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Republic of the Congo visa photo requirements

The 2 × 2 in photo rules set by Embassy of the Republic of the Congo, Paris for the Republic of the Congo visa, with the official wording and sources.

Based on 4 official sources · last checked Official sources Page history

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Quick answer

What size is the Republic of the Congo visa photo?

Republic of the Congo visa photos are set by each embassy. The Paris embassy's online application asks for a JPEG colour photo on a white background, front view, with no size published. The Washington embassy's English page asks for two 2 x 2 inch colour photos on a white background, taken in the last 6 months, while its French page says 4x4.

The Republic of the Congo issues visas through its embassies, and the rules differ by mission. The Paris embassy runs an online platform called Girafe where you create an account, upload the documents and pay. It lists seven categories: a 15-day visa and a 91-day visa, each with a version for children aged 0 to 5 or adults aged 65 and over, plus courtesy, service and diplomatic visas. The Washington embassy takes applications by post or drop-off for the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Paris asks for "Photo d'identité : format JPEG, couleur, fond blanc, vue de face" for every category and gives no size. Washington's English page asks for two colour photos of 2 inches by 2 inches with a white background, and its French page asks for two colour photos in "4x4" format with plain lighting or a white background. Because the same embassy gives two sizes in two languages, ask it which one it applies.

The Ministry of the Interior and Decentralisation names an e-Visa and an e-TA among its e-services, but that page is script-driven and shows no text to an automated reader, so its status and photo rules could not be established. A 40 x 40 mm size rests only on the French wording "4x4" on the Washington page, which gives no unit.

Republic of the Congo visa photo size and specifications

The requirements as published by Embassy of the Republic of the Congo, Paris:[1]

Print sizeParis: no size published. Washington: 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm) in English, "4x4" in French
Digital sizeParis online upload: JPEG file, no pixel size published
BackgroundWhite (Paris, and Washington's English page); Washington's French page: plain or white
ColourColour photo, full front view of the face
Photo ageWashington (English page): taken within the last 6 months; Paris: not stated
File formatJPEG (Paris embassy online application)
Print qualityWashington: two printed photos with the paper form; Paris: no print, the photo is uploaded
Pixels when printed600 × 600 px at 300 dpi · 1200 × 1200 px at 600 dpi (calculated)
2 in2 in
2 × 2 in photo drawn to scale. Background: white.

In the official words

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

Photos must be 2inches×2inches (51 *51 mm in size), colored, have a white background, and show a full front view of the face.

Visa (consular service, English)[2]

Les photos doivent être en couleur, de format 4x4 avec une lumière unie ou sur fond blanc, et montrer une vue de face complète du visage.

Visa (consular service, English)[2]

Key requirements

  • Paris: JPEG, colour, white, front view

    For the 15-day, 91-day, courtesy, service and diplomatic visas the Paris platform lists "Photo d'identité : format JPEG, couleur, fond blanc, vue de face" (translated: identity photo, JPEG format, colour, white background, front view). No size in millimetres or pixels is given.

  • Washington, English page: 2 x 2 inches

    The embassy's page says: "Photos must be 2inches×2inches (51 *51 mm in size), colored, have a white background, and show a full front view of the face. These photos must have been taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance." Two photographs are required.

  • Washington, French page: 4x4

    The French page asks for "Deux photos d'identité" in colour, "de format 4x4 avec une lumière unie ou sur fond blanc", showing a full front view of the face (translated from French). It states no unit and no age limit.

  • The two Washington pages disagree

    The English and French versions of the Washington visa page give different sizes (2 x 2 inches against 4x4), and the embassy states no reason. Do not average them; ask the consular section which size it applies before printing.

  • Visa applications go through an embassy

    The Washington page says no Congolese visa is issued at any port of entry and all applications must be submitted before departure to its consular section. Check whether that still applies before you travel.

  • The ministry e-Visa is unclear

    The Ministry of the Interior and Decentralisation lists an e-Visa and an e-TA among its e-services. Its page is script-driven and no requirements or photo rules could be read, so do not treat it as an open application route without confirmation.

  • Children and older applicants have their own Paris categories

    Paris lists a version of the 15-day and 91-day visa for children aged 0 to 5 or people aged 65 and over, and asks for a parental exit authorisation, proof of parentage and a parent's ID copy for minors aged 0 to 17. No separate photo rule is given for them.

Do's and don'ts

Do

  • Follow the embassy that will receive your application: Paris for its online platform, Washington for the United States, Canada and Mexico.
  • Use a colour photo on a plain white background, showing your whole face from the front.
  • Save the Paris photo as a JPEG file.
  • Take the photo within the last six months, as the Washington English page asks.
  • Ask the Washington consular section about the 2 x 2 inch against 4x4 difference before you print.

Don't

  • Do not assume a single Congolese visa photo size: the pages read give none for Paris and two for Washington.
  • Do not send a profile or tilted view; both embassies ask for a front view.
  • Do not use a coloured background.
  • Do not use the Democratic Republic of the Congo's photo rules, which are a separate country's.

Sample photos

How a Republic of the Congo visa photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 2 × 2 in 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

No visa page read from the Republic of the Congo mentions glasses; the medical-glasses certificate belongs to the passport file in Paris, not the visa. ICAO's passport photograph guidelines, which are a baseline and not a Congolese visa rule, say glasses must leave the eyes clearly visible, with no flash reflection on the lenses and no tinted lenses.

Headwear and religious dress

No Congolese visa page read sets a rule on headwear. Both embassies ask for a full front view of the face. The ICAO passport baseline, which is not a Congolese visa rule, allows head coverings only for religious reasons, with the face shown from chin to forehead.

Babies and children

Paris lists special provisions for minors aged 0 to 17: a parental authorisation to leave the territory, proof of parentage (birth certificate or family record book) and a copy of a parent's ID. Washington asks for a copy of the accompanying adult's passport and flight itinerary, and a notarised parental authorisation when a parent grants another adult permission to travel with the child. Neither page gives a photo rule specific to children.

Paris is a digital upload in JPEG format, with no pixel size or file limit published on the pages read. Washington wants two printed photographs with the paper visa form, which is posted or dropped off, together with a prepaid tracked return envelope.

A digital photo can be cropped and resized to whatever the embassy confirms, and printed on a 4x6 inch sheet at a photo counter for the Washington file.

Where to submit the photo

Applicants in France use the Paris embassy's online platform, which also offers a postal or in-person hand-in of the passport. Applicants in the United States, Canada and Mexico send or hand in their file to the Washington consular section, which says the Permanent Mission in New York and the honorary consulate in Chicago do not issue visas.

Both embassies list a passport valid for at least six months, a flight reservation or itinerary, and an invitation or accommodation proof. Paris adds proof of means of subsistence. Fees and processing times are posted by each embassy and change, so check them there.

How to get your Republic of the Congo visa photo

  1. Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Republic of the Congo visa: 2 × 2 in print, white background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
  2. Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: paris: JPEG, colour, white, front view; washington, English page: 2 x 2 inches; washington, French page: 4x4; the two Washington pages disagree.
  3. Prepare a print or digital file. Paris is a digital upload in JPEG format, with no pixel size or file limit published on the pages read. Washington wants two printed photographs with the paper visa form, which is posted or dropped off, together with a prepaid tracked return envelope.
  4. Submit the photo with your application. Applicants in France use the Paris embassy's online platform, which also offers a postal or in-person hand-in of the passport.

Make this photo online

Republic of the Congo visa photo FAQ

No single size. The Paris embassy gives no size, only JPEG, colour, white background, front view. The Washington English page asks for 2 x 2 inches and its French page for 4x4. Ask the embassy you apply to.

Only the Washington embassy's French page comes close, with "4x4" and no unit. Its English page gives 2 x 2 inches and Paris gives no size, so confirm with the embassy before you print.

White. Paris asks for a white background and the Washington English page does too. The Washington French page says plain lighting or white.

Paris wants a JPEG file uploaded to its online application. Washington wants two printed photographs with the paper visa application form.

The Ministry of the Interior and Decentralisation names an e-Visa among its e-services, but the page shows no readable requirements, so its status could not be confirmed. The embassy routes described above are the ones with published rules.

The Washington English page asks for a photo taken within the last 6 months. The Paris platform and Washington's French page do not state an age limit.

The Washington embassy says no Congolese visa is issued at any port of entry and applications must be made before departure. Check the embassy page before travelling, as rules can change.

No. This page covers the Republic of the Congo, whose capital is Brazzaville. The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a separate country with its own visa and photo rules.

Related photo specifications

Other Republic of the Congo documents

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Also 2 × 2 in

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Official sources

  1. Embassy of the Republic of the Congo, Paris. Demande de visa (Girafe) girafe.ambacongofr.org. Checked 2 November 2026.
  2. Embassy of the Republic of the Congo, Washington. Visa (consular service, English) ambacongo-us.org. Checked 2 November 2026.
  3. Embassy of the Republic of the Congo, Washington. Visa (service consulaire, français) ambacongo-us.org. Checked 2 November 2026.
  4. Ministry of the Interior and Decentralisation, Republic of the Congo. E-services interieur.gouv.cg. Checked 2 November 2026.

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

Cite this page

"Republic of the Congo visa photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/republic-of-the-congo/visa-photo

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