Trinidad and Tobago Passport Photo Requirements — 2 × 2 in (5 × 5 cm)
For a Trinidad and Tobago passport application. The official requirement is short and specific: identical photos, 2 × 2 inches or 5 × 5 cm, taken within the past 6 months, showing a full front view, in colour or black and white on a light background, with the head measuring 1 to 1⅜ inches (2.5 to 3 cm) from chin to crown. Vending-machine photos are not generally accepted, and you must not staple, fasten or glue the photos to the form. Verified against the Trinidad and Tobago Immigration Division photo page (archived), September 2026.
Official Trinidad and Tobago passport photo specification
| Print size | 2 × 2 inches or 5 × 5 cm |
| Head size | 1 to 1⅜ inches (2.5 to 3 cm), chin bottom to top of head |
| Copies | Identical — every copy must be the same photo |
| Recency | Taken within the past 6 months, showing current appearance |
| Colour | Colour or black and white |
| Background | Light background |
| Framing | Clear full front view of the face |
| Glasses | Prescription glasses, clear contacts and hearing devices may be worn; dark or tinted lenses are not acceptable |
| Attaching photos | Do not staple, fasten or glue the photos to the form |
| DPI | Not published by the official page |
| Pixel size | Not published by the official page |
| Number of copies | Not stated as a number — but all copies must be identical |
The official page states the requirement verbatim:
Your identical photographs must be:
2 x 2 inches or 5 x 5 cm in size
Identical
Taken within the past 6 months, showing current appearance
Colour or black and white with a light background
Clear with a full front view of your face
The size of the head must be between 1 inch and 1 3/8 inches or 2.5 to 3 cm from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head
The 2 × 2 inch frame and the head length
Trinidad and Tobago uses a square photo: 2 x 2 inches, or 5 x 5 cm — the official page gives both units. Unlike most countries, it also gives a head length: the distance from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head must be between 1 inch and 1⅜ inches, or 2.5 to 3 cm. This is an absolute measurement, not a percentage of the frame, so measure the head itself rather than a proportion. See the full size chart for the other formats the site supports.
Colour, background and "identical" copies
Two phrases matter. Colour or black and white: unlike many countries, Trinidad and Tobago accepts either, so a monochrome print is not automatically wrong here. Light background: the official wording is "light", not "white" — a plain light background meets it, and the page does not give an RGB value. And identical: the requirement opens with "your identical photographs", so every copy must be the same shot, not two different frames from the same sitting. Print them from one file so they cannot drift apart, and lay them out with the photo print sheet.
Do not staple, fasten or glue
The page is explicit: DO NOT staple, fasten or glue your photos to the application form. Staples and glue damage the photo and leave marks; put the photos in a small envelope or a sleeve and clip the sleeve to the form if you must, never the photo itself. This mirrors the paper-damage rules many authorities apply, and it is a common reason a photo is rejected at submission.
Vending-machine photos, and what may be worn
The page notes that vending machine photos are not generally acceptable — automated booth output is often produced without meeting the head-length and background rules. Have the photo taken and printed by a person who can frame the head to the 2.5 to 3 cm band. Glasses are allowed if they are prescription glasses, clear contacts or a hearing device; other dark or tinted lenses are not acceptable. A hat or headgear that obscures the hair or hairline is not allowed unless it is worn for religious reasons, and normal daily attire or religious attire is expected.
What is still not published
The official page fixes the size, head length, recency, colour allowance, background, framing, glasses rule and the no-staple rule — and little else. It does not publish a DPI, a pixel size, an RGB background value, a file-size limit or a specific number of copies (beyond "identical"). The source page is an archived copy from 2011, so the rules should be confirmed on the current immigration site before you rely on them. For a digital file, the general digital file requirements guide applies, and you can confirm a crop with the passport photo checker.
60-second Trinidad and Tobago check
- ☐ Photo is 2 × 2 inches (5 × 5 cm)
- ☐ Head measures 2.5 to 3 cm (1 to 1⅜ in) from chin to crown
- ☐ Taken within the past 6 months, showing your current appearance
- ☐ Clear full front view of the face
- ☐ Colour or black and white, on a light background
- ☐ All copies identical, printed from one file
- ☐ Not a vending-machine photo; no dark or tinted lenses
- ☐ Not stapled, fastened or glued to the form
Frequently asked questions
What size is a Trinidad and Tobago passport photo?
2 × 2 inches, or 5 × 5 cm — the official page gives both units. The head must measure 2.5 to 3 cm (1 to 1⅜ inches) from chin to crown.
Does the head size matter?
Yes. The official requirement gives a head length of 1 to 1⅜ inches, or 2.5 to 3 cm, from the bottom of the chin to the top of the head. This is an absolute measurement, not a percentage.
Can the photo be black and white?
Yes. The official wording is "colour or black and white with a light background", so either is accepted — unlike countries that require colour.
What background colour is required?
A light background. The official page says "light", not "white", and does not give an RGB value.
Can I use a photo booth or vending machine?
The page notes that vending machine photos are not generally acceptable, so have the photo taken by someone who can frame the head to the required 2.5 to 3 cm.
How should I attach the photos to the form?
Do not staple, fasten or glue them. Put the photos in a sleeve and clip the sleeve, or place them loose in an envelope, so the photo itself is undamaged.
Can I wear glasses in the photo?
Prescription glasses, clear contacts and hearing devices may be worn. Other dark or tinted lenses are not acceptable.
Related: Trinidad and Tobago's 2 × 2 inch square is also used by the Bahamas passport photo; compare the common portrait frames in the full size chart (for example the Turkey passport photo). Lay out identical copies with the photo print sheet and check a finished crop with the passport photo checker; the recency rule is explained in the six month rule guide.