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Sri Lanka dual citizenship photo requirements

The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka for the Sri Lanka dual citizenship, with the official wording and sources.

Based on 8 official sources · last checked Official sources Page history

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Quick answer

What size is the Sri Lanka dual citizenship photo?

Each person applying for Sri Lankan dual citizenship needs 3 passport-size colour photographs, and one goes in the 3.5 x 4.5 cm (35 x 45 mm, 1.38 x 1.77 in) box at the top right of the first page of Form S. The Department of Immigration and Emigration publishes no background colour, head size or age limit for these prints, and does not ask for a studio photo here, unlike passport and NIC applications.

Dual citizenship is handled by the Department of Immigration and Emigration under the Citizenship Act No. 18 of 1948. Resumption under section 19(2) is for people whose Sri Lankan citizenship ceased when they became citizens of another country; retention under section 19(3) is for people about to take another citizenship who want to keep their Sri Lankan one. The fee is charged only after the Minister approves the application, and the certificate is collected from the Department.

The application is Form S. Every family member files a separate form with 3 passport-size colour photographs, and one photo is affixed in the top right-hand corner of the first page, in a box marked 3.5 x 4.5 cm. The statement in the form is backed by an affidavit sworn before a Justice of the Peace or a Commissioner of Oaths.

You can apply directly to the Department in Battaramulla, where online submission with an appointment for the originals began on 29 October 2026, or through a Sri Lankan mission abroad. Once dual citizenship is granted, other photos follow: a new NIC from a registered studio for those who resumed citizenship, and, if you want a Sri Lankan passport in Sri Lanka, a digital photo from an authorised studio.

Sri Lanka dual citizenship photo size and specifications

The requirements as published by Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka:[1]

Print size3.5 x 4.5 cm (35 x 45 mm, 1.38 x 1.77 in) box on Form S; three passport-size prints
Digital sizeNo pixel size published: Form S takes printed photos
BackgroundNot specified by the Department; colour photographs required
ColourColour
Pixels when printed413 × 531 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi (calculated)
35 mm45 mm
35 × 45 mm photo drawn to scale.

In the official words

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

passport size colour photographs

Dual Citizenship[1]

Key requirements

  • Three photos per person

    Each member of the family submits a separate application with 3 passport-size colour photographs. A spouse or unmarried child applying under category G needs their own Form S and their own photos.

  • One photo on page 1

    Affix one of the three photos in the top right-hand corner of the first page of Form S, in the box marked 3.5 x 4.5 cm. The High Commission in Canberra asks for two photocopies of the completed form together with the three photographs.

  • Colour, passport size

    The Department asks for colour photographs of passport size and prints the 3.5 x 4.5 cm size on the form. Its instructions give no background colour, head size or time limit for dual citizenship photos.

  • Block capitals

    Complete Form S in block capitals, delete inapplicable words wherever an asterisk appears and write "Not relevant" where something does not apply. Incomplete personal particular forms are rejected.

  • Affidavit and certified copies

    The statement on page 6 must be sworn before a Justice of the Peace or a Commissioner of Oaths. Copies of supporting documents must be certified by the Deputy or Assistant Controller (Citizenship) or a mission officer of Third Secretary rank or above.

  • After approval: a new NIC

    People who resume citizenship under section 19(2) lose their old NIC number and apply for a new identity card, which needs an ICAO photo from a studio registered with the Department for Registration of Persons. Under section 19(3) the old number stays.

Do's and don'ts

Do

  • Prepare 3 colour passport-size photos for every family member applying.
  • Glue one photo into the 3.5 x 4.5 cm box on page 1 of Form S.
  • Complete Form S in block capitals.
  • Check your mission's checklist before you post or hand in the application.
  • Book a DRP-registered studio for your new NIC once citizenship is resumed.

Don't

  • Do not share one set of photos between family members.
  • Do not leave the photo box on Form S empty.
  • Do not use black and white prints.
  • Do not send uncertified copies of supporting documents.

Sample photos

How a Sri Lanka dual citizenship photo should look, and the mistakes that most often get photos rejected. Each example is drawn to this document's 35 × 45 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.

Babies and children

An unmarried child under 22 of a qualifying applicant can apply under category G, with a separate Form S and 3 colour photos of their own. Since 1 July 2019, applications in this category must be made before the child reaches 21 years and 6 months. Only applicants above 16 need a police clearance report.

A child born outside Sri Lanka also needs the consular birth certificate and the citizenship certificate issued under section 5(2), plus the parents' Sri Lankan passports and visa for the other country. The Department sets no separate photo rules for children.

Dual citizenship photos are prints. They travel with a paper form handed in at the Department or a mission, and Form S has a physical box for one of them. A digital photo can be cropped to 3.5 x 4.5 cm and printed at a photo lab or on a 4x6 inch sheet.

The online system opened on 29 October 2026 lets head office applicants submit the application online and book an appointment to bring the original documents. The notice and the portal guidance we read describe uploading document scans and give no size for a portrait photo.

Where to submit the photo

Hand the completed application and documents to the Citizenship Division of the Department of Immigration and Emigration at Suhurupaya, Battaramulla, or to a Sri Lankan mission abroad. Documents sent through a mission must be authenticated by the head of mission or an officer of Third Secretary rank or above.

Missions add their own steps. The High Commission in Canberra accepts posted applications only if certified with the rubber stamp of the honorary consul in Perth or Wellington, and the Permanent Mission in Geneva repeats the Department's three-photo rule.

How to get your Sri Lanka dual citizenship photo

  1. Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Sri Lanka dual citizenship: 35 × 45 mm print. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
  2. Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: three photos per person; one photo on page 1; colour, passport size; block capitals.
  3. Prepare a print or digital file. Dual citizenship photos are prints. They travel with a paper form handed in at the Department or a mission, and Form S has a physical box for one of them. A digital photo can be cropped to 3.5 x 4.5 cm and printed at a photo lab or on a 4x6 inch sheet.
  4. Submit the photo with your application. Hand the completed application and documents to the Citizenship Division of the Department of Immigration and Emigration at Suhurupaya, Battaramulla, or to a Sri Lankan mission abroad.

Make this photo online

Sri Lanka dual citizenship photo FAQ

Three passport-size colour photographs for each person. Every family member files a separate Form S, so a couple applying with one child needs nine photos, with one fixed to the first page of each form.

The photo box on Form S is marked 3.5 x 4.5 cm, which is 35 x 45 mm or 1.38 x 1.77 inches. The Department's instructions otherwise call the photos passport size and colour.

The Department of Immigration and Emigration does not specify a background colour for dual citizenship photos, and neither do the Canberra or Geneva mission pages we read. If you apply abroad, ask your mission before printing.

No such rule appears in the dual citizenship instructions. Studio rules apply to the documents that often follow: a Sri Lankan passport applied for in Sri Lanka needs a digital photo from an authorised studio, and a new NIC needs a photo from a DRP-registered studio.

Since 29 October 2026, people applying through the Department's head office can submit the application online and book an appointment to bring the original documents. The notice covers applications made through the head office.

If you resumed citizenship under section 19(2), yes: your old NIC number is cancelled and you apply for a new card with an ICAO photo taken by a DRP-registered studio within the last 6 months. Under section 19(3) your number stays the same and reapplying is not mandatory.

Related photo specifications

Other Sri Lanka documents

Citizenship and naturalisation nearby

Also 35 × 45 mm

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Official sources

  1. Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka. Dual Citizenship immigration.gov.lk. Checked 1 November 2026.
  2. Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka. Application for Resumption / Retention of Citizenship (Form S) immigration.gov.lk. Checked 1 November 2026.
  3. Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka. Online Application System for Dual Citizenship (notice) immigration.gov.lk. Checked 1 November 2026.
  4. Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka. Issue of Passports: passport for a dual citizen immigration.gov.lk. Checked 1 November 2026.
  5. Department for Registration of Persons, Sri Lanka. Issuance of National Identity Cards for Dual Citizens drp.gov.lk. Checked 1 November 2026.
  6. Department for Registration of Persons, Sri Lanka. Frequently Asked Questions (dual citizens and NIC numbers) drp.gov.lk. Checked 1 November 2026.
  7. High Commission of Sri Lanka, Canberra. Submission of Dual Citizenship Application slhcaust.org. Checked 1 November 2026.
  8. Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka, Geneva. Dual Citizenship lankamission.org. Checked 1 November 2026.

Requirements can change, so always confirm with Department of Immigration and Emigration, Sri Lanka before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.

Cite this page

"Sri Lanka dual citizenship photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/sri-lanka/dual-citizenship-photo

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