Saint Vincent and the Grenadines passport photo requirements
The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by Ministry of National Security, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines for the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines passport, with the official wording and sources.
Quick answer
What size is the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines passport photo?
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines publishes two photo sizes. The Ministry of National Security forms ask for two recent prints, full face, no hat, not mounted, between 2 x 1.5 and 2.5 x 2 inches. The High Commission in London asks for three studio-quality colour prints of 45mm x 35mm (35 x 45 mm portrait), taken within 12 months, with the face filling 70 to 80 percent of the photo area and a plain white background.
The Saint Vincent and the Grenadines e-passport, launched on 4 March 2014, is issued centrally in Kingstown by the Passport and Immigration Department under the Ministry of National Security. An ordinary passport lasts ten years for holders aged 16 and over and five years for those under 16. Adults apply on Form A and children under 16 on Form B. People living in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom use the consulate or High Commission there.
The photograph rules are not the same everywhere. The photograph note on the Ministry's forms asks for two copies of a recent photograph, taken full face without a hat and not mounted, with a size that "must not be more than 2 ½ inches by 2 inches or less than 2 inches by 1 ½ inches". That is roughly 51 x 38 mm up to 64 x 51 mm. The London High Commission's Fees and Guidance sheet, dated May 2021, gives 45mm x 35mm instead, which is smaller than that Ministry minimum.
This page therefore treats the two as separate channels and writes the London size, 35 x 45 mm, as the portrait size. If you apply through Kingstown with the Ministry forms, choose a print inside its range. The forms are scanned images with a file date of December 2014, and the page for the Passport Forms does not describe photographs. Because the sources conflict, check with the office that will take your application before printing.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines passport photo size and specifications
The requirements as published by Ministry of National Security, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines:[1]
| Print size | 35 x 45 mm (London guidance, written 45mm x 35mm); Ministry forms: 2 x 1.5 to 2.5 x 2 inches (51 x 38 to 64 x 51 mm) |
|---|---|
| Digital size | Ministry forms and London: no upload, printed photographs go with the paper form |
| Head height | Face must occupy 70-80% of the total photo area (London guidance) |
| Background | Plain solid white; pale grey, light blue, beige or light brown also acceptable (London guidance) |
| Colour | Colour, a true colour representation; black and white photographs are not acceptable (London) |
| Photo age | Recent (Ministry forms); taken in the past 12 months (London); within 6 months (New York) |
| Print quality | Ministry: two copies, not mounted. London: three identical studio-quality prints; photocopies are refused |
| Pixels when printed | 413 × 531 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi (calculated) |
Key requirements
- Ministry forms: a size range, not one size
Forms A and B say the size "must not be more than 2 ½ inches by 2 inches or less than 2 inches by 1 ½ inches". A square 2 x 2 inch print falls inside that range. A 35 x 45 mm print is smaller than its minimum in both directions.
- London: 45mm x 35mm, face 70 to 80 percent
The High Commission lists "Size: 45mm x 35mm (face must occupy 70-80% of total area)". The sides are not labelled, so a portrait is 35 mm wide and 45 mm high. The guidance also asks for the head to be full frontal, centred, with both eyes open.
- London: three studio prints in the last 12 months
The London checklist asks for three identical, high-resolution, studio-quality photographs, taken by a commercial studio in the past 12 months, with one signed by the recommender. The Ministry forms ask for two copies and do not mention a studio.
- Background and clothing
London asks for a plain solid white background with no visible objects or patterns, and also accepts solid pale grey, light blue, beige or light brown. Clothing should be a neutral colour and must not resemble the background. The Ministry forms name no background colour.
- Neutral face with the mouth closed
London says the applicant should have a neutral expression with the mouth closed, with facial features highly visible and good contrast. It refuses poses looking away from the camera or with the head not straight on.
- Unmounted, with one copy endorsed
The Ministry forms say photographs "must not be mounted". The person who certifies the application writes "I certify that this is a true photograph of the applicant" with the name and signs the back of one copy.
- Edited portraits refused in London
London lists "Altered and/or 'touched up' portraits" among unacceptable photographs. The Ministry forms and the New York consulate say nothing about editing.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Check whether your application goes to Kingstown, London or the New York consulate before printing.
- Take a front view of the face, centred, with both eyes open and the mouth closed.
- Use a plain solid white background with no objects or patterns.
- Wear clothing in a neutral colour that does not match the background.
- Leave the prints unmounted and give the certifier one to sign on the back.
- For London, use a commercial studio and provide three identical prints.
Don't
- Do not wear a hat or sunglasses in the photograph.
- Do not use black and white, over-exposed or under-exposed photographs.
- Do not send photocopies, or portraits that have been altered or touched up.
- Do not use a patterned, textured or dark background.
- Do not mount the photographs on card or paper.
- Do not look away from the camera or tilt the head.
Sample photos
How a Saint Vincent and the Grenadines passport photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 35 × 45 mm, head height and background colour.
Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.
Glasses
The Ministry forms say nothing about glasses. The London guidance says "Prescription glasses should not obscure the eyes", so prescription glasses are acceptable there if the eyes stay fully visible, and it lists sunglasses among unacceptable items. It also asks for lighting that does not create glare, so avoid reflections on the lenses.
The New York consulate's passport page asks only for two identical passport-sized photographs and does not mention eyewear. If you are unsure, take the photograph without glasses.
Headwear and religious dress
The Ministry forms ask for photographs taken "full face without hat". London goes further and lists hats among items that obscure the face, but allows a religious or cultural head covering that does not obscure "any part of the face (including eyes, nose, mouth and chin)".
The forms do not set out a procedure for a head covering, so a person who wears one should ask the Passport Office, the High Commission or the consulate before the photographs are taken.
Babies and children
A child under 16 applies on Form B. Its note asks for "Two copies of a recent photograph of the child", taken full face without a hat, unmounted, in the same size range as for adults, and the certifier endorses the back of one copy. Note 6 adds that children under sixteen may not be granted a passport without a parent's written consent.
London's checklist for children repeats the three-print, studio-quality rule and adds written consent of legal guardians. No source describes a different position or expression for a baby, so the general rules apply: a clear, front-on face with the eyes open.
Printed and digital photos
The Ministry and London documents describe only printed photographs. The Ministry forms ask for two physical copies, one of which is signed on the back, and London refuses "Photographs submitted on paper and/or photocopies" while asking for a high-resolution studio image. No pixel size or file size is published. The New York consulate's site has an applicant portal whose upload rules could not be read.
A digital photograph can be cropped to the size your office asks for and printed on photographic paper at a photo counter. Do not retouch it, because London lists altered portraits as unacceptable. For London, the guidance specifies a commercial studio, so check whether a home-taken photograph would be accepted.
Where to submit the photo
In Saint Vincent, the Ministry of National Security publishes Form A and Form B on its Passport Forms page, and its Passport Information page lists the documents first-time applicants must bring. For the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe, applications go through the High Commission in London. Its guidance says first-time and replacement applications must be made in person by appointment.
In the United States, the Consulate General in New York takes applications by appointment, and its passport page says mail-in submission is accepted from anywhere in the United States and that certification is completed at the consulate. Its checklist asks for two identical passport-sized photographs, and for descent applications taken within the last six months. All passports are issued in Kingstown.
How to get your Saint Vincent and the Grenadines passport photo
- Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines passport: 35 × 45 mm print, plain solid white background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
- Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: ministry forms: a size range, not one size; london: 45mm x 35mm, face 70 to 80 percent; london: three studio prints in the last 12 months; background and clothing.
- Prepare a print or digital file. The Ministry and London documents describe only printed photographs.
- Submit the photo with your application. In Saint Vincent, the Ministry of National Security publishes Form A and Form B on its Passport Forms page, and its Passport Information page lists the documents first-time applicants must bring.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines passport photo FAQ
It depends on where you apply. The Ministry forms say not more than 2 ½ x 2 inches and not less than 2 x 1 ½ inches. The London High Commission gives 45mm x 35mm, which is 35 mm wide and 45 mm high in portrait. Ask your office which size it wants.
The Ministry forms ask for two copies, and the New York consulate asks for two identical passport-sized photographs. The London High Commission asks for three identical, high-resolution studio prints, one signed by the recommender.
London asks for a plain solid white background with no objects or patterns, and also accepts solid pale grey, light blue, beige or light brown. The Ministry forms do not state a colour, so white is the safest choice.
London says prescription glasses should not obscure the eyes and lists sunglasses as unacceptable. The Ministry forms and the New York consulate do not mention glasses. Avoid glare on the lenses, or take the photograph without them.
London asks for a high-resolution image taken by a commercial studio. The Ministry forms and the New York consulate do not mention a studio. If you apply through London, use a studio.
London lists altered and touched-up portraits as unacceptable. The Ministry forms do not discuss editing, but the safest course is to submit an unedited photograph for any office.
The Ministry forms say "recent" without a number. London says the portrait must have been taken in the past 12 months, and the New York consulate lists six months for descent applications.
The Ministry forms ask for full face without hat. London allows a religious or cultural head covering only if it does not obscure the eyes, nose, mouth or chin, and refuses hats.
Related photo specifications
Passports nearby
- Anguilla passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Antigua and Barbuda passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Aruba passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Bahamas passport photo 2 × 2 in
- Barbados passport photo 50 × 50 mm
- British Virgin Islands passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Cayman Islands passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Cuba passport photo 45 × 45 mm
- Dominica passport photo 38 × 45 mm
- Dominican Republic passport photo 50 × 50 mm
Also 35 × 45 mm
- Afghanistan visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria ID card photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria residence permit photo 35 × 45 mm
- Algeria work permit photo 35 × 45 mm
- Andorra passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Anguilla passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Antigua and Barbuda passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- Armenia visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- All Saint Vincent and the Grenadines photo specifications
- Passports: photo rules by country
- Every document that uses a 35 × 45 mm photo
- Photo specifications in North America
Official sources
- Ministry of National Security, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Application for a St. Vincent and the Grenadines Passport: Form A (16 and over) security.gov.vc. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Ministry of National Security, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Application for a St. Vincent and the Grenadines Passport: Form B (child under 16) security.gov.vc. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Ministry of National Security, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Passport Forms security.gov.vc. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Ministry of National Security, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Passport Information security.gov.vc. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Passport and Immigration Department / High Commission for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, London. Passport and Immigration Department: Fees and Guidance (Passport Photograph Requirements) svgconsulate.vc. Checked 3 November 2026.
- Consulate General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, New York. Passport application svgconsulateny.org. Checked 3 November 2026.
Requirements can change, so always confirm with Ministry of National Security, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.
Cite this page
"Saint Vincent and the Grenadines passport photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/saint-vincent-and-the-grenadines/passport-photo