Every Saudi passport application processed through the General Directorate of Passports (Jawazat) depends on a photo that meets an exact 40x60mm specification with a plain light gray background. Photos taken at home or repurposed from a visa application are rejected often, usually over background color, head size, or shadowing rather than anything dramatic. Whether you're applying in person at a Jawazat office or submitting digitally through Absher, getting the dimensions and background right the first time saves a return trip and a processing delay. This tool builds a Saudi-compliant photo from any photo you already have.
Cropping a Saudi passport photo by hand in a generic photo editor usually misses at least one requirement — the head size, the exact gray tone, or the resolution needed for printing. Uploading here applies the full Saudi specification automatically.
Your photo is cropped to the exact 40x60mm Saudi passport frame, no manual measuring required.
Head height and eye position are aligned to Jawazat's biometric placement rules automatically.
Output matches 40x60mm exactly, with no stretching or distortion from resizing.
Your existing background is detected and replaced with the required plain light gray tone.
Download a print-ready sheet sized for standard photo paper if you need a physical copy.
Everything happens in the browser — no design software or studio visit needed.
These specifications apply to adult and child passport photos submitted to Jawazat. Note that this differs from the Saudi e-visa photo, which uses a white background and 2x2 inch sizing.
| Photo Size | 4x6 cm (40mm x 60mm) |
|---|---|
| Width | 40mm |
| Height | 60mm |
| Background | Plain light gray, no shadows or patterns |
| Head Size | Approximately 38mm from top of hair to bottom of chin |
| Resolution | High resolution, minimum 300 DPI for printing |
| File Format | JPG, PNG, or PDF for digital submission |
| Glasses Rules | Avoid glasses where possible; if worn, no glare and eyes fully visible |
| Expression Rules | Neutral expression, closed mouth, both eyes open and facing forward |
| Photo Age | Taken within the last 6 months and reflecting current appearance |
| Digital Submission Rules | File should be under roughly 300KB and uploaded in color |
The General Directorate of Passports, known locally as Jawazat, operates under the Ministry of Interior and is responsible for issuing, renewing, and verifying Saudi passports. Most applications today are initiated through the Absher digital platform, where citizens upload supporting documents including their photo before attending an appointment at a Jawazat office for biometric capture, if required. Because the photo is checked against Jawazat's printed specification before any appointment is booked, a photo that fails the background or sizing check can delay the entire appointment process rather than just the photo itself.
Children, including infants, need their own passport and their own compliant photo — they cannot be included in a parent's passport. The same 40x60mm size and light gray background apply at every age. For infants who cannot sit upright, a common approach is photographing the baby lying on a plain light gray or white sheet from directly above, then cropping out any hands or supports holding the child steady. The child's eyes should be open and visible whenever possible, though Jawazat allows some flexibility for very young infants where this is difficult to achieve consistently.
Absher allows applicants to upload a digital photo as part of a new passport or renewal request before visiting a Jawazat branch in person. The uploaded file needs to match the printed specification in proportion and background even though it's submitted electronically — uploading a phone photo with a cluttered background or incorrect aspect ratio is one of the most common reasons an Absher application gets flagged for correction before an appointment is confirmed. Keeping the file size modest, generally under a few hundred kilobytes, also helps avoid upload errors on the platform.
Yes, a modern phone camera is sharp enough for a compliant Saudi passport photo, provided you control the lighting and background carefully.
Use the rear camera rather than the front-facing camera for better resolution, and disable any beauty filter or portrait mode that softens skin or blurs the background edge.
Face a window with soft, indirect daylight rather than direct sun or overhead lighting, which tends to create shadows under the eyes and chin that can trigger a rejection.
Stand at least one meter in front of a plain light gray or neutral wall. A patterned wall or visible furniture in the frame is one of the easiest ways to fail the background check.
Stand roughly two meters from the camera so your shoulders and head fit naturally in frame without a wide-angle lens distorting your facial proportions.
If a printed copy is needed, use proper photographic paper rather than a home inkjet printer, since matte paper and ink bleed can affect how the gray background reads.
The most frequent at-home errors are shadows from overhead lighting, a background that's slightly off-white or beige instead of gray, and cropping the photo to the wrong aspect ratio before uploading.
| Requirement | Saudi Arabia | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Dimensions | 40mm x 60mm | 2in x 2in (51mm x 51mm) |
| Head Size | ~38mm chin to crown | 1in to 1 3/8in chin to crown |
| Background | Plain light gray | Plain white or off-white |
| Submission Format | Printed photo or digital upload via Absher | Printed photo only for mailed applications |
| Compliance Differences | Stricter on background tone consistency | Stricter on head-size proportion within frame |
Choose any recent photo of yourself from your phone or computer using the upload widget above.
The tool automatically crops your photo to the 40x60mm Saudi passport frame and aligns your head height.
Your existing background is removed and replaced with the required plain light gray tone.
A compliance check confirms sizing, head position, and background before you download.
Save the digital file for Absher upload, or download a print-ready sheet for a physical copy.
A Saudi Arabia passport photo must measure 40mm by 60mm (4x6 cm), printed on photographic paper with a plain light gray background.
Yes, as long as the final image is cropped to 40x60mm, shows a neutral expression against a plain light background, and is sharp enough to print at high resolution without blur or pixelation.
Saudi passport photos should reflect your current appearance and are generally expected to be no older than six months at the time of application.
Cosmetic filters, skin smoothing, or background replacement that misrepresents your appearance can cause rejection. Tools that only correct sizing, lighting, and background color to meet the official specification are acceptable.
Saudi passport photos require a plain light gray background, which is different from the white background used for Saudi e-visa photos. Mixing up the two is one of the most common submission errors.
Yes, a hijab is permitted and does not need to be removed, provided the full face from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead remains visible and unobstructed.
When applying through the Absher platform, you upload a digital copy of your photo that matches the official dimensions and background requirements; some application types still require a printed copy at the passport office.
Incorrect background color is among the most frequent rejection reasons, since applicants often submit a white-background photo intended for a visa instead of the light gray background required for the passport itself.
Skip the photo studio and the guesswork on background color. Upload your photo below and get a Jawazat-ready 40x60mm result in seconds.
