New Zealand photo specifications
Photo sizes and rules for 12 documents issued in New Zealand, taken from the issuing authorities and linked to their official pages.
At a glance
New Zealand passports and visas are applied for online with a 3:4 digital photo; their paper forms take 35 x 45 mm prints. The refugee travel document and certificate of identity need 2 printed 35 x 45 mm photos. The APEC Business Travel Card takes an emailed photo for a 35 x 45 mm panel, the Kiwi Access card two 35 x 45 mm prints or a webcam photo, and a firearms licence a JPG of 900 x 1200 to 4500 x 6000 pixels or one paper print.
Overview
A New Zealand passport photo for an online application is a colour JPG in 3:4 portrait format, 900 to 4500 pixels wide, 1200 to 6000 pixels high and 250 KB to 5 MB, on a plain light-coloured background, while paper passport forms take 2 prints of 35 x 45 mm.
Three government bodies set most New Zealand photo rules. Te Tari Taiwhenua, the Department of Internal Affairs, issues passports and the travel documents for non-citizens through the Passport Office. Immigration New Zealand, part of MBIE, handles visas, the NZeTA and the APEC Business Travel Card. Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand has been the firearms regulator since 23 September 2026. The Kiwi Access card, an evidence of age and photo ID card, is managed by Hospitality New Zealand.
The biggest difference is how the photo reaches the issuer. Passport, visa and firearms licence applications are mostly made online and take a digital file with set pixel and file-size limits, so no print size applies. Paper passport, visa and firearms licence forms, the refugee travel document and an in-store Kiwi Access application use 35 x 45 mm prints. Backgrounds differ too: DIA's paper forms and Kiwi Access ask for a light colour that is not white, while the firearms licence asks only for a plain, light-coloured background.
Recency also varies. Passport, visa, refugee travel document and APEC card photos must be under 6 months old; the Kiwi Access card and firearms licence accept photos taken within the last 12 months.
Photo specifications by document
Passports
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Passport | 35 × 45 mm | 4500 × 6000 px | Online: plain and light-coloured, in strong… |
Visas and travel authorisations
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| New zealand electronic travel authority (NZeTA) | — | — | Plain and neutral, showing only the applicant |
| Visa | 35 × 45 mm | 2250 × 3000 px | Neutral and plain, only you in it |
Identity cards
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evidence of age document | 35 × 45 mm | — | Plain, light coloured background that is not… |
Driving licences
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Driver licence | 35 × 45 mm | — | Plain light background |
Citizenship and naturalisation
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citizenship application photo | 35 × 45 mm | 4500 × 6000 px | Plain, light background as the passport photo… |
Travel documents
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| APEC business travel card | 35 × 45 mm | — | Neutral and plain, with no other people or… |
| Certificate of identity / refugee travel document | — | — | Plain and light, but not white, with strong… |
| Refugee travel document | 35 × 45 mm | — | Plain and light, but not white, with strong… |
Student cards
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| University student ID card | — | 4500 × 6000 px | Plain, light-coloured |
Licences and permit cards
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firearms licence | 35 × 45 mm | 4500 × 6000 px | Plain, light-coloured |
Other documents
| Document | Print size | Digital size | Background |
|---|---|---|---|
| RealMe verified identity | — | — | Plain, with no people or objects behind the… |
Frequently asked questions
Printed ID photos in New Zealand are 35 mm wide and 45 mm high: the size for paper passport and visa forms, refugee travel documents, certificates of identity and the Kiwi Access card. Online applications for passports, visas and firearms licences use digital files measured in pixels instead.
Both use a 3:4 portrait JPG, but the limits differ. DIA accepts 900 to 4500 pixels wide and 250 KB to 5 MB for passports. Immigration New Zealand accepts 900 x 1200 to 2250 x 3000 pixels and 512 KB to 3.14 MB for visas, so a large passport file may need resizing.
Yes, with a helper. DIA rejects selfies for passports, and Immigration New Zealand accepts them only in the NZeTA app. Both ask for a plain background, even lighting, a neutral expression and no filters, AI or other edits to the image.
Paper passport and visa forms, the certificate of identity and refugee travel document form, and an in-store Kiwi Access card application all need printed 35 x 45 mm colour photos, usually 2 identical copies. The paper firearms licence form takes a single print of that size, while MyFirearms takes a digital file, and the APEC Business Travel Card photo is emailed.
For a paper application at a participating NZ Post shop or AA Centre, bring 2 identical colour prints, 35 x 45 mm, taken within the last 12 months, on a plain light background that is not white. The online application takes your photo with your phone camera or webcam instead.
A recent digital photo taken within the last 12 months: a portrait JPG or JPEG, 900 to 4500 pixels wide and 1200 to 6000 pixels high, between 25 KB and 10 MB, in colour on a plain, light-coloured background. Scanned prints are not accepted. The paper application form takes one colour print instead, shown on the form as 35 x 45 mm.
A plain, light colour with strong contrast against your face, and nothing behind your head: no objects, no other people and no shadows. DIA's paper forms add that the background must not be white, and its phone guide says pale blues, greys and creams work better than white, so a pale shade other than white is the safest choice for both online and paper applications.
Nearby countries
Other countries in Australia and New Zealand:
Official sources
- New Zealand Passports, Department of Internal Affairs. Passport photos passports.govt.nz. Checked 3 November 2026.
- New Zealand Passports, Department of Internal Affairs. Online Photo Checker onlinephotochecker.passports.govt.nz. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Immigration New Zealand. Acceptable photos for a visa or NZeTA immigration.govt.nz. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Department of Internal Affairs. PAS205 Application for a certificate of identity or refugee travel document passports.govt.nz. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Immigration New Zealand. APEC Business Travel Card (ABTC) and Virtual ABTC for New Zealanders immigration.govt.nz. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Hospitality New Zealand. Kiwi Access Card: photo requirements kiwiaccess.co.nz. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Hospitality New Zealand. Kiwi Access Card: apply online apply.kiwiaccess.co.nz. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand. Firearms licence: before you apply firearmssafety.govt.nz. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand. Firearms Safety and Education New Zealand firearmssafety.govt.nz. Checked 3 November 2026.
Cite this page
"New Zealand photo specifications". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/new-zealand