New Zealand passport photo requirements
New Zealand’s online application wants a colour JPEG in 3:4, 900–4500 pixels wide and 1200–6000 tall, 250 KB to 5 MB, with your shoulders and upper chest and a gap round the head. The Department of Internal Affairs publishes its own guides to taking the photo on a phone.
| Size | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| Head | 76–84 % of the photo’s height (34.2–37.8 mm), chin to the top of the head |
| Background | A plain light background, not white (pale blue, grey or cream) |
| Glasses | Untinted prescription lenses only, no thick frames, no glare. |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open, looking straight at the camera |
| Babies | Lay the baby on a plain light sheet and take it from above, eyes open, no one else visible. |
| Digital photo | 1200 × 1600 px, 250 KB to 5 MB. Online: 3:4, with your shoulders and upper chest and a clear gap round the head. |
Source: passports.govt.nz, passports.govt.nz (2026-11-09). New Zealand’s photo form (PAS305) says the head, hair included, must be 80 % of the height; the app aims for 76–84 %.
Taking a New Zealand passport photo
Stand in front of a plain light background, not white (pale blue, grey or cream). Glasses are a risk: take them off if they catch the light. Keep a neutral face with your mouth closed. For a baby: Lay the baby on a plain light sheet and take it from above, eyes open, no one else visible. For the online form the app saves 1200 × 1600 px, 250 KB to 5 MB. Online: 3:4, with your shoulders and upper chest and a clear gap round the head.
Printing NZ passport photos
8 fit on a 4×6 print, 9 on a 5×7, 25 on A4 and 25 on US Letter.
Questions
What size is a New Zealand passport photo?
35 × 45 mm, with the head 34.2–37.8 mm from the chin to the top of the head.
Other photos
- 35 × 45 mm photo 35×45 mm
- UK passport 35×45 mm
- Schengen visa 35×45 mm
- German passport (applying abroad) 35×45 mm
- Every passport and visa photo