Philippines Passport
Last verified 2026-04-25 against Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Republic of the PhilippinesStandards: DFA Guidelines on Capturing Your Photo · ICAO Doc 9303Government-spec dimensions, head positioning, and file constraints.
- Pixel size
- 413 × 531 px
- Print size
- 35 × 45 mm · 300 DPI
- Background
- royal blue#0038A8
- Face height
- 70–80% · target 75%
- Eye line
- 60%–70% from bottom
- File size limit
- —
Note: Royal blue background required; glasses not permitted
CRITICAL — Royal blue background. The Philippines is one of very few countries that requires a colored (non-white) background for passport photos. Photos with a white background will be rejected. The DFA mandates royal blue (#0038A8) exactly. This is the single most often-rejected detail; treat it as the load-bearing requirement of this spec.
Dimensions
- Print size: 35 × 45 mm (3.5 × 4.5 cm / 1.38 × 1.77 in)
- Pixel size: 413 × 531 px at 300 DPI (827 × 1063 px at 600 DPI)
- DPI: 300 minimum; 600 recommended
- File format: JPEG (preferred) or PNG; sRGB color space (no CMYK); color only (no B&W or sepia)
Head position
- Face height (chin to crown): 32–36 mm, i.e. 70–80% of photo height
- Distance from top of photo to top of hair: 2–5 mm
- Eye line from bottom: ~60–70% of photo height (~27–31.5 mm)
- Head and shoulders centered in frame; full frontal view, no rotation or tilt
- Midpoints of mouth and bridge of nose must align along the vertical center line
Background
- Color: Royal blue, #0038A8 — DFA mandate
- Solid, uniform, no patterns, gradients, textures, or shadows
- A white background will be rejected by DFA
Expression
- Expression: neutral; mouth closed. A very light smile without showing teeth may be tolerated, but neutral is safest
- Eyes: open, clearly visible, looking directly at the camera; no squinting; no raised eyebrows
- Lighting: even illumination on both sides of the face; no harsh shadows; no overexposure
- No filters, retouching, or digital alterations of any kind
Accessories
- Glasses: NOT permitted. All eyewear, including prescription glasses, must be removed
- Tinted contact lenses: not permitted
- Head coverings: not allowed except for documented religious or medical reasons; must not cover the eyebrows or eyes
- Hair: must not cover facial features; both eyebrows must be visible
Other rules
- Clothing — strict DFA rules:
- No sleeveless tops, no spaghetti straps, no plunging necklines, no see-through fabrics
- Long sleeves with a collar are preferred
- Avoid very dark clothing that blends into the royal blue background
- Recency: taken within the last 6 months
- Quantity (when printed): 4 identical color photos, on photo paper
Notes
- For ePassport applications processed at DFA offices, the photo is captured digitally on-site by DFA data encoders, so applicants typically do not bring their own printed photos. Self-supplied photos are most relevant for consular applications abroad (Philippine Embassies / Consulates), which still apply the same DFA rules including the royal blue background.
- Some third-party guides quote slightly different head-height percentages (70–80% vs. 75–80%); the DFA's 32–36 mm chin-to-crown is the authoritative number.
Sources
Can I wear glasses in my Philippine passport photo?
No — DFA prohibits all eyewear, including prescription glasses. Tinted contact lenses are also not permitted. This is stricter than many other countries' rules.
Can I wear a head covering for the photo?
Head coverings are not allowed except for documented religious or medical reasons, and even then must not cover your eyes or eyebrows.
Can I smile in a Philippine passport photo?
Neutral with mouth closed is the safest choice. A very light smile without showing teeth may be tolerated, but neutral is the DFA standard. Eyes must be open, no squinting, no raised eyebrows.
How recent does the passport photo need to be?
Within the last six months. No filters, retouching, or digital alterations of any kind are permitted. For ePassport applications at DFA offices the photo is captured on-site, so self-supplied photos mainly apply to consular applications abroad.
What background and file format does the DFA require?
The DFA mandates **royal blue (#0038A8)** — a white background will be **rejected**. Format is JPEG (preferred) or PNG, sRGB, color only (no B&W or sepia). Print size 35 × 45 mm (413 × 531 px at 300 DPI; 827 × 1063 px at 600 DPI). Print applications typically need 4 identical color photos on photo paper.
Live validation
against the actual rulebook.
Every crop is measured against the published tolerance ranges for the selected document. Pass or warn, in real time — no "submit and hope."
The same checks the authority will run — before you submit.
- Face height & eye line measured from the pupil midpoint with sub-pixel accuracy, clamped to the tolerance range your authority publishes.
- Background colour checked across a sampled grid — catches gradients and fringe from poor segmentation (ΔE < 3 against spec).
- File-size ceiling enforced per-spec — recompressed silently for sub-60 KB e-visa portals, lossless for print.
- Sharpness & expression guards warn on blur, closed eyes, or non-neutral expressions before you export.
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