When applying for a Thai visa or passport, getting the photo right is essential.
The photo you submit for your Thai travel document must follow strict specifications. Failing to meet these standards may affect the outcome of your application.
To assist you, we've put together a detailed guide on the specific photo requirements mandated by the Thai government. This guide will ensure your photo is exactly what’s needed.
Guidelines for Thai passport and visa photos
Whether you need a Thai passport or visa, your photo must meet the following specifications.
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Recent photo: Your photo should have been taken within the last six months to show how you currently look.
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Photo dimensions: For passport, eVisa, and embassy visa applications, the image should be 35mm x 45mm. For a Thai Visa on Arrival photo, the image should be 40mm x 60mm. Your face should cover 70-80% of the photo.
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Quality: The photo must be in color, clear, in focus, and printed on high-quality photographic paper with a print resolution of at least 600 dpi. It should also accurately show your natural skin tone. The image should be in JPG or JPEG format for online applications, and the size limit is 3MB.
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Background: Use a plain background with no patterns or shadows. White or off-white is preferred as long as there’s a contrast between your face and the background.
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Head position: Look directly at the camera without tilting your head. Your head should be level and centered in the frame. Both sides of your face must be visible.
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Facial expression: You should have a neutral expression with your eyes open and clearly visible and your mouth closed.
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Lighting: Make sure the light is even and doesn’t cast shadows or create glare on your face or in the background.
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Eyeglasses: If you need to wear glasses for medical reasons, they should not block your eyes. Your eyes should still be clearly visible, and there must be no glare on the lenses. Tinted lenses and sunglasses are not allowed.
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Head coverings: Hats and head coverings are only allowed for religious reasons as long as they don’t create shadows on your face. Your face should still be visible from the bottom of the chin to the top of your head.
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Hair and clothing: Wear regular clothes that stand out against the background. Religious clothing is permitted only for those who wear it daily. If you have voluminous hair, your entire head, including the hair, should still be visible in the image without covering or changing the size of your face.
Passport & visa photos for infants and children
While the basic criteria are similar to those for adults—such as photo quality, background, and head position—there are specific considerations for children and infants to account for the challenges in photographing this age group.
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Recent photo: The image should be taken within the last six months and accurately reflect your child's current appearance.
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Eyes visibility: The child's eyes should be open and clearly visible. This can be more challenging with infants, so capturing the photo at the right moment might require some effort. Glasses are generally discouraged unless worn daily for medical reasons, and in such cases, there should be no glare on the lenses.
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Facial expression: While adults must have a neutral facial expression, there is some flexibility with children, particularly with infants. However, try to capture a photo of the child with a relatively neutral expression, if possible.
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Clothing: Dress your child in simple, everyday outfits that don’t hide their face. Hats, pacifiers, and head coverings are generally not allowed. If a child wears headwear for religious purposes, their face must still be fully visible.
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No visible support: If you need to support the child by keeping them upright or in position, ensure your hands or any part of your body are not visible in the photo.
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Focus on the child: Do not use any props. The photo should only feature the child, without other people or distractions.
For infants unable to sit or stand, a photo can be taken from above while they lie on a plain white background or placed in a car seat covered with a plain white cloth.
Learn what every traveler should know before visiting Thailand in our trip guide.
Get support for your Thailand eVisa application
If you’d like to apply for a Thailand eVisa and need more information, you can get in touch with our customer support team. Contact them any time via WhatsApp or through the iVisa chat.