Singapore Passport / IC
Last verified 2026-04-25 against Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA)Standards: ISO/IEC 19794-5 · ICAO Doc 9303Government-spec dimensions, head positioning, and file constraints.
- Pixel size
- 400 × 514 px
- Print size
- 35 × 45 mm · 290 DPI
- Background
- white#FFFFFF
- Face height
- 70–80% · target 75%
- Eye line
- 50%–60% from bottom
- File size limit
- 8 MB
Dimensions
- Print size: 35 x 45 mm (aspect ratio 7:9, +/- 1 mm tolerance), matte or semi-matte finish
- Pixel size: 400 x 514 px
- DPI: 600 DPI minimum (for prints)
- File format / max file size: JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg), HEIC, HEIF, PNG; up to 8 MB (PR / citizenship / LTVP / NRIC applications)
Head position
- Head height (chin to crown): 32–36 mm physical, ~70–80% of frame height
- Eye line from bottom: 50–60% from bottom of frame
- Top-of-head clearance: minimum 46.2 px from top edge (digital)
- Shoulders square to camera; both ears visible when possible
Background
- Color: pure white (#FFFFFF), plain and uniform — no patterns, textures, objects, or other people
- No shadows on face or background
Expression
- Neutral, natural expression; mouth closed recommended (slight smile acceptable per some sources)
- Eyes open, looking directly at the camera lens
- Head upright, level, facing camera (no tilt)
- Hair neatly combed; must not cover face or forehead
- Bright, even illumination; no backlighting, harsh shadows, or red-eye
Accessories
- Religious headgear: permitted, but forehead, eyes, nose, mouth, and chin must be clearly visible and the covering must not cast shadows on the face
- Non-religious head coverings: not permitted
- Prescription glasses: generally permitted; lenses must be clear and transparent, no glare or reflections, frames must not cover the eyes
- Sunglasses, tinted lenses, decorative contact lenses, face masks: prohibited
- Heavy makeup that alters facial features: avoid
- Earrings: allowed if not obscuring features
Other rules
- Photo must be taken within the last 3 months
- No digital alteration or enhancement of facial features; no editing-software filters
- Full colour (sRGB recommended)
- No uniforms except religious attire
- Selfies not recommended; mobile-phone photos acceptable if guidelines are met
Notes
- The same specification is reused for the National Identity Card (NRIC / IC) — see
docs/photo-requirements/singapore.md§2. - ICA quotes head height as 32–36 mm in the passport guideline but as 25–35 mm in the NRIC context; the 70–80% frame-height ratio governs the runtime check.
Sources
Can I wear glasses in my Singapore passport photo?
Prescription glasses are permitted, provided the lenses are clear and transparent with no glare or reflections and the frames do not cover your eyes. ICA does not permit sunglasses, tinted lenses, or decorative contact lenses.
Can I wear a head covering for the photo?
Religious headgear is permitted as long as your forehead, eyes, nose, mouth, and chin are clearly visible and the covering does not cast shadows on your face. Non-religious head coverings are not permitted.
Can I smile in a Singapore passport photo?
ICA asks for a neutral, natural expression with your mouth closed. Some sources accept a slight smile, but the published guideline treats neutrality as the default — a closed-mouth, relaxed expression with eyes open and looking at the camera is the safest choice.
How recent does the photo need to be?
The photo must have been taken within the last three months. ICA rejects older photos even when they otherwise meet the dimensional and background requirements.
What file formats and sizes does ICA accept?
ICA accepts JPEG (.jpg, .jpeg), HEIC, HEIF, and PNG, up to 8 MB per upload, for PR, citizenship, LTVP, and NRIC applications. The digital file must be 400 × 514 px on a plain white background; for prints, use 600 DPI or higher and a matte or semi-matte finish.
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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