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

Visas and travel authorisations

Rwanda visa photo requirements

The 40 × 40 mm photo rules set by IremboGov, Government of Rwanda for the Rwanda visa, with the official wording and sources.

Based on 11 official sources · last checked Official sources Page history

Rate this page

Quick answer

What size is the Rwanda visa photo?

For Rwanda's online visa on Irembo, upload a photo with a white background as a JPG of 500 KB or less. No pixel size or print size is published for the upload. Embassies ask for printed passport-size photos on a white background, one or two depending on the mission; Nairobi writes 4 x 4 cm. Citizens of all countries can also get a visa on arrival.

Rwanda's visas are run by the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration (DGIE), which accepts applications through the government portal IremboGov. The portal has two categories, transit visas and visitors visas. Since 1 January 2018, citizens of all countries can get a visa on arrival without a prior application. Anyone who is not visa-exempt can also apply online or at a Rwandan mission in the country of residence before departure.

For the online application you attach three files: a photo with a white background, a copy of your passport biodata page and an application letter. Irembo says the attachments differ depending on the visa type. It gives a file type and a size limit for the photo, but no width and height, whether in pixels, millimetres or inches.

Rwandan embassies and high commissions that take paper or postal applications publish their own lists. Most ask for one or two passport-size photos on a white background, and only Nairobi gives a size.

Rwanda visa photo size and specifications

The requirements as published by IremboGov, Government of Rwanda:[1]

Print sizeOnline upload: no size published. Embassy prints: "passport size"; Nairobi: 2 photos of 4 x 4 cm
Digital sizeNo pixel size published; JPG file of 500 KB or less
BackgroundWhite
ColourColour (stated by the US, Swiss and Canadian missions)
Photo ageTokyo: taken within 6 months; Nairobi: recently taken; no limit stated for the online upload
File sizeIrembo photo attachment: 500 KB (JPG)
File formatJPG for the photo; PDF for the passport page and letter
Print qualityEmbassy applications: 1 photo (US, Swiss, Canadian missions) or 2 (London, Stockholm, Nairobi, Tokyo); Swiss mission: glue only
Pixels when printed472 × 472 px at 300 dpi · 945 × 945 px at 600 dpi (calculated)
40 mm40 mm
40 × 40 mm photo drawn to scale. Background: white.

Key requirements

  • Online photo: JPG, 500 KB, white background

    Irembo's visa guide lists the photo as "Photo with white background (Format: JPG, Size: 500KB)". The passport biodata page and the application letter are PDFs, also at 500 KB each.

  • No pixel size is published

    The Irembo guide and FAQ give a file type and a size limit but no width, height or photo age. A cropped photo that stays inside the type and size limit meets the stated rules. If the portal rejects it, ask DGIE.

  • Visa on arrival: no photo rule is published

    The DGIE visa-on-arrival page says citizens of all countries can get a visa on arrival without a prior application. It lists no documents or photo rule for the counter.

  • East Africa Tourist Visa

    Visitors to Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda together can apply for the EATV online on Irembo, on arrival or at a Rwandan mission abroad. If you get it before travel, your first entry must be through the country where you applied. The pages read give no separate photo rule for it.

  • Embassy photos differ by mission

    Washington, Switzerland and Ottawa ask for one photo. London, Stockholm, Nairobi and Tokyo ask for two. Nairobi writes "2 photos of 4cm*4cm", Tokyo adds "taken within 6 months", and the others say only "passport size" or give no size.

  • Face and head

    Washington asks that all facial features are visible and clear, with no hats. Ottawa says no headwear and clear facial features. London and Stockholm ask for ears visible.

  • Glue the print, do not staple it

    The Swiss mission asks that a printed photo is attached to the form with a glue stick, and says stapling or clipping the photo to the form is not accepted.

Do's and don'ts

Do

  • Use a plain white background.
  • Save the Irembo photo as a JPG of 500 KB or less.
  • Read your own embassy's list for the number of photos and the size.
  • Keep your face fully visible, with no hat.
  • Show both ears if you apply in London or Stockholm.
  • Glue a printed photo to the form if you apply through the Swiss mission.

Don't

  • Do not upload the photo as a PDF; Irembo lists the photo as a JPG.
  • Do not wear a hat or other headwear where the mission bans it (Washington, Ottawa).
  • Do not staple or clip a printed photo to the form (Swiss mission).
  • Do not use agents or look-alike sites; DGIE says no affiliated agent is authorised to apply on your behalf.
  • Do not assume that 2 x 2 inch is an official Rwanda visa size.

Sample photos

How a Rwanda visa photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 40 × 40 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

Washington asks for no hats and Ottawa for no headwear. London and Stockholm ask for ears visible. Irembo's visa guide states no headwear rule for the online photo. No page read mentions an exception for religious or medical headwear, so ask the DGIE or your mission if you need one.

For the online visa, the photo is a digital JPG attached on Irembo, with a limit of 500 KB. Embassy and high commission applications are paper or postal files, and most lists ask for photos to attach: the Swiss list says to glue the photo to the form, and Nairobi gives a size in centimetres. Ottawa asks for one digital, colored passport photo.

A photo taken at home can be cropped and resized to the file you need for Irembo, or printed on a 4x6 inch sheet at a photo counter and cut into the prints your embassy lists.

Where to submit the photo

Online: log in to IremboGov, choose Visa Application under Immigration and Emigration, enter the applicant, travel and demographic details, attach the photo, the passport biodata page and the letter, and submit. Free visas go straight to DGIE; paid visas get a billing number to pay by Bank of Kigali or by Visa or MasterCard.

On arrival: visas are issued at Kigali International Airport and all land borders. At a mission: Washington takes applications by post with a prepaid return envelope, London in person or by post, and Tokyo asks you to pay the fee on Irembo first and then bring the documents. Switzerland and Sweden also take applications at their embassies.

How to get your Rwanda visa photo

  1. Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Rwanda visa: 40 × 40 mm print, white background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
  2. Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: online photo: JPG, 500 KB, white background; no pixel size is published; visa on arrival: no photo rule is published; east Africa Tourist Visa.
  3. Prepare a print or digital file. For the online visa, the photo is a digital JPG attached on Irembo, with a limit of 500 KB.
  4. Submit the photo with your application. Online: log in to IremboGov, choose Visa Application under Immigration and Emigration, enter the applicant, travel and demographic details, attach the photo, the passport biodata page and the letter, and submit.

Make this photo online

Rwanda visa photo FAQ

No size is published for the online upload. Irembo lists only a JPG file of 500 KB or less with a white background. Embassies ask for passport-size prints, and only Nairobi gives a size, 2 photos of 4 x 4 cm.

A photo with a white background, as a JPG, up to 500 KB. The passport biodata page and the application letter are PDFs at the same limit. Irembo gives no pixel size and no photo age for the online application.

No official page read states 500 x 500 pixels, or 2 x 2 inches. Irembo gives a type and size limit only. A photo cropped to those limits meets what is published. If the portal rejects a file, contact DGIE.

The DGIE visa-on-arrival page says citizens of all countries can get a visa on arrival without a prior application. It lists no documents or photo rule, so ask DGIE or your airline whether to carry a print.

The pages read give no separate photo rule for the EATV. It can be applied for online on Irembo, on arrival or at a Rwandan mission, and the Washington page says it has its own application form.

No page read states a glasses rule. The published face rules are a white background, all facial features visible and clear, no hats, and ears visible at the London and Stockholm missions.

It depends on the mission. Washington, Switzerland and Ottawa ask for one photo. London, Stockholm, Nairobi and Tokyo ask for two. Follow the list of the mission that handles your file.

Related photo specifications

Visas and travel authorisations nearby

Also 40 × 40 mm

Was this page helpful?

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

Official sources

  1. IremboGov, Government of Rwanda. How to Apply for a Visa on IremboGov (modified 27 Aug 2026) support.irembo.gov.rw. Checked 2 November 2026.
  2. IremboGov, Government of Rwanda. FAQs about How to Apply for a Visa (modified 26 Feb 2023) support.irembo.gov.rw. Checked 2 November 2026.
  3. Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration, Rwanda. Visa on arrival migration.gov.rw. Checked 2 November 2026.
  4. Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration, Rwanda. Visa issued under special arrangement (East Africa Tourist Visa) migration.gov.rw. Checked 2 November 2026.
  5. Embassy of Rwanda, Washington. Visa rwandainusa.gov.rw. Checked 2 November 2026.
  6. Embassy of Rwanda in Switzerland. Visa information rwandainswitzerland.gov.rw. Checked 2 November 2026.
  7. High Commission of Rwanda in Canada. Visa rwandaincanada.gov.rw. Checked 2 November 2026.
  8. Rwandan High Commission, London. Visa application rwandainuk.gov.rw. Checked 2 November 2026.
  9. Embassy of Rwanda in Sweden. Visas rwandainsweden.gov.rw. Checked 2 November 2026.
  10. Rwandan mission in Kenya. Visa rwandainkenya.gov.rw. Checked 2 November 2026.
  11. Embassy of Rwanda in Japan. Tourist visa rwandainjapan.gov.rw. Checked 2 November 2026.

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

Cite this page

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

Categories: