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Nepal visa photo requirements

The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal for the Nepal visa, with the official wording and sources.

Based on 10 official sources · last checked Official sources Page history

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Quick answer

What size is the Nepal visa photo?

Most visitors upload their visa photo rather than print it. The Department of Immigration asks ETA applicants for a recent passport photo with a white background; the form asks for good lighting, a plain background and a clearly visible face, as JPG, JPEG or PNG up to 2 MB. Some missions want prints too: Beijing asks for 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in) on the form and 1.5 x 1.5 in (38 x 38 mm) for the online photo.

Visas for Nepal are handled by the Department of Immigration (DoI) under the Ministry of Home Affairs. Tourists have three routes. Most nationalities can get a visa on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu and other entry points. You can apply online to the DoI before travelling for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), the eVisa that is emailed to you once approved. Or you can go through a Nepali embassy or consulate, which uses the DoI's mission portal. Indian citizens need no visa, while nationals of 12 countries, among them Nigeria, Ghana, Iraq and Afghanistan, cannot get one on arrival and must apply in advance.

The ETA and mission applications run on the DoI's Nepali Port system, and both ask for a photograph. The DoI tells ETA applicants to upload a scanned passport copy and a recent passport photo with white background. The form itself asks tourist-visa applicants for a recent passport-size photograph with good lighting, a plain background and the face clearly visible, accepts JPG, JPEG or PNG files and limits each image to 2 MB. For a visa on arrival you complete the Online Tourist Visa form before you fly or at a kiosk at the airport, then show the receipt with your passport.

Missions decide whether they also want paper. The Embassy of Nepal in Beijing asks for one recent passport-size photograph of 35*45 mm stuck to the form, and tells online applicants to have a 1.5 x 1.5 inch digital photograph ready to upload. Tokyo asks for a passport-size photo affixed to the form and Kuwait for two, while Washington and London list the printed online form and passport without a print.

Nepal visa photo size and specifications

The requirements as published by Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal:[1]

Print sizeMission prints: 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in) in Beijing; online photo: 1.5 x 1.5 in (38 x 38 mm) per Beijing
Digital sizeUploaded to the ETA or mission form; the DoI publishes no pixel dimensions
BackgroundWhite (DoI ETA guide); the form asks for a plain background
Photo ageRecent (DoI); no time limit published
File sizeETA form: up to 2 MB per image; Dhaka mission form: up to 4 MB
File formatJPG, JPEG or PNG
Print qualityPrints only where a mission asks: one fixed to the form (Beijing, Tokyo), two in Kuwait
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. Background: white.

Key requirements

  • Upload for an ETA

    The DoI's eVisa route is entirely online: fill in the form, upload a scanned passport copy and a recent passport photo with white background, pay in US dollars by card and receive the approved visa by email. Print it and carry it when you travel.

  • Plain, well lit, face visible

    The tourist-visa form asks for a recent passport-size photograph with good lighting, a plain background and your face clearly visible. It takes a separate scan of your passport, which must be clear, complete and readable.

  • JPG, JPEG or PNG up to 2 MB

    The ETA form accepts .jpg, .jpeg and .png images and asks for files of up to 2 MB. The Embassy of Nepal in Dhaka, which issues eTAs through the mission portal, says images should not exceed 4 MB.

  • Prints for some missions

    Beijing asks for one recent passport-size photograph of 35*45 mm affixed to the form. Tokyo wants a passport-size photo fixed to the form, and Kuwait asks for two with its manual application form. London asks for one recent print only from diplomatic and official passport holders.

  • Online photo size

    The only official size we found for the uploaded photo is in Beijing's guide to the online form: a recent digital photograph of 1.5 x 1.5 inches. The DoI itself gives no dimensions, only that the photo should be recent, passport-size and on white.

  • Photo for an extension

    Tourist visas are extended inside Nepal, up to 150 days per calendar year, at the DoI in Kalikasthan, Kathmandu and the Immigration Office in Pokhara. The DoI tells applicants to bring their passport and a recent passport-size photo.

Do's and don'ts

Do

  • Use a recent photo with a plain white background.
  • Face the camera in even light with your whole face visible.
  • Save the photo as JPG, JPEG or PNG under 2 MB.
  • Print the emailed ETA or the submission receipt and carry it.
  • Check your mission's page for how many prints it wants.
  • Bring a passport-size photo when you extend your visa in Nepal.

Don't

  • Do not swap the portrait and passport-scan uploads.
  • Do not use a patterned or coloured background.
  • Do not upload a file larger than 2 MB.
  • Do not count on a visa on arrival if your nationality is restricted.
  • Do not let the 15-day submission receipt expire before you arrive.

Sample photos

How a Nepal visa 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.

Babies and children

Every traveller needs their own application, children included. The DoI grants a free (gratis) tourist visa of up to 30 days to children under 10 of every nationality except US citizens, but says gratis applicants must still complete the online form. Beijing adds a birth certificate for children under 10, and the Washington embassy confirms that US citizens pay the normal fee for children too.

The DoI publishes no separate photo rule for children, so the form's requirements apply: a recent passport-size photo, plain background, good lighting and the face clearly visible.

If you apply online for an ETA or through the mission portal, the uploaded file is what counts. The DoI gives no pixel size, so the practical rule is a recent passport-style portrait on white, saved as JPG, JPEG or PNG under 2 MB. The 1.5 x 1.5 inch (38 x 38 mm) size listed for online applications comes from the Beijing embassy's guide; a digital photo can be cropped to that square before upload.

Paper matters only at missions that ask for it. Beijing wants a 35 x 45 mm print affixed to the form, and Tokyo and Kuwait ask for passport-size prints without giving a size; these can be printed on a 4x6 inch sheet at a photo counter. Tokyo notes that if you attached the photo to the online form, you may submit the receipt even when the photo does not appear on it. We found no Nepali government page asking for a 2 x 2 inch (51 x 51 mm) visa photo.

Where to submit the photo

For an ETA, apply on the DoI's eVisa portal and pay online; use the visa within 6 months of issue. For a visa on arrival, complete the Online Tourist Visa form, pay at the bank counter at the airport and go to the immigration desk; the submission receipt stays valid for 15 days.

Through a mission, select your embassy on the mission portal, then send or bring the printed form with your passport. London takes ETA applications in person or by post; Washington takes them in person or by mail with a tracked return envelope, and only for application IDs starting with M. Beijing wants applications made in person and does not accept passports by parcel.

How to get your Nepal visa photo

  1. Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Nepal visa: 35 × 45 mm print, white background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
  2. Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: upload for an ETA; plain, well lit, face visible; jPG, JPEG or PNG up to 2 MB; prints for some missions.
  3. Prepare a print or digital file. If you apply online for an ETA or through the mission portal, the uploaded file is what counts. The DoI gives no pixel size, so the practical rule is a recent passport-style portrait on white, saved as JPG, JPEG or PNG under 2 MB.
  4. Submit the photo with your application. For an ETA, apply on the DoI's eVisa portal and pay online; use the visa within 6 months of issue.

Make this photo online

Nepal visa photo FAQ

The DoI gives no dimensions for the online upload: it asks for a recent passport-size photo with a white background, as JPG, JPEG or PNG up to 2 MB. Beijing's guide gives 1.5 x 1.5 inches (38 x 38 mm) for the digital photo and 35 x 45 mm for the print affixed to its form.

The DoI's on-arrival steps list the Online Tourist Visa form, completed on its website before you fly or at a kiosk at Tribhuvan airport, the bank payment receipt and your passport. A printed photo is not on that list.

White. The DoI's guide to the ETA asks for a recent passport photo with white background, and the application form asks for a plain background with good lighting and your face clearly visible. Avoid patterns, scenery and coloured walls.

The ETA form accepts JPG, JPEG and PNG files and asks for images of up to 2 MB. The Embassy of Nepal in Dhaka, which processes eTAs through the mission portal, gives a 4 MB limit for the images of documents.

It depends on the mission. Beijing asks for one 35 x 45 mm photo affixed to the form, Tokyo for a passport-size photo on the form, and Kuwait for two. London and Washington list the printed online application, passport and fee, with no print for ordinary passport holders.

We found no Nepali government or mission page that asks for 2 x 2 inch (51 x 51 mm) photos. The DoI asks for a passport-size photo, and Beijing, the one mission page we found with sizes, uses 35 x 45 mm for prints and 1.5 x 1.5 inches online. Ask your mission before using a square print.

Yes. Each traveller completes their own online application, and the DoI says gratis applicants, such as children under 10, must still complete it. The DoI sets no separate photo rule for children, so use a recent photo on a plain background with the face clearly visible.

Yes. Extensions are issued at the Department of Immigration in Kalikasthan, Kathmandu and at the Immigration Office in Pokhara, and the DoI tells applicants to bring their passport and a recent passport-size photo. Tourist stays can be extended up to 150 days per calendar year.

Related photo specifications

Other Nepal documents

Visas and travel authorisations nearby

Also 35 × 45 mm

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Official sources

  1. Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal. ETA / eVisa: Tourist visa guide immigration.gov.np. Checked 1 November 2026.
  2. Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal. Visa Information immigration.gov.np. Checked 1 November 2026.
  3. Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal. Online Visa Application immigration.gov.np. Checked 1 November 2026.
  4. Department of Immigration, Government of Nepal. Visa Application for ETA (Nepali Port) nepaliport-new.immigration.gov.np. Checked 1 November 2026.
  5. Embassy of Nepal, Beijing. Visa cn.nepalembassy.gov.np. Checked 1 November 2026.
  6. Embassy of Nepal, Tokyo. Visa jp.nepalembassy.gov.np. Checked 1 November 2026.
  7. Embassy of Nepal, Kuwait. Procedures to obtain visa for Nepal kw.nepalembassy.gov.np. Checked 1 November 2026.
  8. Embassy of Nepal, Dhaka. Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA) bd.nepalembassy.gov.np. Checked 1 November 2026.
  9. Embassy of Nepal, London. Visa uk.nepalembassy.gov.np. Checked 1 November 2026.
  10. Embassy of Nepal, Washington DC. Tourist Visas us.nepalembassy.gov.np. Checked 1 November 2026.

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

Cite this page

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

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