in the photo and a second person in the background as faults. Applications for anyone under 18 are submitted by a parent or legal guardian.
Printed and digital photos
The application is digital. The IMUGA portal asks for a recent digital passport photograph, and the FAQ says it must be a digital photograph and not a scanned copy or a photograph of another photograph. No pixel size is published. The upload screen shows the allowed file types and size limits, and the FAQ says the types are commonly PDF or JPG/PNG.
The standard also describes printed photos: high-quality paper, a print resolution of at least 600 dpi, and a clean photo free of creases, staples, pins, paper clips, folds, ink marks or pen indentations. Outside the standard online upload, the application pages mention a passport-size photo for two special routes: a medical-emergency application, where a third party can submit one if the patient cannot visit in person, and applicants aged 65 and over, whose photo Immigration takes if they have none. A digital photo can be cropped and resized to the required proportions, or printed on a 4x6 inch sheet at a photo counter if a print is needed.
Where to submit the photo
Apply on the IMUGA portal, linked from the Maldives Immigration website. After you submit, a text message tells you when the application is verified and ready for payment, which is made through the Bank of Maldives gateway. A second text gives the collection date and time. Electronic passports must be collected in person by the holder at an Immigration office.
The application pages describe two cases where Immigration takes the photo itself. An applicant aged 65 or over who visits in person without a passport-size photo has it taken by the Passport Section, and a medical-emergency applicant who presents the medical document at the office has the photograph taken there. A news item of 23 July 2026 adds that a dedicated facility now helps customers with passport photographs and the online application.
Maldivians overseas can also apply through IMUGA and choose their collection location, according to the FAQ. The Permanent Mission in Geneva says to apply on IMUGA and select the mission as the collection point, and that people living abroad are eligible for a non-electronic passport. No separate photo rule for applications from abroad was found.
How to get your Maldives passport photo
- Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Maldives passport: 35 × 45 mm print, white background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
- Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: face fills 70 to 80% of the photo; digital, and taken within one month; white background, nothing else in view; neutral face, head straight.
- Prepare a print or digital file. The application is digital. The IMUGA portal asks for a recent digital passport photograph, and the FAQ says it must be a digital photograph and not a scanned copy or a photograph of another photograph. No pixel size is published.
- Submit the photo with your application. Apply on the IMUGA portal, linked from the Maldives Immigration website. After you submit, a text message tells you when the application is verified and ready for payment, which is made through the Bank of Maldives gateway.
Maldives passport photo FAQ
The sample photo in the Maldives Immigration standard is labelled 35 mm wide and 45 mm tall, so 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in). The face must fill 70 to 80% of the photo, which is 32 to 36 mm from chin to crown.
The application asks you to upload your own digital passport-size photo, and the pages read do not require a studio. The photo must still meet the Passport Photo Standard, and it must be a digital photograph, not a scan or a picture of a print.
It must be taken within one month of the application date, according to the application page and the FAQ. The photo standard words it as taken within the last 30 days.
White, in contrast with the face and hair, and not patterned. The photo must have no borders and show only the person being photographed. Light clothes blend into a white background, so the standard recommends darker clothing.
The standard does not forbid glasses. Your eyes must be open and clearly visible, not covered by frames or hair, with no flash reflection on the lenses and no dark tinted lenses. The edge of the lenses or frames must not cover any part of the eyes.
Head coverings are not permitted in general, but exceptions may be made, in particular for religious reasons such as a hijab. The face must be visible from the bottom of the chin to the crown, with nothing covering the chin or eyebrows.
The standard says sharp edge edits on the photo will not be accepted, and shows sharp edge edits on hair as a fault. The pages read do not describe other editing rules. Take the photo against a white background so that little editing is needed.
For children aged 9 and under the face should be 50 to 80% of the photo and 22 to 36 mm tall. Children aged 5 and under do not need a neutral expression or to look at the camera, and their heads do not have to be centred.
Yes. You upload it on the IMUGA portal, and the FAQ says it must be a digital photograph, not a scanned copy or a photograph of another photograph. The portal shows the allowed file types and size limits when you upload.
Related photo specifications
Passports nearby
- Afghanistan passport photo 40 × 50 mm
- Bangladesh passport photo 89 × 127 mm
- Bhutan passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- India passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Iran passport photo 30 × 40 mm
- Nepal passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Pakistan passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Sri Lanka passport photo 35 × 45 mm
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 Maldives photo specifications
- Passports: photo rules by country
- Every document that uses a 35 × 45 mm photo
- Photo specifications in Asia
Official sources
- Maldives Immigration. Maldives Passport Photo Standard Guide immigration.gov.mv. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Maldives Immigration. How to Apply for Maldivian Passport immigration.gov.mv. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Maldives Immigration. FAQ immigration.gov.mv. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Maldives Immigration. Maldivian Passport immigration.gov.mv. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Maldives Immigration. Changes to Dhivehi Passport Services: Enhancing Convenience for Citizens immigration.gov.mv. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Permanent Mission of the Republic of Maldives, Geneva. Passport Renewal (Geneva) mdvmission.gov.mv. Checked 2 November 2026.
Requirements can change, so always confirm with Maldives Immigration before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.
Cite this page
"Maldives passport photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/maldives/passport-photo