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Mauritius passport photo requirements

The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by Passport and Immigration Office, Mauritius for the Mauritius passport, with the official wording and sources.

Based on 8 official sources · last checked Official sources Page history

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Quick answer

What size is the Mauritius passport photo?

A Mauritius passport application needs two identical photos, printed professionally and no more than six months old. The Passport and Immigration Office (PIO) accepts prints 35 to 40 mm wide and 45 to 50 mm high, so a standard 35 x 45 mm photo fits, on a light background with the head 25 to 34 mm from chin to crown. Do not trim photos to size. The same rules apply in Port Louis and at Mauritian missions abroad.

Mauritian passports are issued by the Passport and Immigration Office (PIO), whose main office is at Sterling House, Lislet Geoffroy Street, Port Louis, with sub-offices at police district headquarters. A first passport is requested on form PF136 and a renewal on form PF136A. Both forms can be picked up at the PIO, at any police station in Mauritius or at a Mauritian mission abroad, or downloaded from the PIO website.

The PIO does not photograph applicants. Every route, whether a first passport, a renewal, a replacement for a lost or damaged passport or an application made overseas, lists two recent identical passport-size photos on a light background, handed in with the form and the original supporting documents. Citizens living abroad must apply through a Mauritius high commission, embassy or consulate.

Children under 16 receive passports valid for five years; from 16, passports are valid for ten years.

Mauritius passport photo size and specifications

The requirements as published by Passport and Immigration Office, Mauritius:[1]

Print size35 x 45 mm to 40 x 50 mm: 35-40 mm wide and 45-50 mm high (1.38-1.57 x 1.77-1.97 in)
Digital sizeNo digital file: two identical printed photos go in with the paper form
Head height25 to 34 mm from chin to crown (form PF136: 25 to 35 mm)
BackgroundLight background, with your features clearly distinguishable against it
Photo ageTaken within the last 6 months
Print qualityProfessionally printed, matt or low-gloss photo paper; no trimming, creases or writing on either side
Pixels when printed413 × 531 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi (calculated)
35 mm45 mm25–34 mm
35 × 45 mm photo drawn to scale, with the 25–34 mm head height from chin to crown. Background: light background.

In the official words

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

Be printed professionally. Photos printed at home are not likely to be of an acceptable quality

Application Guide (including The Standard of Passport Photos)[1]

The Standard of Passport Photos

Application Guide (including The Standard of Passport Photos)[1]

Key requirements

  • Two identical prints

    Each PIO checklist, for new passports, renewals, replacements and overseas applications, asks for two recent passport-size photos that are identical, meaning two prints of one shot.

  • A size range, not one size

    Width may be anywhere from 35 to 40 mm and height from 45 to 50 mm. The PIO asks applicants not to trim a photo to bring it inside these limits, so order prints at the right size.

  • Head 25 to 34 mm

    Frame a close-up of head and shoulders. The PIO website sets 25 to 34 mm between the bottom of the chin and the crown; form PF136 allows up to 35 mm.

  • Light, contrasting background

    Use a light background that sets your features apart, with no shadows. The picture must be sharp and show a clear edge between face and background.

  • Full face, neutral expression

    Face forward and look straight into the lens, with your mouth closed and both eyes open. Hair, hands or fabric must not hide the eyes, nose or mouth.

  • Professional, matt print

    The PIO wants professionally printed photos on matt or low-gloss paper, free of creases, watermarks and printing on the back. It warns that home-printed photos are unlikely to be good enough.

  • Only you in the frame

    No toys, dummies or other people may appear, and this applies to babies as much as to adults.

Do's and don'ts

Do

  • Order two identical prints from the same shot
  • Have the photos printed professionally on matt photo paper
  • Keep the head 25 to 34 mm from chin to crown
  • Use a light background that contrasts with your face and hair
  • Look straight at the camera with your mouth closed
  • Bring the originals and photocopies of your documents

Don't

  • Do not cut photos down to reach the size limits
  • Do not use prints made on a home printer
  • Do not wear sunglasses or heavily tinted lenses
  • Do not let a toy, dummy or another person appear in a baby's photo
  • Do not write on the front or back of the photos
  • Do not clip the prints in a way that creases them

Sample photos

How a Mauritius 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.

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

You may keep your glasses on if your eyes stay clearly visible. The PIO rules out sunglasses and heavily tinted lenses, glare or reflections on the lenses, and frames that cover the eyes, and it notes that taking glasses off may be the easier option. Form PF136 states the rule more briefly: if the applicant wears glasses, the eyes should be visible.

ICAO's photograph guidelines, the international baseline for passport photos, also suggest lighter frames rather than heavy ones if you have a choice.

Headwear and religious dress

Your whole head should be shown uncovered. A head covering is accepted only when you wear it for religious beliefs or for medical reasons, and even then nothing may hide the outline of your eyes, nose or mouth. Form PF136 adds that the photos are taken without a hat.

Keep hair away from your eyes so that both are open and clearly visible.

Babies and children

The same standards cover babies and young children. For children aged 5 and under, the PIO picks out the essentials: a light background that the child stands out against, nobody and nothing else in the picture, the whole face in view and both eyes open. Keep dummies and toys out of the frame.

Applicants under 18 need the consent of both parents, where applicable. In Mauritius, the parents sign in front of a police officer at a police station or at the PIO; parents who live abroad can sign before a police officer, an official of a Mauritian mission, or a notary or solicitor in their country of residence. If that cannot be arranged, a signed consent letter can be sent to the PIO by registered post. One parent or the guardian submits the form, and children under 16 receive a five-year passport.

Mauritian passports use printed photos only. The PIO describes a paper application, PF136 or PF136A, handed in with two prints, and mentions no online application or photo upload. Have the prints made professionally on matt or low-gloss photo paper; the office warns that photos printed at home are unlikely to be of acceptable quality.

A standard 35 x 45 mm photo sits at the lower end of the size range. A digital photo can be cropped to that size and printed on a 4x6 inch sheet at a photo lab. Do not trim an individual photo to change its size, because the PIO asks applicants not to.

Where to submit the photo

In Mauritius, hand in the form with originals and photocopies of your documents at the PIO main office in Port Louis, or at a PIO sub-office at a police district headquarters on a weekday. On form PF136, your identity and address must first be certified by the police of the area where you live, in Section 5.

Abroad, all applications go through a Mauritius high commission, embassy or consulate, and the police certificate section does not apply. Documents must be in English or French; others need a sworn translation, and documents made abroad may also need an apostille or legalisation.

How to get your Mauritius passport photo

  1. Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Mauritius passport: 35 × 45 mm print, light background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
  2. Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: two identical prints; a size range, not one size; head 25 to 34 mm; light, contrasting background.
  3. Prepare a print or digital file. Mauritian passports use printed photos only. The PIO describes a paper application, PF136 or PF136A, handed in with two prints, and mentions no online application or photo upload.
  4. Submit the photo with your application. In Mauritius, hand in the form with originals and photocopies of your documents at the PIO main office in Port Louis, or at a PIO sub-office at a police district headquarters on a weekday.

Make this photo online

Mauritius passport photo FAQ

Between 35 and 40 mm wide and between 45 and 50 mm high, so a standard 35 x 45 mm print is accepted. The head, from chin to crown, should measure 25 to 34 mm according to the PIO website; form PF136 gives 25 to 35 mm.

Two, and they must be identical: two prints of the same photo. The PIO asks for two in every case, including new passports, renewals, replacements for lost or damaged passports and applications from abroad.

A light one. The PIO wants your features to stand out clearly from the background, with no shadows and a strong contrast between face and background. White meets this rule.

It is not advisable. The PIO asks for professionally printed photos on matt or low-gloss photo paper and says home prints are unlikely to be of acceptable quality. The prints should also be sharp, undamaged and free of writing.

Yes, provided your eyes are clearly visible. Avoid sunglasses, heavily tinted lenses, reflections on the lenses and frames across the eyes. The PIO notes that removing your glasses may be simpler.

Yes. Citizens overseas apply through a Mauritius high commission, embassy or consulate with the same documents, including two recent identical passport-size photos on a light background. The form can be collected from the mission or downloaded from the PIO website.

No. Keep a neutral expression with your mouth closed and look straight at the camera. Form PF136 asks for a clear, full-face photo with the eyes wide open.

No more than six months old. Because the two prints must be identical, both have to come from the same recent photo rather than from two different sittings.

Related photo specifications

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Official sources

  1. Passport and Immigration Office, Mauritius. Application Guide (including The Standard of Passport Photos) passport.govmu.org. Checked 2 November 2026.
  2. Passport and Immigration Office, Mauritius. Application for New Passport passport.govmu.org. Checked 2 November 2026.
  3. Passport and Immigration Office, Mauritius. Renewal of Passport passport.govmu.org. Checked 2 November 2026.
  4. Passport and Immigration Office, Mauritius. Passport for Citizens Abroad passport.govmu.org. Checked 2 November 2026.
  5. Passport and Immigration Office, Mauritius. Application for a Mauritius Passport (form PF136) passport.govmu.org. Checked 2 November 2026.
  6. Passport and Immigration Office, Mauritius. Application for Renewal of Mauritius Passport (form PF136A) passport.govmu.org. Checked 2 November 2026.
  7. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Mauritius. Mauritius Diplomatic Missions Overseas foreign.govmu.org. Checked 2 November 2026.
  8. International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). Photograph Guidelines (Doc 9303 Annex A) icao.int. Checked 2 November 2026.

Requirements can change, so always confirm with Passport and Immigration Office, Mauritius before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.

Cite this page

"Mauritius passport photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/mauritius/passport-photo

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