New Zealand Passport Photo — The Technical Requirements for a Digital Upload
If you upload a photo for a New Zealand passport, the file has to clear concrete technical gates: a set aspect ratio, a minimum and maximum pixel size, a file-size band, and a format. There is also a flat ban on selfies. This guide sets out the numbers and the reasons. Verified against the New Zealand passports office, September 2026 (official page retrieved via Wayback snapshot).
The 15-second answer
- Selfies are not accepted.
- Aspect ratio: a portrait photo with a 4:3 ratio (or 3:4 on a smartphone).
- File size: between 250 KB and 5 MB.
- Pixels: 900–4500 px wide and 1200–6000 px high.
- Format: .jpg or .jpeg, in colour.
- Scans of physical photos are not accepted.
No selfies — and why
The rule is flat: “Selfies are not accepted.” The reasoning is given too: “If the camera is too close, your face will look distorted and the photo may be rejected when a passport officer checks it.” The guidance allows either a professional service or “someone you know” to take the photo — just not you, arm’s length, with the lens distorting your features.
The technical numbers
A New Zealand digital photo must be:
- a portrait photo with a 4:3 aspect ratio, or 3:4 on a smartphone;
- digital — the office states plainly “we cannot accept scans of physical photos”;
- in colour;
- saved in .jpg or .jpeg format;
- between 250 KB and 5 MB;
- between 900 and 4500 pixels wide, and 1200 and 6000 pixels high.
Two practical consequences follow. First, a photo that is technically fine may still fail on file size alone — a phone photo can easily exceed 5 MB, and a heavily compressed one can fall under 250 KB. Second, a scan is not a substitute for a digital original: “scans of physical photos will not be accepted.”
Keep the original if you edit
The guidance gives a specific instruction for anyone touching the file: “If you need to edit your photo, we recommend you keep a copy of the original. Save any edited versions with a new name using ‘Save as’.” Keeping the untouched original protects you if an edited version is questioned. For how to shoot the original cleanly, see the how to take a passport photo guide.
Getting the photo right first
Meet the photo rules and the file rules in one shot where you can. The at-home guide and how to take a passport photo cover the shooting side; the digital file requirements cover the file side across countries. Then verify the finished image with the passport photo checker before you upload it.
60-second NZ file check
- ☐ Not a selfie
- ☐ Ratio 4:3 (or 3:4 on a phone)
- ☐ 250 KB–5 MB
- ☐ 900–4500 px wide, 1200–6000 px high
- ☐ .jpg / .jpeg, in colour, not a scan
- ☐ Original kept if edited
Official source: passports.govt.nz, “Passport photos” and “Check your photo meets the technical requirements”, retrieved 2026-09-27 via Wayback Machine snapshot (passports.govt.nz returned HTTP 403 to direct access). Confidence A (official page).
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a selfie for a New Zealand passport photo?
No. The guidance states selfies are not accepted, because a camera held too close distorts your face and the photo may be rejected when a passport officer checks it. Ask someone else to take it, or use a professional service.
What file size does a New Zealand passport photo need to be?
Between 250 KB and 5 MB.
What pixel dimensions does a New Zealand passport photo need?
Between 900 and 4500 pixels wide, and between 1200 and 6000 pixels high.
What format and aspect ratio should a NZ passport photo be?
Save it as .jpg or .jpeg, in colour, as a portrait photo with a 4:3 aspect ratio (or 3:4 on a smartphone).
Can I scan a printed photo for a New Zealand passport application?
No. The office states it cannot accept scans of physical photos, so you need a digital original taken by a camera.
What should I do if I edit my New Zealand passport photo?
Keep a copy of the original, and save any edited versions with a new name using ‘Save as’. The original protects you if the edited version is questioned.
How old can a New Zealand passport photo be?
Your passport photo must be less than 6 months old and meet the technical requirements.
The file rules across countries are compared in the digital file requirements; the shooting side is in the at-home guide and how to take a passport photo. Editing limits are in the the editing rules, and the finished file can be checked with the passport photo checker.