Taiwan visa photo requirements
The 35 × 45 mm photo rules set by Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan) for the Taiwan visa, with the official wording and sources.
Quick answer
What size is the Taiwan visa photo?
A Taiwan visitor or resident visa application needs two colour photos, 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in), taken within the last 6 months against a white background. You complete the visa form online on the Bureau of Consular Affairs website, print and sign it, and hand it in with the photos at a Taiwan overseas mission. BOCA's eVisa page publishes no photo rules.
Visas for Taiwan are granted by the Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through Taiwan's overseas missions, such as the Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices (TECO). A visitor visa covers stays of up to six months for tourism, business, family visits, conferences and similar purposes. A resident visa is for longer stays, for example to study, work or join family; its holders must then apply to the National Immigration Agency for a resident certificate within 30 days of arrival.
Every general visa application starts on BOCA's online application form site, which does not serve Hong Kong, Macau or PRC passport holders. You fill in the form, print it with its bar code, sign it, and take it to the mission within 30 days, together with your passport, two photos and the supporting documents for your purpose of visit. The photos are prints attached to the printed form.
Nationals of some countries, and travellers invited by a central government agency or recommended through certain schemes, can apply for an eVisa instead: a single-entry visa for a stay of up to 30 days, applied for and paid online and printed from an emailed link. BOCA's eVisa information sets out no photo rules.
Taiwan visa photo size and specifications
The requirements as published by Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan):[1]
| Print size | 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 in), width x height: passport size, 45 mm high and 35 mm wide |
|---|---|
| Digital size | No pixel size published: general visa applications take printed photos, and BOCA's eVisa page sets no photo rules |
| Background | White |
| Colour | Colour photos |
| Photo age | Taken within the last 6 months |
| Print quality | Two glossy passport-size prints placed on the printed application form (TECO in the Philippines) |
| Pixels when printed | 413 × 531 px at 300 dpi · 827 × 1063 px at 600 dpi (calculated) |
In the official words
Exact wording from the official sources, quoted because the details matter:
Composite photos, selfies and altered photos will not be accepted.
Key requirements
- Two prints with the printed form
BOCA's visitor and resident visa pages both ask for a completed application form with two passport-size colour photos taken within 6 months. The form is filled in online, printed with its bar code and signed by the applicant. The Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in the Philippines asks applicants to place the two photos on the form and to check that the bar code in the lower right corner is readable.
- 35 x 45 mm on white
BOCA's current visitor visa pages, updated in August 2026, give the size as 45 mm high and 35 mm wide, in colour, with a white background. An older BOCA FAQ from 2017 still says 2 x 2 inches against an off-white background. The requirement pages are newer, so follow them unless your mission tells you otherwise.
- No composites, selfies or edits
TECO in the Philippines states that composite photos, selfies and altered photos will not be accepted. BOCA's own visa pages do not address editing, so take the photo against a real white background rather than swapping the background in an app.
- Face the camera
The Philippines office also asks applicants to face forward and look directly at the camera, with eyes open and clearly visible, a neutral expression with the mouth closed and natural skin tone. Applicants who cannot close their mouth are exempt from that rule, and the photos need appropriate brightness and contrast.
- Your mission's own list
Missions publish their own document lists. TECO Denver, for example, asks for two recent passport-sized colour photos showing the front of the face, and takes applications by mail if you include a prepaid, self-addressed return envelope. During processing, a mission may ask for more documents or call you for an interview.
- eVisa: no photo specification
BOCA's eVisa information lists a passport valid for at least 6 months, your personal details and online payment by MasterCard, Visa or JCB, and says missions may email requests for additional documents. It publishes no photo size, file format or pixel rule for the eVisa.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Fill in the visa form online and print it with the bar code
- Attach two identical 35 x 45 mm colour photos
- Use a plain white background
- Use photos taken within the last 6 months
- Look straight at the camera with your eyes open
- Take the printed form to the mission within 30 days
Don't
- Do not use a selfie
- Do not submit composite or altered photos
- Do not rely on a 2 x 2 inch print without asking your mission
- Do not use photos older than 6 months
- Do not open your mouth; keep a neutral expression
- Do not cover the bar code on the printed form
Sample photos
How a Taiwan visa 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.
Illustrations, not real photos. The official rules above always take priority; some documents do not allow glasses at all.
Glasses
BOCA's visa pages give no rule on glasses. TECO in the Philippines asks for eyes that are open and clearly visible, so make sure frames, lenses and glare do not hide them.
Babies and children
Visa pages set no separate photo rules for children. For an eVisa, BOCA says a child who is included in a parent's passport still needs a separate application, made with the child's own identity details and the passport information.
Printed and digital photos
General visa applications use printed photos. The online form is only where you enter your details: once you submit it, you print the form, sign it and take it to the mission with two passport-size colour prints. TECO in the Philippines asks for glossy prints. A digital photo can be printed at 35 x 45 mm on a 4 x 6 inch sheet at a photo counter.
For an eVisa, the whole process is online, and the approved eVisa arrives as an emailed link to download and print. You show the paper copy at the immigration checkpoint on arrival. BOCA publishes no photo upload specification for the eVisa.
Where to submit the photo
Hand in the printed form, passport and photos at the Taiwan overseas mission that serves your area. Under BOCA's visitor visa procedure, the mission examines the application, may request an interview, and refers some cases to BOCA in Taipei before the visa is issued. Some missions accept applications by mail: TECO Denver asks mail applicants to include a prepaid, self-addressed return envelope and recommends a service with tracking.
eVisa applicants do not visit a mission. They apply and pay online, and receive the eVisa by email.
How to get your Taiwan visa photo
- Check the official requirements. Read the official specification for the Taiwan visa: 35 × 45 mm print, white background. Check the rules on pose, expression, glasses and headwear below.
- Take the photo. Follow the key requirements: two prints with the printed form; 35 x 45 mm on white; no composites, selfies or edits; face the camera.
- Prepare a print or digital file. General visa applications use printed photos. The online form is only where you enter your details: once you submit it, you print the form, sign it and take it to the mission with two passport-size colour prints. TECO in the Philippines asks for glossy prints.
- Submit the photo with your application. Hand in the printed form, passport and photos at the Taiwan overseas mission that serves your area.
Taiwan visa photo FAQ
Two colour photos 35 mm wide and 45 mm high. BOCA's visitor visa pages describe them as passport-size, 45 mm in height and 35 mm in width, taken within the last 6 months with a white background. Resident visa applications also need two passport-size colour photos taken within 6 months.
BOCA's current requirement pages ask for 35 x 45 mm photos, and the Philippines office repeats that size. An older BOCA FAQ dating from 2017 still mentions 2 x 2 inch photos on an off-white background, but the newer pages are the safer guide. Ask your mission before using a square print.
Not for a general visa. You fill in the form online, print and sign it, and attach two printed photos before handing it to the mission. BOCA's eVisa information page lists no photo requirement, so there is no published upload specification for the eVisa either.
White. BOCA's visitor visa pages and TECO in the Philippines both ask for a white background. The off-white background in BOCA's 2017 FAQ predates the current pages. Keep it plain and take the photo in front of a real white wall or screen.
Not if you apply through TECO in the Philippines, which states that selfies, composite photos and altered photos will not be accepted. Have someone else take the photo with you facing the camera, eyes open and mouth closed, with appropriate brightness and contrast.
Taken within the last 6 months. BOCA's pages for visitor and resident visas both set that limit, and the Philippines office repeats it. A photo taken for another document can be reused if it is recent enough and meets the size and white background rules.
Taiwan's overseas missions, under the Bureau of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In the United States and the Philippines, for example, these are Taipei Economic and Cultural Offices. They examine the application, may call you for an interview and issue the visa once it is approved.
Related photo specifications
Other Taiwan documents
- Passport photo 35 × 45 mm
- ID card photo 35 × 45 mm
Visas and travel authorisations nearby
- China visa photo 33 × 48 mm
- China visa (COVA online application digital photo) photo 33 × 48 mm
- Hong Kong visa photo 40 × 50 mm
- Japan visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- Macau visa photo 33 × 48 mm
- Mongolia visa photo 35 × 45 mm
- South Korea visa photo 35 × 45 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 Taiwan photo specifications
- Visas and travel authorisations: photo rules by country
- Every document that uses a 35 × 45 mm photo
- Photo specifications in Asia
Official sources
- Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). Visitor Visa for Tourism Purpose boca.gov.tw. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). Visitor Visa for Visiting Purpose boca.gov.tw. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). Information on Taiwan (ROC) Visitor Visas boca.gov.tw. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). Information on Taiwan (ROC) Resident Visas boca.gov.tw. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). Flow Chart of Visitor Visa Application boca.gov.tw. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). Visa FAQ: What documents are required when applying for a visa? boca.gov.tw. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). Visa FAQ: Which online application form should I use? boca.gov.tw. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). Visa FAQ: Time limit for bringing the printed form to the mission boca.gov.tw. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). Visa FAQ: What is an eVisa? boca.gov.tw. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). Visa FAQ: Who is eligible for an eVisa? boca.gov.tw. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). Visa FAQ: eVisa for a child included in a parent's passport boca.gov.tw. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan). eVisa Application: general information visawebapp.boca.gov.tw. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines. Visitor Visa for General Visiting Purpose (PDF, updated 2025/03/07) roc-taiwan.org. Checked 2 November 2026.
- Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Denver. Visa Information roc-taiwan.org. Checked 2 November 2026.
Requirements can change, so always confirm with Bureau of Consular Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Republic of China (Taiwan) before you apply. WorldPhotoSpecs is independent and not affiliated with any government.
Cite this page
"Taiwan visa photo". WorldPhotoSpecs. Last updated 4 November 2026. https://worldphotospecs.org/taiwan/visa-photo