Congo-Brazzaville Passport Photo
The Republic of the Congo is unusual in using two square formats: a 4 x 4 cm photo for the CEMAC biometric passport and a 2 x 2 inch photo for travel documents and visas, both on white. This page sets out both, and flags the country's easy confusion with its neighbour, DR Congo. Based on the official embassy pages (ambacongo-us.org).
The official specification — two formats
The Republic of Congo uses two different photo sizes depending on the document, set out on the official embassy pages. Do not mix them up:
| Passport (CEMAC biometric) | 4 cm × 4 cm (40 × 40 mm), white background, impassive face facing the camera |
| Travel document / visa | 2″ × 2″ (51 × 51 mm), colour, white background, full front view of the face |
| How many | Two photographs |
| Recency | Taken within the last 6 months (stated on the visa page) |
| Background | White |
| Pixels or head height | Not published officially |
What the embassy actually says
On the passport page, the biometric passport requirement reads:
2 photos (format 4cmx4cm with a white background and an impassive face facing the camera).
On the visa page, the requirement is the American square:
Photos must be 2inches×2inches (51 *51 mm in size), colored, have a white background, and show a full front view of the face. These photos must have been taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance.
The travel document (Laissez-Passer) page asks for the same square size, noting it is the size used for US passport photos. The Republic of Congo has issued CEMAC passports since 2015, under Decree No. 2021-417 of 16 August 2021.
Square, not portrait
Both formats here are square — 40 × 40 mm and 51 × 51 mm — so a photo cropped to the usual 35 × 45 mm portrait will not simply need a trim; the proportions are different. Prepare from the square frame and check it against the photo size chart. The image cropper makes an exact square crop, and the image compressor reduces the file size if you need to send it electronically. Confirm the file with the passport photo checker.
Do not confuse the two Congos
This page covers the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville, capital Brazzaville). The neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, capital Kinshasa) is a different country with its own rules — it asks for 2 × 2 inch photos taken in the last 6 months. Do not apply one country’s specification to the other.
Frequently asked questions
What size photo does the Republic of Congo require?
A 4 × 4 cm (40 × 40 mm) photo for the CEMAC biometric passport, or 2 × 2 inches (51 × 51 mm) for a travel document or visa.
What background colour is required?
White, on both the passport and the visa pages.
How many photos do I need?
Two photographs.
How recent must the photo be?
Within the last 6 months.
Does the page state a head height or pixel size?
No. Only the square dimensions and the face and background rules are published, so no head-height or pixel figure is stated here.
Is Congo-Brazzaville the same as DR Congo?
No. This page is the Republic of the Congo (Brazzaville); the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa) is a separate country with different rules.
Source: Embassy of the Republic of Congo, Washington D.C. (ambacongo-us.org) — passport and visa consular pages, retrieved 2026-09-28. Requirements change, so confirm the current rule on the official page before you apply.