Applying for an Australian visa? Your photo must meet exact Department of Home Affairs specifications — and note that the visa photo size is not the same as the Australian passport photo size. Here is the full 2026 checklist.
Quick Answer
- 📏 Paper photo: 35–40 mm wide × 45–50 mm high (portrait)
- 👤 Head height: 32–36 mm from chin to crown
- 🕐 Age: taken within the last 6 months
- 💻 Digital upload: JPEG, 70 KB–3.5 MB, 1200 × 1600 px preferred
Official Photo Requirements (Paper Applications)
Size & head geometry
The photo should be passport-sized: 35 mm to 40 mm wide and 45 mm to 50 mm high — a portrait rectangle, not the fixed 45 × 45 mm square used for Australian passports. The face, measured from chin to crown, must be between 32 mm and 36 mm.
Quality & freshness
Use a colour photo no more than 6 months old, in sharp focus with no marks or red-eye. It must be unedited: do not remove the background, moles, wrinkles, scars or red-eye. Lighting should be uniform with no shadows on the face or background.
Pose & expression
Face the camera straight on with your head not tilted. Keep eyes open, mouth closed, and a neutral expression — no smiling, laughing or frowning. Hair must be off the face so the edges of your face are visible.
Glasses
Glasses must be removed. They are only permitted for documented medical reasons, and then the lenses must be untinted and free of glare. Vision impairment alone is not an acceptable reason to wear glasses in the photo.
Head coverings & jewellery
Head coverings are allowed only where worn for religious or medical reasons, provided the full face is visible from chin to crown. Jewellery and facial piercings should not obscure any part of the face.
Digital Photo (Online Upload)
For online applications, provide a colour JPEG between 70 KB and 3.5 MB. The preferred resolution is 1200 × 1600 pixels. A scan of a printed photo or a photograph of a photo is not acceptable. Follow the current on-screen guidance in ImmiAccount, as pixel guidance may be updated.
Australia vs US Visa Photo — Quick Comparison
| Australia visa | US visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 35–40 × 45–50 mm | 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) |
| Head height | 32–36 mm | 25–35 mm |
| Glasses | Remove (medical exception, untinted) | Remove since 2016, no exceptions except rare medical |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth closed | Neutral, mouth closed |
| Background | Plain light colour, no shadows | Plain white or off-white |
Babies & Young Children
Children must meet the same quality standards. Babies under three may have a slightly open mouth. A parent may support the baby's head from behind as long as the supporting hand is not visible, and the same plain, light background applies. See our baby passport photo guide for practical setup tips.
Common Reasons Photos Get Rejected
- Wrong dimensions — using the 45 × 45 mm passport square instead of the 35–40 × 45–50 mm visa range
- Head height outside 32–36 mm, or the face tilted
- Wearing glasses (the most common fixable mistake)
- Shadows on the face or background, or uneven lighting
- Signs of digital editing — background removal or skin retouching
FAQ
How big should an Australia visa photo be?
For paper applications the photo should be passport-sized: 35 mm to 40 mm wide and 45 mm to 50 mm high, with the head measuring 32 mm to 36 mm from chin to crown. Note that 45×45 mm is the Australian passport photo size, which differs from the visa photo range.
Can I wear glasses in my Australian visa photo?
Glasses must be removed for Australian visa and citizenship photos. Only a medical condition justifies keeping them, and the lenses must be untinted with no glare. Vision impairment alone is not an acceptable reason to wear glasses.
Can I edit or retouch my Australia visa photo?
No. The photo must be unedited — removing the background, moles, wrinkles, scars or red-eye is explicitly prohibited by the Department of Home Affairs.
What are the digital photo requirements for online applications?
Upload a colour JPEG between 70 KB and 3.5 MB, preferably 1200 × 1600 pixels. A scan of a photo or a photograph of a photo is not acceptable. Always follow the current on-screen guidance in ImmiAccount.
Do babies and young children follow the same photo rules?
Children must meet the same quality standards, but babies under three may have a slightly open mouth. A parent may support a baby's head from behind (hand not visible), and the same plain light background applies.
Need a compliant photo in seconds? Use our free passport photo tool to crop and check your picture against official specs, then see our Australia visitor visa documents checklist for the complete application pack.