Thailand
4 government-specification photo formats.
Overview
Thailand's supported identity-document photo standards are split between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Labour. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), through its Department of Consular Affairs and Royal Thai Embassies, sets the rules for the Thai passport and traditional embassy/consulate visa applications. The MFA also runs the official online e-Visa portal at thaievisa.go.th, whose digital photo format is distinct from the consular print spec. The Ministry of Labour's Department of Employment maintains a separate standard for work permits.
The shared geometric baseline across MFA print specs is 35 x 45 mm at 300 DPI minimum (413 x 531 px), with face height at 70-80% of the photo, head and shoulders centered in full frontal view, and a plain white or off-white background. The online e-Visa portal uses an unusually small 132 x 170 px digital thumbnail on a mandatory light grey #D3D3D3 background, capped at 60 KB rather than the 120 KB that applies to Thai print specs. Work permits use yet another size — 30 x 40 mm (3 x 4 cm) — and the Department of Employment also requires business attire (suit and tie if applicable); a passport-sized photo is not accepted as a substitute.
Recency is six months across the Thai specs. Selfies are not endorsed in Thai guidance; photos must be color, full frontal, with a neutral expression and mouth closed. Glasses should be removed for the stricter portal-style flows, and head coverings are permitted only for documented religious or medical reasons. Filters, retouching, beautification, and any digital alteration of facial features are prohibited.
Issuing authorities
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA), Department of Consular Affairs — Thai passport, embassy/consulate visa, and the official thaievisa.go.th e-Visa portal.
- Department of Employment, Ministry of Labour — Thai work permit, with its own 30 x 40 mm format and business-attire rule.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
Which Thai documents have their own photo specifications?
Two ministries. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Department of Consular Affairs and Royal Thai Embassies) handles the passport and traditional embassy visas; the Ministry of Labour's Department of Employment maintains a separate work-permit format. The MFA also runs the online thaievisa.go.th portal with a distinct digital format.
What is the standard Thai passport photo size?
MFA print specs use 35 × 45 mm at 300 DPI minimum (413 × 531 px) with face height at 70–80% of the photo and a plain white or off-white background. The online e-Visa portal uses a 132 × 170 px thumbnail on light grey, and work permits use 30 × 40 mm.
Can I use a Thai passport photo for every Thai document?
No. Passport and embassy visa photos share the 35 × 45 mm MFA print format, but the online e-Visa thumbnail and work-permit photo are different sizes. Use the dedicated e-Visa or work permit preset when that is the application route.
Why is the Thai e-Visa photo so small?
The official thaievisa.go.th portal requires an unusually small 132 × 170 px digital thumbnail on a mandatory light grey (#D3D3D3) background, capped at 60 KB. This is the smallest digital target SpecSnap ships across any country and is unique to the online e-Visa workflow; embassy visas, passports, and work permits use larger formats.
What gets a Thai photo rejected most often?
Submitting the wrong size for the workflow (a 35 × 45 mm passport print does not match the e-Visa thumbnail or work permit format), wearing glasses in stricter portal workflows, and missing the e-Visa portal's specific light-grey background. Recency is six months across the supported Thai specs.
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