South Korea Passport
Last verified 2026-09-28 against Ministry of Foreign Affairs of KoreaStandards: ICAO Doc 9303 · ISO/IEC 19794-5Government-spec dimensions, head positioning, and file constraints.
- Pixel size
- 413 × 531 px
- Print size
- 35 × 45 mm · 300 DPI
- Background
- white#FFFFFF
- Face height
- 71–80% · target 76%
- Eye line
- 62%–74% from bottom
- File size limit
- —
Note: Passport photo; 35x45 mm; head 32-36 mm; white background; glare-free glasses OK; taken within 6 months
Dimensions
- Print size: 35 x 45 mm, aspect ratio 7:9
- Pixel size: 413 x 531 px (the recommended size for online passport applications)
- DPI: approximately 300 DPI
- File / size: Color photo; for online applications, a 413 x 531 px JPEG at 300 DPI
- Color mode: sRGB color only
Head position
- Head height (crown to chin): 32-36 mm, measured from the top of the head (excluding hair) to the chin
- Head height as fraction of frame: approximately 71%-80%
- Head position: Directly facing camera; head upright, no tilt
- Shoulders: Upper body square to camera and centred
Background
- Color: Uniform white
- Requirements: No borders, marks, shadows, patterns, or objects behind the subject
Expression
- Neutral expression, mouth closed with no teeth showing
- Both eyes open, looking straight at the camera
- Hair must not cover the eyebrows, eyes, or outline of the face
- Infants under 36 months may have their mouth slightly open
Accessories
- Eyeglasses: Allowed only if there is no glare on the lenses and the frames do not cover the eyes
- Sunglasses / tinted lenses: Prohibited, including colored or circle contact lenses
- Head coverings: Only religious attire worn in daily life, and the full face must remain visible
- Hats / headbands: Prohibited
Other rules
- Photo must be taken within the last 6 months
- No retouching, filters, or AI editing, compositing, or generation
- Children follow the same rules as adults
Notes
- Korea uses the common 35 x 45 mm passport layout with a 32-36 mm head-height band, the same geometry as Japan and Taiwan.
- The official online-application size (413 x 531 px) matches the generated output exactly, so the same file works for print and upload.
- Because edited photos are not accepted, shoot against a plain white wall in even light so the background needs as little change as possible.
Sources
Can I wear glasses for a Korean passport photo?
Yes, if the lenses show no glare and the frames do not cover your eyes. Tinted lenses, sunglasses, and colored or circle contact lenses are not allowed. Removing glasses is the safest option.
Can I wear a head covering?
Only religious attire you wear in daily life, and your full face must stay visible. Hats and headbands are not allowed.
Can I smile in the photo?
No. Keep your mouth closed with no teeth showing, both eyes open, and look straight at the camera. Infants under 36 months may have their mouth slightly open.
How recent does the photo need to be?
The photo must be taken within the last 6 months.
What size should I use for an online passport application?
The official recommendation is 413 x 531 px at 300 DPI, which is the exact size generated here. Printed, it is 35 x 45 mm with the head at 32-36 mm.
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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