Passport photo maker · online · free

New Zealand Passport Photo Maker Online: Size & Requirements 2026

Q: What are the New Zealand passport photo requirements?

Size 35 × 45 mm (900 × 1200 px at 300 dpi), a plain light-coloured or plain background, head height 36–36 mm from chin to crown, eyes open and looking straight at the camera, a neutral expression and even lighting with no shadows. The photo must be recent, sharp and in colour.

A New Zealand passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm (900 × 1200 px at 300 dpi) with a light-coloured or plain background. The head (chin to crown) should measure 36–36 mm. Make your New Zealand passport photo online with our free passport photo maker — upload a selfie and get a digital photo and a print sheet in seconds.

Size: 35 × 45 mm
Pixels: 900 × 1200 px
Resolution: 300 dpi
Background: Light-coloured or plain
Head height: 36–36 mm
File size: 250–5000 KB

1. Choose your document

Country

Document

2. Add your photo

Drop a photo here or click to upload JPG, PNG or WebP · face the camera · even light · at least 1000 px

Face detection runs on your device. Photos sent for background removal are kept for up to 7 days for quality control, then deleted automatically.

New Zealand new zealand passport photo size explained

Size: 35 × 45 mm — 900 × 1200 pixels for a digital file (300 dpi).
Head height: 36–36 mm from chin to the top of the head (80–80% of the photo height).
Eye line: 22.5–27 mm above the bottom edge, face centred horizontally.
Background: Light-coloured or plain, plain, evenly lit, no shadows or patterns.
Recent: taken within the last 6 months.
Digital file: JPEG, 250–5,000 KB.

Upload or take a photo above — the tool places your head and eyes inside these ranges automatically and shows the guides on the preview.

New Zealand passport photo requirements (2026)

New Zealand Passport

Print size: 35 × 45 mm
Pixels: 900 × 1200 px
Head height: 36–36 mm
Eye line from bottom: 22.5–27 mm
Background: Light-coloured or plain
Taken within: 6 months
File size: 250–5,000 KB

Expression: Neutral, no smiling, mouth closed, eyes open, facing forward, not tilted

Glasses: Prescription glasses OK if not tinted or thick-framed, clear gap between eyes and frame, no glare; no sunglasses

Head covering: Religious or medical reasons only, face fully visible (paper form: tick declaration box; statutory declaration if not worn in last passport)

Children: Baby: lay on plain light-coloured sheet, photograph from above, entire face visible with eyes open, no other people/objects

• Size: 35×45 mm

• Plain white background

• Neutral expression, mouth closed

• Both eyes open and clearly visible

• No glasses

• Taken within the last 6 months

Official source: passports.govt.nz (Department of Internal Affairs) · passports.govt.nz

Visa / NZeTA

Print size: 35 × 45 mm
Pixels: 413 × 531 px
Head height: 31.5–36 mm
Eye line from bottom: 23.4–31.5 mm
Background: White

• Size: 35×45 mm

• Plain white background

• Neutral expression, mouth closed

• Both eyes open and clearly visible

• No glasses

• Taken within the last 6 months

Head and eye position follow the ICAO standard used by most countries.

How the photo check works

Every photo goes through the same steps a passport office would apply — only faster:

Face detection — 478 facial landmarks are located on your device to find your eyes, chin and head outline, and to make sure exactly one face is in the photo.
Geometry — head height and eye line are measured and the photo is cropped and scaled so they fall inside the official range for your document; a tilted head is straightened automatically.
Quality — resolution, sharpness, exposure, even lighting on both sides of the face and red eyes (corrected automatically when found).
Background removal — the background is cut out and replaced with the exact colour your document requires.
AI review — a vision AI model checks expression, open eyes, glasses and glare, head coverings, shadows, other people or objects, and signs of filters or a photo of a screen.

Tips for a photo that passes

Face a window or a soft light so both sides of your face are evenly lit. Keep your head straight, look into the lens with a neutral expression and your mouth closed. Take off glasses and hats, keep hair away from your eyes and wear a top that contrasts with the background. Hold the phone at eye level about an arm's length or 1–1.5 m away; a self-timer or a helper works best.

What size is a New Zealand new zealand passport photo?

The official New Zealand new zealand passport photo size is 35×45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 inches). For a digital file that is 413 × 531 pixels at 300 dpi, or 827 × 1063 pixels at 600 dpi if you want extra sharpness for printing. From chin to the top of the head the face must measure 36–36 mm, which is 80–80% of the photo height. The eyes should sit 18–22.5 mm below the top edge.

The background must be light-coloured or plain, evenly lit and without shadows or patterns. Online applications accept files of 250–5000 KB. Look straight at the camera with a neutral expression and your mouth closed, keep both eyes open and visible, and remove glasses if they reflect light or hide your eyes.

Same size in other countries

The same 35×45 mm format is used for passports in 126 other countries, including Algeria, Andorra, Armenia, Australia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium and Benin. Worldwide the most common passport photo size is 35×45 mm (127 countries) — the format New Zealand uses too.

New Zealand also sets photo rules for visa / nzeta (35×45 mm) — pick the document in the tool above to get the right crop.

How to make and print a New Zealand passport photo at home

Take a well-lit photo against a plain wall, upload it to the free photo maker above and choose New Zealand — New Zealand Passport. The tool detects your face, crops it to the exact 35×45 mm size, replaces the background with light-coloured or plain and checks sharpness, lighting, red-eye and head position. Download the digital file for an online application, or the print sheet: one standard 10×15 cm (4×6 in) photo print holds 6 New Zealand passport photos, which costs a fraction of a photo booth.

Frequently asked questions

What are the New Zealand passport photo requirements?

Size 35 × 45 mm (900 × 1200 px at 300 dpi), a plain light-coloured or plain background, head height 36–36 mm from chin to crown, eyes open and looking straight at the camera, a neutral expression and even lighting with no shadows. The photo must be recent, sharp and in colour.

What size is a New Zealand passport photo?

A New Zealand passport photo must be 35 × 45 mm (900 × 1200 px at 300 dpi) with a light-coloured or plain background. The head (chin to crown) should measure 36–36 mm.

What background is required for a New Zealand passport photo?

Light-coloured or plain (#EDEDED), plain and evenly lit, with no shadows, patterns or objects. Our tool replaces the background automatically.

Can I wear glasses in a New Zealand passport photo?

prescription glasses OK if not tinted or thick-framed, clear gap between eyes and frame, no glare; no sunglasses

Can I smile in a New Zealand passport photo?

neutral, no smiling, mouth closed, eyes open, facing forward, not tilted

Are head coverings allowed in a New Zealand passport photo?

religious or medical reasons only, face fully visible (paper form: tick declaration box; statutory declaration if not worn in last passport)

What are the rules for a baby or child's New Zealand passport photo?

baby: lay on plain light-coloured sheet, photograph from above, entire face visible with eyes open, no other people/objects

Are New Zealand visa and ID photos the same size as passport photos?

New Zealand Passport: 35 × 45 mm, light-coloured or plain background; Visa / NZeTA: 35 × 45 mm, white background.

How do I make a New Zealand passport photo online?

Upload a selfie or any front-facing photo to our free New Zealand passport photo maker above. It finds your face, removes the background, crops the photo to 35 × 45 mm and checks it with AI — then download the digital photo or a print sheet. No sign-up, no app to install.

Can I get a digital New Zealand passport photo?

Yes — download the 900 × 1200 px JPEG at 300 dpi (under 5000 KB) for an online application, or a 10 × 15 cm (4 × 6 in) sheet to print at any photo shop.

Can I take a passport photo at home?

Yes. Stand facing a window for soft, even light, ask someone to take the photo from about 1.5 m at eye level, keep a neutral expression and look straight into the lens. Upload it here — we check it, remove the background and crop it to the exact size.

Photo sizes of all countries New Zealand visa requirements