New Zealand passport photo size & requirements
New Zealand passport photos are 35 x 45 mm with a plain light background and a head height of about 32–36 mm.
New Zealand issues biometric passports through the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA), and the photo specification — 35 x 45 mm with the face filling 70–80% of the frame — follows the ICAO standard shared by Australia and most other Pacific nations. New Zealand has one of the most streamlined passport application systems in the world: the SmartGate system used at NZ international airports relies directly on the facial biometric stored in the passport chip, which is derived from the submitted photo. This makes photo quality especially important for New Zealand applicants.
New Zealand accepts digital photo submission for online passport renewals through the DIA's passport application portal. The digital photo is verified by an automated checker before submission. For first-time applicants or those applying by paper, two identical printed photos (35 x 45 mm) must be submitted, and one must be signed on the back by a referee — a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident who has known the applicant for at least one year and is not a close relative. The referee must print their name, contact number, and sign the back of one photo.
- Photo size
- 35 x 45 mm
- Resolution
- 300 DPI
- Head height
- Head height (chin to crown) of about 32–36 mm
- Background
- Plain light grey or white
New Zealand passport photo requirements
- Printed photos must be 35 x 45 mm; New Zealand also accepts a digital photo for online renewals.
- Plain, light-coloured background (grey or white).
- Neutral expression, mouth closed, eyes open and clearly visible.
- Even lighting with no shadows, flash reflections, or red-eye.
- No sunglasses; remove glasses where possible.
- Recent photo taken within the last six months.
Common reasons New Zealand passport photos get rejected
Even a technically correct photo can be turned away for these issues. They come up repeatedly in official rejection notices.
- Head height outside the 70–80% range — the DIA automated checker is strict about proportions, and photos with too much empty space above the head are a common rejection cause.
- Background not uniformly plain — New Zealand's photo checker tests for background consistency, and photos taken against a wall with subtle texture or shadows behind the shoulders fail.
- Eyes not clearly open or obscured — the SmartGate biometric system relies on high-quality eye data, and any obstruction is flagged.
- Photo taken with the front (selfie) camera on a phone — the wider lens introduces distortion that can affect the head-to-width ratio measured by the DIA checker.
- Red-eye from flash — the DIA explicitly lists red-eye as a rejection reason for both digital and printed submissions.
- Missing referee signature on the printed photo for paper applications.
Make your New Zealand passport photo
Use our free passport size photo maker — select New Zealand from the country list and it will automatically apply the correct size (35 x 45 mm) and background settings for you.
Crop, remove background, and download a compliant New Zealand passport photo — free, no signup, no watermark.
Select New Zealand in the tool to get the exact 35 x 45 mm preset.
Other countries
United States 2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm) 
Albania 35 x 45 mm 
Australia 35 x 45 mm 
Brazil 3 x 4 cm (30 x 40 mm); US visa applications use 2 x 2 in 
Canada 50 x 70 mm 
China 33 x 48 mm 
France 35 x 45 mm 
Germany 35 x 45 mm 
Iceland 35 x 45 mm 
India 35 x 45 mm (Indian visa & many applications use 51 x 51 mm / 2 x 2 in) 
Ireland 35 x 45 mm 
Italy 35 x 45 mm 
Japan 35 x 45 mm 
Luxembourg 35 x 45 mm 
Malaysia 35 x 50 mm 
Netherlands 35 x 45 mm 
Nigeria 35 x 45 mm 
Norway 35 x 45 mm 
Pakistan 35 x 45 mm 
Philippines 35 x 45 mm (Philippine visa applications often use 2 x 2 in) 
Russia 35 x 45 mm 
Saudi Arabia 2 x 2 in (51 x 51 mm) 
Schengen / EU 35 x 45 mm 
Singapore 35 x 45 mm 
South Africa 35 x 45 mm 
South Korea 35 x 45 mm 
Spain 32 x 26 mm (Spanish ID/passport); EU visas use 35 x 45 mm 
Switzerland 35 x 45 mm 
Thailand 35 x 45 mm 
Turkey 50 x 60 mm 
United Arab Emirates 43 x 55 mm 
United Kingdom 35 x 45 mm 
Vietnam 4 x 6 cm (40 x 60 mm)