Upload a sharp 35×45 mm photo for NZ passports.govt.nz
New Zealand online passport and visa photos commonly need 35×45 mm. Portals compress uploads, so start from a sharp original rather than a chat-app export.
New Zealand wants a vertical 35×45 mm portrait with the face centred, mouth closed, and a plain light wall behind you—not a garden or busy living room.
passports.govt.nz and related visa uploads will re-encode your file. If the source image is already soft, the portal version will fail clarity checks.
Firearms licence photos also use 35×45 mm, but that form sets its own file rules—do not assume passport upload limits apply.
Shoot in even daylight. New Zealand online checkers flag uneven shadows and busy garden backgrounds behind outdoor portraits.
| Specification | Official requirement |
|---|---|
| Online passport | 35 × 45 mm |
| Online visa | 35 × 45 mm within portal limits |
| Firearms licence photo | 35 × 45 mm (separate form rules) |
Always confirm the latest rules on the official government site before you submit.
Cream or textured walls, wrong head size after a selfie, and beauty filters cause most delays.
- Do not upload a screenshot of your photo library.
- Keep hair off the eyes; fringe that hides brows causes retakes.
- Children: same size; support without hands in frame.
- Save the uncropped RAW or large JPEG until the application finishes.
Make your passport photo now
Crop to the official size in your browser, then download to upload or print.
Works on phone or desktop. No app download.
Can I print my own passport photo at home?
Will a home-printed photo be accepted?
What size should I print?
- • 35 × 45 mm crop
- • Plain light background
- • Neutral expression
- • Sharp eyes after upload
- • Correct file type and size
- • Recent likeness
- • No filters that reshape the face
- • Only one person in frame
- • Chat-app compressed source file
- • Busy outdoor background
- • Uneven shadows across the face
- • Hair covering the eyes
- • Wrong file type
Size?
35×45 mm for online passport and many visa uploads.
Why quality fail?
Source file already soft or over-compressed.
Outdoor photo OK?
Only with a plain background—gardens usually fail.
Firearms licence same?
Same millimetres (35×45); follow that form’s own file rules.
Smile?
Neutral, mouth closed.
Glasses?
No glare; prefer clear lenses or none.
Children?
Same size; no adult hands.
Official site?
passports.govt.nz for passport renewals.