Malta Passport Photo Requirements — 45 × 35 mm, Light Grey or Cream
For a Maltese passport (biometric) photo. The official standard is precise: 45 mm high × 35 mm wide, taken against a light grey or cream background — and the guidance is explicit that a photo must not show a white background once printed. The face must be in sharp focus, straight to the camera, with the eyes open and clearly visible. Verified against the Identità biometric photo guidance, September 2026.
Official Malta passport photo specification
| Print size | 45 mm high × 35 mm wide (do not trim the photo to size) |
| Position | Fit the template, with the eyes in the shaded band |
| Background | Light grey or cream — must not show a white background once printed |
| Framing | Full head, facing forward and looking straight at the camera |
| Quality | Sharp focus and clear, with strong definition between face and background |
| Glasses | No sunglasses or tinted glasses; no hair across the eyes; no glare; frames must not cover the eyes |
| Head covering | None, unless worn for religious beliefs or medical reasons; nothing covering the face |
| Expression | Neutral — no laughing, smiling (even slightly) or open mouth |
| Head-size ratio | Not published (eyes positioned in the template band) |
| Pixel size / file | Not published by the official guidance |
The official guidance states verbatim:
45 millimetres (mm) high x 35 millimetres (mm) wide (however, please do not trim your photographs to meet this condition)
taken against a light grey or cream background
taken of the full head, without any covering, unless it is worn for religious beliefs or medical reasons
of you facing forward, looking straight at the camera
The 45 × 35 mm frame — and do not trim it
Malta measures the photo as 45 mm high by 35 mm wide — the same portrait rectangle as the common 35 × 45 mm, stated height first. The guidance adds a detail that matters: do not trim your photographs to meet the size; the photo is positioned on the form and the eyes should fall in the area marked by the shaded band on the official template. See the full size chart for the other formats the site supports. The official guidance does not publish a head-height percentage, so do not copy a chin-to-crown figure from another country.
Background: light grey or cream — not white
This is the Maltese rule most often missed. The background must be light grey or cream. The guidance goes further, warning photographers that the photo will not show a white background once printed — so a tool or preset that forces a pure-white background works against the Maltese standard. If your photo was prepared for a white-background country, it will need re-doing for Malta. Note that the official list of rejected examples includes "the background is not light grey or cream".
Expression, glasses and the full head
The face must be straight to the camera and looking directly forward, sharp and clear, with a strong definition between face and background. The expression must be neutral: the guidance rejects laughing, smiling (even a slight smile) and an open mouth, because they distort the facial features. With glasses, no sunglasses or tinted glasses, no hair across the eyes, no reflection or glare, and the frames must not cover the eyes — the guidance recommends removing glasses altogether to avoid rejections. Head covering is allowed only for religious beliefs or medical reasons, and nothing may cover the face. The general rules are on the expression and background guides.
Children
Children aged six and over must meet the full standard. Children five and under need a clear image that is a true likeness; they do not need a neutral expression or to look directly at the camera, but they must face forward. Babies under one do not need their eyes open (though open is preferred), all other standards apply, and if the head needs support the supporting hand must not be seen.
What is still not published
The guidance fixes the size, background, framing, quality, glasses and head-covering rules and the child allowances, but it does not publish a head-height percentage, a pixel size, a file size or a file format. Do not guess at these. If you genuinely cannot meet the conditions, the guidance suggests a photographic studio rather than a photo booth. Confirm a finished crop with the passport photo checker.
60-second Malta check
- ☐ Photo is 45 mm high × 35 mm wide (not trimmed)
- ☐ Background is light grey or cream — not white
- ☐ Full head, facing forward, looking straight at the camera
- ☐ Sharp focus, strong definition between face and background
- ☐ Neutral expression — no smile, no open mouth
- ☐ Eyes open and clearly visible; no tinted glasses or glare
- ☐ Nothing covering the face
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Malta passport photo?
45 mm high by 35 mm wide. The guidance also says not to trim the photograph to meet the size condition.
What background colour does Malta require?
Light grey or cream. The guidance warns that the photo must not show a white background once printed, so a pure-white background does not meet the Maltese standard.
Can I smile in a Malta passport photo?
No. Laughing, any smiling (even slight) and an open mouth are rejected because they distort the facial features.
Can I wear glasses?
No sunglasses or tinted glasses, no hair across the eyes, no reflection or glare, and the frames must not cover the eyes. The guidance recommends removing glasses where possible to avoid rejection.
Can I cover my head?
Only for religious beliefs or medical reasons, and nothing may cover the face.
Do the standards apply to babies and children?
Children aged six and over must meet the full standard. Children five and under need a clear true likeness but not a neutral expression; babies under one need not have their eyes open. Any supporting hand must not be visible.
Related: Malta's light grey or cream background is unusual — compare the light background rules for Denmark and the general backgrounds guide. Lay out prints with the photo print sheet, and read rejection reasons if a photo has been refused.