Independent reference to official photo rules

Not affiliated with any government. Always confirm with the issuing authority before you apply.

WorldPhotoSpecsOfficial photo rules for every country

Identity cards

Nepal ID card photo requirements

The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by Embassy of Nepal, Paris for the Nepal ID card, with the official wording and sources.

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

Rate this page

Quick answer

What size is the Nepal ID card photo?

It depends which card. For the Non-Resident Nepali (NRN) ID card you upload a recent passport-size photo with the online application: the embassies in Paris and Washington give 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in) at 300 x 400 pixels, and Washington caps JPEG or PNG files at 150 KB. The National Identity Card needs no photo from you, because it is taken with your fingerprints and iris scans at the registration station.

Two Nepali identity cards come up when people look for an ID card photo, and they handle photos in opposite ways. This page covers the Non-Resident Nepali (NRN) ID card, the one that uses a photo you supply. It is issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through Nepali embassies and consulates under the Non-Resident Nepali Act, 2008. It is for foreign citizens of Nepali origin whose parent or grandparent was a Nepali citizen, and for Nepali citizens who have lived abroad for at least two years, excluding SAARC countries in both cases. London lists a free visa to Nepal for as long as the card is valid among its benefits.

Since February 2023 the NRN card has been digital, replacing the handwritten or typed card, and every applicant fills in the form on the ministry's NRN portal. Paris asks for a recent passport-size photo 45 mm high and 35 mm wide at 400*300 pixels, and Washington lists the same, which is 35 x 45 mm at 300 x 400 pixels written width first. You upload the photo, then print the completed form, sign it and give it to the embassy with your documents.

The National Identity Card is the chip-based smart card that the Department of National ID and Civil Registration issues to Nepali citizens aged 16 and over who hold a citizenship certificate. It stores a photo, all ten fingerprints, iris scans and an electronic signature, captured at the registration station. Its online pre-enrolment only records your personal details and books an appointment for biometric capture, so there is no photo to prepare.

Nepal ID card photo size and specifications

The requirements as published by Embassy of Nepal, Paris:[1]

Print sizeNRN ID card: 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in), written 45 x 35 mm; National ID card: none, taken at enrolment
Digital sizeNRN ID card: 300 x 400 pixels; Paris and Washington write it height first, as 400*300
BackgroundNot specified on the NRN pages of the London, Paris or Washington embassies
Photo ageRecent (London, Paris, Washington)
File sizeWashington: photo up to 150 KB (JPEG or PNG); scanned PDFs up to 500 KB
File formatJPEG or PNG
Print qualityNRN card: digital upload, no print requested by London or Paris; National ID: nothing to print
Pixels when printed413 × 531 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi (calculated)
35 mm45 mm
35 × 45 mm photo drawn to scale.

Key requirements

  • Know which card you need

    The NRN ID card, applied for through an embassy, takes a photo you supply. The National Identity Card, issued inside Nepal by the Department of National ID and Civil Registration, takes its own photo at the registration station. Only the NRN card needs a photo file from you.

  • 35 x 45 mm at 300 x 400 pixels

    Paris asks for a recent passport size photo 45 mm in height and 35 mm in width, 400*300 pixels. Washington lists a recent passport-size photograph of 45 mm x 35 mm, 400x300 pixels. Both give height first; the portrait is 300 pixels wide and 400 high.

  • Keep the file small

    Washington's instructions for the NRN portal say the photo must be JPEG or PNG and no larger than 150 KB, and PDFs no larger than 500 KB. London lets you combine the other documents in one PDF under 1 MB, but the photo and signature are uploaded separately.

  • Upload, then print and sign

    After you upload the photo and documents and submit the form, print the completed application, sign it and hand it to the embassy in person or by post. Washington tells applicants to choose its own office as the agency on the portal, or it cannot retrieve the application.

  • National ID photo taken by staff

    For the National Identity Card the Department records your photo with ten fingerprints, iris images and an electronic signature at the registration station. You must also come in person to collect the card, because your biometrics are checked when it is handed over.

  • No hats or make-up for the National ID

    Clause 16 (c) and (d) of the National Identity Card Procedure, 2078 bars cosmetic make-up, hats, burqas, caps and similar items when the National ID photo is taken.

Do's and don'ts

Do

  • Crop the NRN photo to 35 x 45 mm, 300 x 400 pixels.
  • Save it as JPEG or PNG, under 150 KB if you apply through Washington.
  • Upload the photo and signature separately from your PDF documents.
  • Select your own embassy as the agency on the NRN portal.
  • Book a biometric appointment through National ID pre-enrolment.
  • Take off make-up, hats and caps before the National ID photo.

Don't

  • Do not print photos for the National Identity Card.
  • Do not wear a burqa, hat or cap for the National ID photo.
  • Do not bring photocopies instead of original documents to National ID registration.
  • Do not send someone else to collect your National ID card.
  • Do not choose another embassy as the agency on the NRN portal.

Sample photos

How a Nepal ID card photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 35 × 45 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

For the National Identity Card, clause 16 (c) and (d) of the National Identity Card Procedure, 2078 rules out cosmetic make-up, hats, burqas, caps and similar items when the photo is taken. The Department explains that such items stop staff taking a photo of the size and quality the international standard calls for, and can make the face unclear.

The NRN card pages of the London, Paris and Washington embassies set no headwear rule for the uploaded photo.

Babies and children

The National Identity Card is currently issued only to people aged 16 and over, on the basis of a citizenship certificate. The Department says minors, NRNs and foreigners living in Nepal for a set period will be included in a second phase, to be announced by public notice.

For the NRN card, London says family members of NRNs can also register as NRN and get their own ID cards. Each card needs its own application on the portal.

The NRN card is applied for digitally. The photo goes into the portal, and what you hand to the embassy is the printed, signed application form with your documents. London asks for one digital copy of a recent passport-size photograph, and Paris lists the photo among the scanned copies to have ready on your computer. A digital photo can be cropped and resized to 300 x 400 pixels before upload.

The 25 x 30 mm size often listed for a Nepal ID card is not set by any official page we read. For the National Identity Card there is nothing to print or upload, as the photo is taken at the registration station.

Where to submit the photo

Apply for the NRN card on the ministry's NRN portal, choosing the embassy that covers where you live, then give the signed printout and documents to that embassy. London accepts them in person, by post or electronically; Washington by mail or drop-off; Paris asks for them in person.

For the National Identity Card, register at a District Administration Office, at an Area Administration Office with a registration station, or at a ward-level registration campaign. Collect the card from the place where you registered once you receive the SMS saying it is printed.

How to get your Nepal ID card photo

  1. Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Nepal ID card: 35 × 45 mm print, 300 × 400 px digital file. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
  2. Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: know which card you need; 35 x 45 mm at 300 x 400 pixels; keep the file small; upload, then print and sign.
  3. Prepare a print or digital file. The NRN card is applied for digitally. The photo goes into the portal, and what you hand to the embassy is the printed, signed application form with your documents.
  4. Submit the photo with your application. Apply for the NRN card on the ministry's NRN portal, choosing the embassy that covers where you live, then give the signed printout and documents to that embassy.

Make this photo online

Nepal ID card photo FAQ

For the NRN ID card, embassies in Paris and Washington ask for a recent passport-size photo 35 mm wide and 45 mm high, at 300 x 400 pixels, uploaded with the online application. The National Identity Card needs no photo from you: it is taken at the registration station.

No. The Department of National ID and Civil Registration captures your photo, ten fingerprints, iris images and an electronic signature at the registration station. Its online pre-enrolment only takes your personal details and books an appointment for that biometric capture.

Paris and Washington give 400*300 pixels, height first, so the photo is 300 pixels wide and 400 high. Washington's portal instructions say the photo must be a JPEG or PNG of no more than 150 KB, and PDF documents no more than 500 KB.

No. Under clause 16 (c) and (d) of the National Identity Card Procedure, 2078, the photo cannot be taken while wearing cosmetic make-up, a hat, a burqa, a cap or similar items. The Department says they prevent a photo of standard size and quality and can hide the face.

Foreign citizens of Nepali origin whose parent or grandparent was a Nepali citizen, and Nepali citizens who have lived abroad for at least two years, in both cases outside SAARC countries. London says family members of NRNs can also register. Washington issues cards valid for 10 years to foreign citizens and 2 years to Nepali nationals.

Yes. The Department says you must be present when the card is handed over, because your biometric details are verified at that point. Collect it from the place where you registered, after the SMS saying the card has been printed.

If you are over 16 and apply in Nepal, yes: the Department of Passports makes the National ID mandatory for those applicants. It is not mandatory for children under 16 or for anyone applying through a Nepali mission abroad.

Related photo specifications

Other Nepal documents

Identity cards nearby

Also 35 × 45 mm

Was this page helpful?

No ratings yet. Be the first to rate this page.

Official sources

  1. Embassy of Nepal, Paris. NRN ID fr.nepalembassy.gov.np. Checked 1 November 2026.
  2. Embassy of Nepal, Washington DC. Non-Resident Nepali (NRN) ID Card Application us.nepalembassy.gov.np. Checked 1 November 2026.
  3. Embassy of Nepal, Washington DC. NRN Card Application Process (PDF) giwmscdnone.gov.np. Checked 1 November 2026.
  4. Embassy of Nepal, London. NRN ID uk.nepalembassy.gov.np. Checked 1 November 2026.
  5. Embassy of Nepal, London. Instructions for the digital NRN ID application (Nepali) uk.nepalembassy.gov.np. Checked 1 November 2026.
  6. Department of National ID and Civil Registration. Frequently asked questions: National Identity Card (Nepali) donidcr.gov.np. Checked 1 November 2026.
  7. Department of National ID and Civil Registration. NID Pre-Enrollment System enrollment.donidcr.gov.np. Checked 1 November 2026.
  8. Department of Passports, Government of Nepal. Frequently asked questions (Nepali) nepalpassport.gov.np. Checked 1 November 2026.

Requirements can change, so always confirm with Embassy of Nepal, Paris before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.

Cite this page

"Nepal ID card photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/nepal/id-card-photo

Categories: