United Arab Emirates Visa / Emirates ID photo requirements
United Arab Emirates visa / Emirates ID photo: 43 × 55 mm (508 × 650 px), head 60–75% of frame height. Check yours free, then print 4 on a 4×6 sheet.
Check my visa / Emirates ID photo — freeThe specification
- Photo size
- 43 × 55 mm (508 × 650 px)
- Head height
- 60–75% of frame height
- Head height in the frame
- 60–75%
- Resolution
- 300 DPI
- Digital size
- 508 × 650 px
- Background
- #FFFFFF
- Glasses
- Not permitted
- Head covering
- Religious only, face fully visible
- Expression
- Neutral, mouth closed
- Printing
- 4 photos per 4×6 in sheet (2 × 2, portrait)
Source: Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security. Last checked 2026-08-17.
- The UAE uses 43x55 mm, which is not an ICAO standard size.
- Both ears should be visible where religious dress permits.
Please double-check this specification
Why United Arab Emirates visa / Emirates ID photos get rejected
- 1
Head the wrong size. United Arab Emirates requires 60–75% of frame height. This is the single most common reason a photo is sent back, and it is almost impossible to judge by eye.
- 2
Wrong dimensions. The photo must be exactly 43 × 55 mm (508 × 650 px). Cropping to roughly the right shape in a phone gallery app does not produce an exact size.
- 3
Glasses. United Arab Emirates does not accept photos where eyeglasses are worn, including clear prescription lenses. They must be removed.
- 4
Shadow on the face or background. Uneven side lighting throws one half of the face into shadow, and a shadow cast on the wall behind counts as a non-plain background.
- 5
Smiling or an open mouth. The expression must be neutral with the mouth closed and both eyes open and clearly visible.
- 6
Too low resolution. An enlarged photo looks soft in print. The face has to occupy enough of the original image to reach 300 DPI at 43 × 55 mm.
How to get it right in three steps
- Step 1
Take or choose a photo
Stand about 1.5 m from a plain wall, facing a window so the light is even on both sides of your face. Look straight at the camera with a neutral expression. A normal phone photo is fine.
- Step 2
Check it for free
Upload it and see every measurement against the United Arab Emirates requirement — head height 60–75% of frame height, size 43 × 55 mm (508 × 650 px), focus, glare, lighting and background. If anything fails, you will be told exactly what to change.
- Step 3
Download and print
Get the 508 × 650 px file at 300 DPI for online applications, plus a 4 × 6 inch sheet you can print at any photo kiosk for about $0.35.
Printing at a photo kiosk
Your download includes a 4 × 6 inch sheet with 4 copies arranged 2 across and 2 down, with cut guides in the margin.
Any drugstore, supermarket or online photo service prints a standard 4 × 6 for roughly $0.35. The same photos taken in store typically cost $17–22.
Choose “actual size”, not “fit to page”
Frequently asked questions
What size is a United Arab Emirates visa / Emirates ID photo?
43 × 55 mm (508 × 650 px). At 300 DPI that is exactly 508 × 650 pixels, which is what an online application form expects.
How big does my head need to be in a United Arab Emirates visa / Emirates ID photo?
60–75% of frame height, measured from the crown — the top of your head including hair — down to the bottom of your chin. In the finished 55 mm photo that is between 60% and 75% of the total height.
What background colour is required for a United Arab Emirates visa / Emirates ID photo?
A plain #FFFFFF background, with no pattern, shadow or texture. United Arab Emirates accepts no other colour.
Can I wear glasses in a United Arab Emirates visa / Emirates ID photo?
No. United Arab Emirates does not accept photos where eyeglasses are worn, including clear prescription lenses. Remove them before taking the photo.
Can I take my United Arab Emirates visa / Emirates ID photo on my phone?
Yes. Face a window for even light, stand about an arm and a half away from a plain wall, and have someone take the photo with the rear camera — it is sharper than the selfie camera and gives more resolution to work with. This tool then crops it to 43 × 55 mm (508 × 650 px) at 300 DPI, levels it, replaces the background with #FFFFFF, and checks it against the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security requirements before you download anything.
Can I print United Arab Emirates visa / Emirates ID photos at a pharmacy or supermarket?
Yes, and it is the cheapest way to do it. You get 4 copies arranged on a single 4 × 6 inch sheet with cut guides. Any drugstore or supermarket photo kiosk prints a 4 × 6 for around $0.35, against $17–22 for photos taken in store. Choose "actual size" and not "fit to page", or the print will be rescaled and no longer compliant.
Is my United Arab Emirates visa / Emirates ID photo stored anywhere?
No. The analysis runs entirely in your browser, and the final render happens in memory on our server and is discarded immediately. Nothing is written to disk, kept in a database, or used to train anything. We keep no copy of your face.
What if my United Arab Emirates visa / Emirates ID photo is rejected?
We refund you in full. We check size, head height, eye position, tilt, framing, resolution, focus, glare, lighting and background against the published Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security requirements. If your photo is rejected for any of those, reply to your receipt and we will refund it. We cannot judge how recently a photo was taken or what you were wearing, so we do not claim to.
Can I smile in a United Arab Emirates visa / Emirates ID photo?
No. Your expression must be neutral with your mouth closed, and both eyes open and clearly visible. Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security treats a smile that shows teeth or raises the cheeks as a rejection, because it moves the facial landmarks a biometric check measures. A relaxed, natural face looking straight at the camera is what is wanted.
Can I wear a head covering, hijab or turban in a United Arab Emirates visa / Emirates ID photo?
Only for religious or medical reasons, and your full face must stay visible from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead, with no shadow cast across it. Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security does not accept hats or other headwear worn by choice.
Do babies and young children follow the same United Arab Emirates visa / Emirates ID photo rules?
United Arab Emirates relaxes some rules for infants. The photo still has to be the correct size (43 × 55 mm (508 × 650 px)) on the required background, but a baby is not expected to hold a neutral expression or keep both eyes wide open, and the head-height range is applied with more tolerance. Lay the baby on a plain sheet of the required colour and shoot from directly above — no hands, toys or other people may appear in the frame.
How recent does a United Arab Emirates visa / Emirates ID photo have to be?
Most authorities ask for a photo taken within the last six months, and it must reflect your current appearance. This is one of the few requirements a tool cannot verify: we measure the image, not the day it was taken, so we never claim a photo passes on recency. Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security publishes the exact rule for United Arab Emirates — the source is linked on this page.
How much does a United Arab Emirates visa / Emirates ID photo cost?
Nothing at the moment. PassReady is free while we are in beta, and that includes the full-resolution file, the printable sheet and the compliance certificate. We will introduce a price later, and we will say so clearly before we do.
Check your photo against these rules — free
Every measurement, before you pay anything.