Aruba Passport Photo Requirements — 35 × 45 mm, Fotomatrix Model 2007
Aruba’s passport photo rules are the Dutch Kingdom matrix: 35 mm wide by 45 mm high, a measured face width of 16–20 mm, a chin-to-crown height of 26–30 mm (19–30 mm up to age 10), at least 400 dpi, on a light grey, light blue or white plain background. The Aruba government’s passport page adopts the Fotomatrix Model 2007 as its acceptance conditions. All photos are taken with the applicant present, with fingerprints stored in the chip. Verified against the Aruba government pages, September 2026.
The 15-second answer
- Size: 35 mm × 45 mm (width × height).
- Background: light grey, light blue or white — plain, single-colour, no gradient, good contrast.
- Face width: 16–20 mm (ear base to ear base).
- Chin to crown: 26–30 mm from age 11; 19–30 mm up to age 10.
- Resolution: ≥ 400 dpi, colour, sharp, on smooth high-quality photo paper.
- In person: two fingerprints are taken; the photo must have no shadows or reflections.
Size and background
The format is fixed by the matrix: “Formaat pasfoto is 35 mm x 45 mm (bxh)” — 35 mm wide by 45 mm high. The background is a choice within limits: “Lichtgrijs, lichtblauw of wit… Egaal. Eenkleurig. Geen kleurverloop. Voldoende contrast tussen hoofd en achtergrond” — light grey, light blue or white, plain, single-colour, with no gradient and enough contrast between head and background. Lay the frame out accurately with the photo print sheet, and read the general lighting advice in the backgrounds guide.
The head measurements — the part people miss
Aruba’s matrix gives two numbers rather than a vague instruction. Face width from ear base to ear base must be 16–20 mm: “Breedte: van ooraanzet tot ooraanzet tussen de 16 mm en 20 mm”. Chin to crown depends on age: from 11 years it is 26–30 mm, and up to and including 10 years it is 19–30 mm. If your photo is cropped from a larger original, crop rather than scale, and check the finished file with the passport photo checker.
Print quality and pose
The technical bar is explicit: “In kleur… Scherp, voldoende contrast en gedetailleerd… Afgedrukt op hoogwaardig, glad fotopapier… Minimaal 400 dpi resolutie” — in colour, sharp and detailed, printed on smooth high-quality photo paper, at at least 400 dpi, and not retouched. The pose is equally defined: head straight to the front, eyes on a horizontal line, head not tilted, shoulders straight, a neutral look straight into the camera with the mouth closed. See the printing guide for getting a clean print.
Accessories, and attending in person
Glasses must have clear lenses, must not cover the eyes and must not reflect; if that cannot be avoided, take them off. Headwear is allowed only for religious, belief or medical reasons. All of this happens with the applicant present: you attend in person, two fingerprints are taken and stored in the passport chip, and the photo must be free of shadows and reflections.
A note on scope
These figures come from the Fotomatrix Model 2007, the Dutch Kingdom photo-acceptance matrix that the Aruba government’s passport page links as its acceptance conditions, hosted on Aruba’s own government CDN. Because the matrix is a Kingdom-wide standard, the numbers share a source with the Netherlands passport photo page; what is specific to Aruba is the local process — attendance in person and the fingerprint capture.
60-second Aruba check
- ☐ Size 35 × 45 mm (width × height)
- ☐ Light grey, light blue or white background — plain, no gradient
- ☐ Face width 16–20 mm; chin-to-crown 26–30 mm (19–30 mm if ≤ 10)
- ☐ Colour, sharp, ≥ 400 dpi, smooth photo paper
- ☐ Head straight, eyes level, mouth closed, neutral
- ☐ Glasses clear/no glare; headwear only for religious/medical reasons
Frequently asked questions
What size is an Aruba passport photo?
35 mm wide by 45 mm high, as set out in the Fotomatrix Model 2007 that the Aruba government's passport page adopts as its acceptance conditions.
What background colour does an Aruba passport photo need?
Light grey, light blue or white. It must be plain, single-colour, with no gradient, and enough contrast between the head and the background.
How big should the head be in the frame?
Face width from ear base to ear base should be 16-20 mm. Chin to crown should be 26-30 mm from age 11, or 19-30 mm up to and including age 10.
What resolution does the photo need?
At least 400 dpi, in colour, sharp and detailed, printed on high-quality smooth photo paper.
Do I have to attend in person?
Yes. Two fingerprints are taken in person and stored in the passport chip. The photo must have no shadows or reflections.
Are glasses or headwear allowed?
Glasses need clear lenses, must not cover the eyes and must not reflect; if that is impossible, remove them. Headwear is allowed only for religious, belief or medical reasons.
Official source: gobierno.aw — Paspoort page (which adopts the Fotomatrix Model 2007 as its acceptance conditions) and the official Fotomatrix Model 2007 PDF hosted on the Aruba government CDN, both retrieved 2026-09-27. Confidence A (official text, quoted verbatim). A number of photos, and any back-annotation rule, are not published here.
Related: the same Dutch Kingdom matrix underlies the Netherlands passport photo; the 35 × 45 mm frame is also used by the Malta passport photo. Compare all formats on the size chart, and check a finished photo with the passport photo checker.