Ghana passport photo
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The requirements
| Print size | 35 x 42.5 mm |
|---|---|
| File size | 250 KB |
| File formats | JPEG, PDF |
| Head height, chin to crown | The authority publishes no head height |
| Background | White |
| Glasses | Only with a medical reason, usually with a doctor's note. |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed, both eyes open. |
| Head covering | Only for religious or medical reasons, and the face must be visible from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead. |
| Ears | Yes |
| Photo age | 6 months |
| Also required |
|
No Ghanaian government page publishes a millimetre size. The only shape the Ministry publishes is the 140 x 170 pixel upload, a ratio of 14:17, and the printed frame above is that ratio expressed at the ICAO standard 35 mm width: 35 x 42.5 mm is derived arithmetic, not a published size. It is noticeably wider than the 35 x 45 mm every commercial template assumes for Ghana. The same FAQ demands ICAO compliance and a 140 x 170 pixel upload, which cannot both be satisfied, so no exact pixel size is published here and the tool exports at print resolution; downscale only if the portal refuses the file. No head height and no eye line are published, so those fields are omitted rather than guessed. Ghana asks for a photograph twice: one uploaded with the online application and one captured at the Passport Application Centre.
Applying in Ghana
Ghana asks for a photograph twice. You upload one with the online application, and another is taken at the Passport Application Centre during biometric enrolment. That second capture is the reason for the most useful piece of advice on this page, and it comes from the Ministry's own guidance rather than from us: do not wear white clothing to your appointment. The photograph there is taken against a white background, and a white shirt leaves no shoulder line at all.
The uploaded photo has a published specification, and it is unusual in shape. The Ministry states a white background, a size in pixels rather than millimetres, and a file that may be a JPEG or a PDF, between 250 KB and 1 MB depending on the mission. No official Ghanaian page states a millimetre size anywhere, so we do not publish one. The pixel dimensions the Ministry gives do not match the 35 by 45 millimetre ratio that international templates assume, which is worth knowing before you crop to a foreign shape.
The rest of the rules are conventional and clearly stated: both ears visible, the forehead fully visible, a neutral expression with the mouth closed, no glasses or sunglasses except for medical reasons, no headgear except religious, and no large earrings. The photo must have been taken within the last six months. Applications cannot be made by proxy, so everyone including children attends in person.
Why photos get rejected here
White clothing at the enrolment appointment
The Ministry repeats this warning on two of its own pages. A photograph is taken at the centre against a white background, so a white top merges into it and the outline of your shoulders disappears.
A photo that does not meet ICAO specifications
This is the only cause the Ministry names directly in its guidance on delays, which makes it worth taking literally rather than as a formality. It covers framing, sharpness, lighting and background together.
Glasses or sunglasses
Neither is accepted except for medical reasons. Because the rule is an exclusion rather than a condition about glare, adjusting the angle or the lighting does not make a photo with glasses acceptable.
A covered forehead or hidden ears
Both ears must be visible and the forehead fully visible. Hair worn forward, or a covering set low on the brow, fails on a requirement that is easy to fix and easy to overlook.
Large earrings
The specification excludes large earrings alongside headgear. They are treated as an obstruction rather than a style question, so remove them before the photo rather than arguing the point at the counter.
What helps
Wear a mid tone or a dark top to the centre
The photograph at the Passport Application Centre is taken against white. A blue, grey or dark top gives the clearest shoulder line, and the Ministry warns against white specifically.
Express is 10 working days, not 5
This is a common error. As of September 2026 the Ministry lists 32-page express at GHS 700 and 48-page express at GHS 800, both at 10 working days. The genuinely fast option is the 48-page premium at GHS 2,000 in 24 hours.
The clock starts at your appointment
Processing time runs from the day of your appointment and biometric enrolment, not from the day you submit online. Booking the appointment is therefore the step that starts the count.
Everybody attends in person
Proxy applications are not accepted, and that includes children. Two guarantors who are relatives aged 18 or over, plus a professional witness, are part of the standard requirement.
Applying abroad is a narrower service
Missions offer the 32-page regular booklet only, at USD 130 in the United States, GBP 180 in the United Kingdom and EUR 120 in Germany as of September 2026. Consular processing can take up to eight weeks.
Babies and young children
Children attend in person like everybody else, since proxy applications are not accepted, and the same photograph rules are published without an exception for age. We did not find a Ghanaian relaxation for infant expression or gaze, so we are not claiming one exists. The white clothing warning applies to a baby as much as to an adult, and it is easier to act on: dress the child in a mid tone rather than the white outfit that feels appropriate for an official appointment. If you are preparing the uploaded photo at home, photograph the child alone against a plain background with nobody else in the frame.
Glasses
Glasses and sunglasses are both excluded, with an exception for medical reasons. The rule is written as an exclusion rather than as a set of conditions about glare and tint, which puts Ghana closer to Nigeria and the United States than to the countries that permit clear lenses. A photo showing glasses will not be rescued by better lighting, so remove them unless you hold a medical reason, in which case be ready to explain it at the centre.
Head covering
Headgear is not accepted except for religious reasons, and the surrounding conditions are the ones that decide it in practice: both ears must be visible and the forehead fully visible. A covering that satisfies the religious exception can still fail if it sits forward on the brow or over the ears. We did not find a published requirement for a written declaration with a Ghanaian application, so we are not stating that one is needed. Setting the covering back and photographing in even light rather than under a ceiling fitting addresses both the visibility and the shadow.
Applying online
An upload is required with the online application and a photograph is also taken at the centre during enrolment, so the two coexist. The Ministry publishes the upload specification in pixels rather than millimetres and accepts a PDF as well as a JPEG, which is unusual. File size limits vary by mission. Note that the wider mission website network was unavailable when we checked, so the portal's own guidance was the source we could reach.
Questions about Ghana photos
Why does the guidance tell me not to wear white?
Because a photograph is taken at the Passport Application Centre against a white background. A white top merges into it and the outline of your shoulders is lost. The Ministry repeats this warning on two of its own pages.
Do I upload a photo, or is one taken at the centre?
Both. An upload is required with the online application, and a photograph is also captured during biometric enrolment at the centre.
How fast is the express service?
Ten working days, not five. As of September 2026 express is GHS 700 for the 32-page booklet and GHS 800 for the 48-page. The 24-hour option is the 48-page premium at GHS 2,000.
What size should the photo be in millimetres?
No official Ghanaian page states one. The Ministry publishes the requirement in pixels and accepts a JPEG or a PDF, and the ratio it gives does not match the international 35 by 45 millimetre shape. We are not going to convert a pixel figure into millimetres and present it as a rule.
Can someone else apply on my behalf?
No. Proxy applications are not accepted and everyone attends in person, children included. Two guarantors who are relatives aged 18 or over and a professional witness are also required.
When does the processing time start?
From the day of your appointment and biometric enrolment, not from online submission. Regular service is 15 working days for both booklet sizes as of September 2026.
Where these numbers come from
Official sourceEvery measurement on this page comes from the issuing authority's own published requirements.
- Ghana Passport Services: frequently asked questions, photo requirementschecked September 3, 2026
- Ghana Passport Services: how it workschecked September 3, 2026
Reviewed by Editorial teamHow we check our numbers