🇿🇦 South Africa
South African passport & visa photo requirements
South African passport and visa applications typically use 35×45 mm colour photos with a white or plain light background. PicsForm maps these catalog dimensions for cropping and appearance checks — not government certification. Confirm Home Affairs or consulate notes for your channel. Catalog baseline last aligned 2026-08-18.
Create photo for South AfricaSouth African Passport
35×45 mm · white bg
South Africa Visa
35×45 mm · white bg
Documents covered in this hub
- South African Passport — 35×45 mm, white background
- South Africa Visa — 35×45 mm, plain light/white background typical
Key South Africa photo rules
Neutral expression, both eyes open, no glasses, plain background without shadows. Keep the head centred in a biometric-style band.
Common rejection reasons
- Busy or coloured backgrounds
- Shadows on face or backdrop
- Smiling
- Glasses
- Face too small
Quick links
Document-specific guides:
- /south-africa-passport-photo — South African Passport specs
- /south-africa-visa-photo — South Africa Visa specs
South African Passport — catalog specs
- Size: 35×45 mm (413×531 px @ 300 DPI)
- Head height: 70–80% of frame height
- Eye line: 55–70% from bottom
- Background: white (#FFFFFF)
- Smile: not allowed — neutral expression
- Glasses: not allowed
- Head coverings: not allowed (except religious/medical where permitted)
- Max file size (when specified): 5000 KB
- Print size: 1.38×1.77 in
South Africa Visa — catalog specs
- Size: 35×45 mm (413×531 px @ 300 DPI)
- Head height: 70–80% of frame height
- Eye line: 55–70% from bottom
- Background: white (#FFFFFF)
- Smile: not allowed — neutral expression
- Glasses: not allowed
- Head coverings: not allowed (except religious/medical where permitted)
- Max file size (when specified): 5000 KB
- Print size: 1.38×1.77 in
FAQ
- Can I use a UK 35×45 photo for a South African passport?
- Print size matches, but UK cream/grey backgrounds may fail white-background checks. Export with the South Africa document selected.
- Does PicsForm certify DHA photos?
- No — we map catalog requirements only. DHA or the consulate decides acceptance.
Other country hubs
PicsForm matches photos to published requirements. This is not legal or immigration advice and does not guarantee application approval. Always confirm current rules on the official portal.