Laos Passport Photo Requirements
Laos (Lao PDR) uses a 4 × 6 cm (40 × 60 mm) photograph for its eVisa and passport applications — a 3:2 portrait shape rather than the 35 × 45 mm used by many countries. The official Lao online visa portal asks for a photo taken within the last 6 months and made to the ICAO standard. Verified against the official Lao eVisa portal (laoevisa.gov.la), September 2026.
The official specification
| Photo size | 4 × 6 cm (40 × 60 mm), in colour |
| Photo recency | Taken no longer than 6 months ago |
| Standard | As per the ICAO standard photograph (stated by the portal) |
| How you submit it | Uploaded online with the eVisa application (one photo, plus the passport bio page) |
| Pixels at 300 dpi | About 472 × 709 px (a conversion of 40 × 60 mm; the portal publishes no pixel size) |
| Head height | Not published officially (the portal only refers to the ICAO standard) |
| Background colour | Not published officially |
Because the head-size and background are not set out on the official page, this guide does not invent them. Where the Lao portal is silent, follow the general digital file requirements and keep a plain, light background with a full-frontal face.
Why 4 × 6 cm is the number that trips people up
Most national photo rules sit close to 35 × 45 mm or a 2 × 2 inch square. Laos asks for 4 × 6 cm, which is taller and noticeably wider, on a 3:2 ratio. A photo cropped to a different country's size will not simply need a trim — the proportions are different, so start from the 4 × 6 cm frame. You can prepare the crop with the image cropper and check the finished file against the photo size chart.
ICAO standard: what it means in practice
The Lao portal says the photograph is "as per ICAO Standard photograph". ICAO is the civil-aviation photo standard most passports are built on: one clear, full-frontal image of the face, eyes open and visible, a neutral expression, even lighting, no shadows across the face, and a plain background. The portal does not restate those rules, so treat them as the general baseline rather than a Laos-specific list — and remember the size itself is fixed at 4 × 6 cm.
Submitting with the eVisa
- One photograph of 4 × 6 cm, taken within the last 6 months.
- Your passport bio page, imaged so the whole page shows, including the two-line MRZ at the bottom.
- Uploaded online as part of the eVisa application.
If you need to bring the file under a size limit before upload, the image compressor can shrink it without changing the pixel dimensions, and the passport photo checker lets you review the face and framing on your own device.
Frequently asked questions
What size photo does Laos require?
The official Lao eVisa portal states the photograph must be 4 × 6 cm (40 × 60 mm). That is a 3:2 portrait ratio, not the 35 × 45 mm used by many countries.
How recent must the photo be?
The official page asks for a photo taken no longer than 6 months ago.
What standard does the Lao eVisa photo follow?
The portal states the photograph must be 4 × 6 cm as per the ICAO standard photograph. So the composition rules — a clear, full-frontal face with a plain background — follow ICAO, while the stated size is fixed at 4 × 6 cm.
Does the Lao eVisa portal state a head height or a background colour?
No. The official Lao eVisa document-information page gives only the size (4 × 6 cm), the 6-month recency and the ICAO reference. It publishes no head-size and no background-colour rule, so neither is stated here.
How many photos do I upload for the Lao eVisa?
One photograph is uploaded with the application, alongside the passport bio page. The portal asks for the passport bio page image to cover the whole page including its two-line MRZ at the bottom.
How many pixels is a 4 × 6 cm photo at 300 dpi?
About 472 × 709 pixels. The official page does not publish a pixel size, so that figure is a conversion of the 40 × 60 mm size at 300 dpi, not an official number.
Source: Lao Official Online Visa (laoevisa.gov.la), "Document Information" and "Photograph Specifications" — retrieved 2026-09-28. Requirements change, so confirm the current rule on the official portal before you apply.