South Africa visa photo requirements, head position, background, requirements for babies and children, and other relevant details.
Here are the visa photo requirements you must fulfill for a South African visa:
- Format. Your photographs must be in a passport-sized format, 45mm in height and 35mm wide. Your face must cover at least 29 mm in height, including your hair. The photo must show your facial features from the chin to the top of your head, the left and right sides of your face, and the top of your shoulders.
- Lighting. Adjust brightness and contrast to have even lighting and avoid shadows on your face or background. Photographs with bad lighting can make your unique facial features hard to see or make your skin color appear different.
- Background. Your photo background must be white, and there must not be any distracting objects behind you or in your face. So avoid chairs, shadows, and colorful or patterned backgrounds, as the competent authorities will not accept them.
- Photo Quality. You must present photographs with high resolution so you will have a greater quality of your picture. High-resolution photographs are also better for printing. If your photographs have low resolution, your image may appear blurry.
- Head Position and Facial Expression. When taking visa photographs, your face must cover 80% of the photograph. Keep a neutral facial expression, and avoid tilting your head or opening your mouth. Look directly at the camera and avoid keeping your eyes closed or looking away from the camera.
- Eyes. You must look directly at the camera and keep your eyes open so that your eye color can be clearly visible. Avoid photographs where there is a flash reflection in your eyes.
- Accessories. Avoid accessories that cover your eyes or face, such as sunglasses, hats, and scarves. If you wear sunglasses for medical purposes, make sure they do not have a tinted lens and your eye color can be seen clearly. Head coverings are allowed for religious or medical purposes; however, they must not cover your face.
You can get your high-quality photograph that complies with all the South Africa visa photo requirements at MyBiometricPhotos. You simply need to choose “South Africa Visa Photo” under ‘What type of photo do you need?” and upload your photo. The photo is then processed digitally to ensure it meets the requirements of South African authorities. Since the entire process is completed online, you can print the photos yourself to a place of your choosing.
South Africa Visa Photo Do’s and Don’ts
It is important to know what is allowed and what is not to make sure you have the best quality photos when taking your visa photographs.
| DO | DON’T |
| White Background | Colorful or printed background |
| Eyeglasses (medical purposes) | Sunglasses |
| Headwear(religious purposes) | Hats |
| Look directly at the camera | Look away |
| Neutral facial expressions | Smile or open mouth |
| Open eyes | Close eyes |
| High-resolution | Blurry |
| Uniformly spread brightness | Dark colors, shadows, or flash reflections |
| Use photographs taken within the last six months | Use pictures of yourself older than six months |
South Africa Visa Photo Requirements for Children
Children over 12 months must look directly at the camera and keep a straight head position. Their forehead, hairline, and eye color should be visible. The photo background should be white, and it must only show the child, so there must not be any toys, shadows, hands, or other people behind the child.
South Africa Visa Photo Requirements for Babies
Babies under 12 months old must have their eyes open and can be photographed lying down or sitting on a baby chair. The photo background must be white, so you can use a bed sheet and ensure there are no other objects besides the baby in the photographs. It is also acceptable for newborn babies to have their mouths open.
Where to Take My South Africa Visa Photos?
To make sure you fulfill every photo requirement, it is recommended to have your visa pictures taken at a professional photographer’s studio. This way, you avoid any irregularities, and your application will be processed more quickly.
Although it is more difficult to execute, you can always take your own pictures. However, if you submit low-quality photos, you risk getting your visa application rejected. If you take your own photos, make sure you have a high-quality camera and the right equipment for taking a professional photo.
Online websites are another way you can take your visa photos professionally. All you need to do is visit the designated website and follow the instructions to take your photos. The website will take care of the rest, and you will have your pictures ready in no time. This can be a more convenient and simple way to get your photos taken.
How to Submit the South Africa Visa Photo?
The photographs for a South Africa visa can be submitted in hard copies or electronically, depending on the way you choose to apply for the visa. If you apply in person, you must have your pictures printed and attached to the rest of the required documents.
The South African diplomatic mission will inform you whether you need to glue or staple the photographs to the application form.
If you apply online, you can upload the photo to the e-visa application form. However, you must make sure that your photograph resolution has the right pixel for clarity after uploading.