New Zealand visa photo
New Zealand visa photo: 35 x 45 mm. The head must fill 70-80% of the photo height. The photo must have been taken in the last 6 months. Source: Immigration New Zealand, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, checked September 2, 2026.
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The original background remains because this authority does not allow replacement. Use a photo already taken against the required plain background.
The requirements
| Print size | 35 x 45 mm |
|---|---|
| File size | 3 MB |
| File formats | JPEG |
| Head height, chin to crown | 70-80% |
| Background | Neutral, plain background with good contrast to the face, no shadows and no other people or objects |
| Glasses | Allowed, as long as the eyes are fully visible with no glare and no tint. |
| 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 |
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How to apply: New Zealand
A New Zealand visa photo is almost always a file, not a print. Visas and the NZeTA are applied for online through Immigration New Zealand, and the photo is uploaded as a JPG or JPEG. INZ asks for a portrait photo with a 3:4 aspect ratio and a file size between 512 KB and 3.14 MB. The printed size of 35 x 45 mm only matters if you are sending a paper application.
The file size is the rule people trip over. A phone photo is often larger than 3.14 MB, and a photo sent through a messaging app is often smaller than 512 KB after compression. Both are refused by the upload. Export the photo once from the original camera file and check the size before you upload it. A photo taken by a professional photographer may be up to 10 MB.
INZ is strict about editing. A photo changed with AI, filters or beautification features is rejected, and the application can be delayed, declined or refused. Do not adjust lighting, focus or contrast, and do not cut yourself out onto a new background. Cropping the original photo to the right shape is fine; changing how you look is not.
Why photos get rejected here
File too large or too small
INZ accepts files between 512 KB and 3.14 MB, or up to 10 MB from a professional photographer. Uncompressed phone photos are often too large, and photos sent through chat apps are often too small.
Edited with AI or a filter
Beautification, smoothing, AI background replacement and filters are all grounds for rejection. Some phones apply smoothing by default, so turn it off before you take the photo.
Ears hidden by hair
Your hair must not cover your face or ears, and the photo must show your ears unless you wear a head covering for religious or medical reasons.
A photo of a printed photo
INZ does not accept a photo of a printed photo. Upload a photo taken directly with a camera or phone.
A patterned background or other people
The background must be neutral and plain, and only you may be in the frame. Patterned clothing and patterned backgrounds also cause problems for INZ's face recognition system.
Tinted glasses or glare
Prescription glasses are allowed only if the lenses are clear and not tinted, the frames are not heavy enough to cover your face, and there is no glare or reflection.
What helps
Use the distances INZ gives
INZ says to stand 0.5 metres in front of the background, with the photographer 1.5 metres in front of you. The gap to the wall removes your shadow, and the distance to the camera avoids a distorted face.
Ask someone else to take it
Selfies are only accepted when you apply for an NZeTA in the mobile app. For a visa, someone else must take the photo.
Check the file before uploading
Look at the file size on your computer or phone before you upload. If it is over 3.14 MB, export it again at a lower quality instead of sending it through a chat app to shrink it.
Use a recent photo
The photo must have been taken within the last 6 months. An older photo that otherwise meets every rule can still be refused.
Babies and young children
INZ does not publish a separate set of photo rules for babies on its visa photo page, and we are not claiming one exists. The same rules apply: only the child in the frame, a plain background, eyes open and face fully visible. For a baby, lay the child on a plain light sheet and take the photo from directly above so no hands or car seat edges show.
How to take a baby's passport photo at home
Glasses
Prescription glasses may be worn if the lenses are clear and not tinted, the frames are not heavy enough to cover the face, and there is no glare or reflection. Sunglasses are not allowed. Glare comes from the lighting rather than the glasses, so if you cannot remove it, take the glasses off.
Passport photo glasses rules by country
Head covering
A head covering is allowed for religious or medical reasons. It must not cover your mouth or the sides of your face. In that case your ears do not have to show. INZ does not ask for a written statement on its photo page.
Applying online
Upload a JPG or JPEG in portrait orientation with a 3:4 aspect ratio, between 512 KB and 3.14 MB. The NZeTA can only be applied for online, and selfies are accepted only in the NZeTA mobile app.
Questions about New Zealand photos
Is the New Zealand visa photo the same size as the passport photo?
No. The visa and NZeTA upload is a 3:4 portrait file, while the printed size for paper applications is 35 x 45 mm. The New Zealand passport has its own separate rules.
Why was my NZeTA photo rejected when it looked fine?
The most common reasons are a file outside the 512 KB to 3.14 MB range, a filter or smoothing effect, hidden ears, or glare on glasses. Check each of these before you upload again.
Can I take a selfie for a New Zealand visa?
Only for an NZeTA applied for in the mobile app. For a visa, someone else must take the photo, standing about 1.5 metres in front of you.
Can I use a photo edited to remove the background?
No. INZ says you cannot cut out your head and shoulders and place them on a new background, and AI or other digital editing is not allowed.
Where these numbers come from
Official sourceEvery measurement on this page comes from the issuing authority's own published requirements.
- Immigration New Zealand: Acceptable photos for a visa or NZeTAchecked September 2, 2026
Editor: Mehmet Apaydın (Xenit)How we check our numbers