Taiwan Passport Photo Requirements — 35 × 45 mm, White Background
For an ROC (Taiwan) passport application or renewal. Taiwan uses the common 35 × 45 mm portrait format, so the headline numbers are familiar — but the head band, the digital thresholds and the official warnings on selfies are all Taiwan-specific. Verified against the Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA) photo specification, September 2026.
Official Taiwan passport photo specification
| Print size | 35 × 45 mm (3.5 × 4.5 cm) — 1.38 × 1.77 in; the border is not counted |
| Head length | 32–36 mm from the top of the head to the chin |
| Face coverage | 70–80% of the whole photo area |
| Position | Face centred left to right, close-up of head and the top of the shoulders |
| Background | Plain white, evenly lit — no shadow, no flash reflection, no red eye |
| Recency | Taken within the last 6 months |
| Copies | 2 printed copies — waived if you upload through the online application system |
| Digital file | JPEG / JPG, RGB colour 24-bit or higher, maximum 5 MB, at least 531 px high × 413 px wide |
BOCA frames the rule around the head: the photo is a close-up of the head and the top of the shoulders so that the head measures 3.2–3.6 cm from crown to chin — roughly 70–80% of the whole photo.
How the 35 × 45 mm frame is laid out
The frame is a portrait rectangle 35 mm wide and 45 mm tall. Inside it, the head from the top of the head to the chin has to land between 32 mm and 36 mm — that is 70–80% of the 45 mm height — and the face is centred left to right. Practically speaking the head has to fill most of the picture, so a photo where you are small in the frame, or off to one side, is a rejection risk even if the print measures 35 × 45 mm exactly.
Because the ratio is fixed, stay inside the band rather than aiming at one number: a 32 mm head is acceptable, and so is a 36 mm head. The same 35 × 45 mm footprint is used by several other passports, so if you already have a correctly framed photo for a compatible country you can reuse the crop geometry — see the Japan passport photo page (35 × 45 mm) or pick any format from the full size chart.
Background: plain white, evenly lit
Taiwan asks for a white background. What gets a white background rejected is not the colour but the light: a shadow behind the head, a flash reflection, or red eye from a direct flash all break the rule. Stand a little away from the wall so the flash does not bounce behind you. See how white compares with the light backgrounds other countries use in the background guide.
Glasses and contact lenses
- Eyes must be clearly visible. The frame must not cover your eyes.
- No flash reflection on the lenses. Angling the lenses slightly downward helps; a reflection that hides the eye is a rejection point.
- Tinted glasses are not allowed — an exception is made where tinted glasses are needed because of a visual impairment.
- No coloured contact lenses or circle lenses. Lenses worn purely to enlarge or recolour the iris are not accepted.
The simplest safe option is to take the photo without glasses at all. If you must keep them on, the glasses guide walks through reflection-free technique.
Religious headwear
A religious head covering is allowed, with one condition: the face has to be clearly visible from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead, including both side outlines of the face. Headwear worn for religious reasons is fine; fashion headwear is not. If your covering shades the face or hides the face outline, move the light so the face stays brighter than the background — see the head coverings guide for the detail.
Babies and young children: the photo must show the child alone
Taiwan states this one plainly: a child's photo must show the applicant by themselves. No chair back, no toy, no pacifier, no other person and no helper's hand in the frame. That rules out the common trick of photographing a baby propped in a bouncer or held up by a parent's hand. Lay the child on a plain white surface and shoot from directly above, or wait for a supported sitting moment where nothing shows behind them. The baby and toddler photo guide covers the setup.
Digital file thresholds for the online upload
| Format | JPEG / JPG |
| Colour | RGB, 24-bit or higher |
| File size | No more than 5 MB |
| Resolution | At least 531 px high × 413 px wide |
| Paper copies | Not required when the photo is uploaded through the online system; otherwise 2 prints |
The 531 × 413 px minimum is the digital twin of the print format — drop below either dimension and the upload is refused. Check the rest of your files against the same logic in the digital file requirements guide, and confirm the result with the passport photo checker.
Why BOCA discourages phone selfies
This is the one Taiwan-specific warning worth reading twice: the official guidance advises against using a phone selfie for your passport photo, because a front camera easily produces a mirrored image (your face flipped left to right) and a wide-angle lens distorts the proportions of your facial features. BOCA's own wording recommends a photo studio instead. A mirror-flipped or lens-warped face can stop the automated border gates from recognising you later, which is a much worse outcome than one trip to a studio. If you do shoot at home, use a rear camera on a tripod with a neutral lens rather than a front-camera selfie — see the at home guide and the comparison of apps versus a professional.
Other rules worth knowing
- Clothing: do not wear a military or police uniform, or camouflage clothing.
- No editing: composite, mirrored or retouched photos are not accepted; do not resample the image before printing.
- A clean print: ink marks and creases on the paper copy are rejection points.
- Hair: it must not cover your eyebrows or eyes.
- Angle: the face must not be turned to the side or tilted.
- Recency: the photo has to be less than 6 months old — the same clock as most other passports, explained in the six month rule guide.
Dress rules differ by document, so check the dress code guide before you shoot, and if a photo has already been refused, work through the rejection reasons guide.
What gets a Taiwan passport photo rejected
- The photo is not from the last 6 months, or the print carries ink marks or creases.
- The background is not white, or the lighting is uneven — shadow, flash reflection or red eye.
- Hair covers the eyebrows or eyes; the face is turned or tilted; the outline of the ears is hidden (with an exception for a microtia ear condition).
- Tinted glasses are worn, or a lens reflection hides the eyes.
- The image is composited, mirrored or retouched — BOCA notes this can defeat automated border clearance.
- A child's photo is not a solo shot — a chair back, toy, pacifier, another person or a helper's hand appears.
- Military or police uniform, or camouflage clothing, is worn.
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Taiwan passport photo?
35 x 45 mm (3.5 x 4.5 cm), not counting the border. The head must measure 32-36 mm from the top of the head to the chin - about 70-80% of the photo height - and the face must sit centred left to right.
What background does a Taiwan passport photo need?
A plain white background, evenly lit, with no shadow, no flash reflection and no red eye.
Can I wear glasses in a Taiwan passport photo?
Yes, if your eyes are clearly visible: the lenses must show no flash reflection and the frame must not cover your eyes. Tinted glasses are not allowed (an exception is made where they are needed for a visual impairment), and coloured or circle contact lenses must not be worn.
Can I wear a religious head covering?
Yes. A religious head covering is allowed as long as the face is clearly visible from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead, including both side outlines of the face.
Can a baby's photo include a parent or a toy?
No. The photo must show the applicant alone - no chair back, no toy, no pacifier, no other person and no helper's hand may appear in the frame.
What are the digital file requirements?
JPEG (JPG) in RGB colour at 24-bit or higher, no more than 5 MB, and at least 531 pixels high by 413 pixels wide.
Taiwan uses the 35 × 45 mm portrait frame, the same family as the Japan passport photo. Within the photo sizes line there is also the square India OCI photo (51 × 51 mm, light background), which shows how far the background rule can move between documents. Every format the site supports is listed in the full size chart, and paper copies are laid out with the photo print sheet.