Irish passport photo size: 35 × 45 mm to 38 × 50 mm, 4 photos, digital 715 × 951 pixels | Passport Card and visa photo rules

An Irish passport photo must be at least 35 mm wide and 45 mm high (3.5 × 4.5 cm), and no larger than 38 × 50 mm. It must be taken in the last six months, on a plain light grey, white or cream background, with a neutral expression. A Passport Book paper application needs 4 identical photos; an online application needs one digital photo of at least 715 × 951 pixels.

Ireland accepts a size range rather than one exact size, so a standard 35 × 45 mm passport photo fits. Visa photos use the same range, while the Irish Residence Permit photo is taken at registration. Each rule below links to the official page it comes from.

This page is published on joelin.cc, the site of Joe Lin (老喬), who works in the photo booth business in Taiwan. The sizes come from Irish government pages; pixel counts are calculated from them.

Which photo you need:

flowchart TD
    A["What is the photo for?"] --> B{"Irish passport?"}
    B -- "Paper form" --> C["4 printed photos<br>35 × 45 to 38 × 50 mm<br>2 signed by witness"]
    B -- "Online or Card" --> D["Digital photo<br>715 × 951 px or more<br>JPEG, up to 9 MB"]
    B -- No --> E{"Irish visa?"}
    E -- Yes --> F["2 colour photos<br>35–38 × 45–50 mm"]
    E -- No --> G["Residence permit:<br>photo taken<br>at registration"]

Irish photo sizes at a glance

The passport and the visa use the same size range, so one set of printed photos at 35 × 45 mm covers both, as long as the visa photos are in colour. The Irish Residence Permit needs no photo from you: it is taken when you register.

The calculation is millimetres ÷ 25.4 × 300. The online minimum of 715 × 951 pixels is higher than a 300 dpi print needs.

Passport Book and Passport Card: the Department of Foreign Affairs rules

The Department of Foreign Affairs «Photo guidelines» apply to both printed and digital photos:

• Taken in the last six months, an International Civil Aviation Organization requirement.
• Printed photos at least 35 × 45 mm and at most 38 × 50 mm, from the head to the middle of the torso, with visible space around the head and shoulders.
• Plain light grey, white or cream background with enough contrast and no shadows.
• Neutral expression, no smile, mouth closed, looking straight at the camera.
• Glasses allowed if there is no glare and the frames do not cover the eyes; no dark glasses.
• Head coverings only for religious or medical reasons; no uniform or clothing with badges.
• No digital enhancements or changes; no ink marks or creases, and the back must be white and unglazed.

For a paper Passport Book application you include 4 identical photos. Your witness writes the form number on the back of 2 of them and signs and stamps them. For printed photos the page says black and white is recommended, because the passport photo is printed in black and white, but colour is accepted. Babies are photographed lying on a plain white surface, without a soother.

For online applications the digital photo must be in colour, at least 715 pixels wide and 951 pixels high, JPEG, no larger than 9 MB, not scanned and not edited. You cannot take a selfie or use the zoom function, so someone else has to take it; photo booths and photo shops can provide a digital photo or code. The Passport Card is applied for online only and uses the same photo guidelines.

Visa photos

Immigration Service Delivery’s «Photograph rules for visa applications» asks for 2 colour photos, 35–38 mm wide and 45–50 mm high, taken less than 6 months ago, on a plain white or light grey background, with the face filling 70–80% of the photo. Write your name and visa application number in capitals on the back, and do not staple the photos to the form.

Irish Residence Permit and driving licence

When you register an immigration permission, your photograph and fingerprints are taken at the registration appointment, so you do not bring a photo. Registration moved from the Garda National Immigration Bureau to Immigration Service Delivery on 13 January 2025.

For the driving licence, the National Driver Licence Service site could not be loaded when this page was checked, so its photo rules are not listed here; check them on the NDLS site before your appointment.

Where to get an Irish passport photo

Photo booths and photo shops print passport photos and can supply a digital photo or code for online applications. Photo-Me booths in Ireland, by county, are on the Ireland passport photo booth map (run by Joe Lin, who also publishes this site).

Passport photo sizes and background colours in other countries are compared in our table of passport and ID photo sizes for 23 countries.

Common practical questions

What size is an Irish passport photo?

At least 35 mm wide and 45 mm high, and no bigger than 38 × 50 mm. The photo should show you from the head to the middle of the torso, with visible space between your head and shoulders and the edge of the photo.

How many photos do I need for an Irish passport?

4 identical photos for a Passport Book paper application. Your witness writes the form number on the back of 2 of them and signs and stamps them. Online applications use one digital photo instead.

What are the digital photo requirements for an online Irish passport application?

At least 715 pixels wide and 951 pixels high, JPEG, in colour, no larger than 9 MB, not scanned and not edited. You cannot take a selfie or use zoom; someone else must take the photo, or you can use a photo booth or photo shop.

Can an Irish passport photo be in black and white?

For printed photos the Department of Foreign Affairs says black and white photos are recommended, because the photo is printed onto the passport in black and white, but colour photos are also accepted. Digital photos must be in colour.

How old can an Irish passport photo be?

It must have been taken in the last six months. The Department of Foreign Affairs says this is an International Civil Aviation Organization requirement.

What photos do I need for an Irish visa application?

2 colour photos, 35–38 mm wide and 45–50 mm high, taken less than 6 months ago, on a plain white or light grey background, with the face filling 70–80% of the photo. Write your name and visa application number in capitals on the back, and do not staple them to the form.