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Saudi Arabia photo specifications

Photo sizes and rules for 5 documents issued in Saudi Arabia, taken from the issuing authorities and linked to their official pages.

Based on 3 official sources ยท last checked Official sources

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At a glance

Saudi passports issued on Absher reuse the photo on your civil record, while Jawazat's paper procedure for children used 4 x 6 cm prints. The national ID photo has no set size but must be on white. The tourist eVisa takes a 200 x 200 pixel file, KSA VISA a 35 x 45 mm headshot, and an Iqama photo update needs a completely white background. Work permits take no photo.

Overview

Photo rules in Saudi Arabia depend on which authority issues the document. Civil Affairs, part of the Ministry of Interior, issues the national ID and keeps the photo on each citizen's civil record; Article 17 of the Civil Status regulation requires it to be recent, in colour, frontal, on white and without glasses. Jawazat, the passports directorate, issues passports from that same record photo when citizens apply on Absher, and it also issues the Iqama for foreign residents.

Visitors deal with other bodies. The Ministry of Tourism's eVisa portal asks for a square 200 x 200 pixel photo of 5 to 100 KB on white. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' KSA VISA platform describes a 35 x 45 mm headshot on a plain background for family, business and other visits, and pilgrims use Nusuk under the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. Work permits from the Ministry of Human Resources are issued through Qiwa with no photo at all.

Photo specifications by document

Passports

Saudi Arabia Passports
DocumentPrint sizeDigital sizeBackground
Passport40 ร— 60 mmโ€”White

Visas and travel authorisations

Saudi Arabia Visas and travel authorisations
DocumentPrint sizeDigital sizeBackground
eVisaโ€”200 ร— 200 pxWhite, with no pattern and no shadows
Visa35 ร— 45 mmโ€”Plain

Identity cards

Saudi Arabia Identity cards
DocumentPrint sizeDigital sizeBackground
ID cardโ€”โ€”White

Residence and work permits

Saudi Arabia Residence and work permits
DocumentPrint sizeDigital sizeBackground
Work permitโ€”โ€”Completely white

Frequently asked questions

Absher passport applications use no printed photo: Jawazat takes the photo already held on your civil record. The paper procedure for children aged 15 and under asked for two 4 x 6 cm (40 x 60 mm) prints on a white background.

The national ID photo (Article 17 of the Civil Status regulation), the tourist eVisa photo and the Iqama photo update on Absher all require white. KSA VISA asks only for a plain background.

No. The Civil Affairs rules exclude glasses and non-medical lenses, and passports issued on Absher reuse that civil record photo. The eVisa portal and KSA VISA publish no rule on glasses.

The tourist eVisa (200 x 200 pixels), visas on KSA VISA (35 x 45 mm headshot) and an Iqama photo update on Absher take an uploaded image. Absher replacements of a lost national ID need a live phone photo instead.

Nearby countries

Other countries in Western Asia:

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Official sources

  1. Umm Al-Qura (official gazette). Amended articles of the Civil Status implementing regulation (Article 17) uqn.gov.sa. Checked 2 November 2026.
  2. Saudi eVisa portal, Ministry of Tourism. Photo Specifications visa.visitsaudi.com. Checked 2 November 2026.
  3. Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development. Issue and Renew Work License hrsd.gov.sa. Checked 2 November 2026.
Cite this page

"Saudi Arabia photo specifications". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/saudi-arabia

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