Japanese Passport Photo

Photo for Japanese Passport - size and requirements

The Japanese passport is considered to be the “strongest” in the world. This means being a holder allows you to travel visa-free, or with a visa on arrival, to 192 countries and territories of the world.

We will guide you through the process of taking a perfect picture for the Japanese passport, since all you need is:

• a tablet or smartphone with a camera,

• someone to take your picture for you or a tripod (selfies are not allowed),

• an online passport photo tool or application that will make this task easier.

Requirements for a Japanese passport picture

There are standards your photo has to comply with so that a Japanese passport application can be accepted. Your picture has to be original (no cutouts from bigger pictures) and of good quality. Below there are some requirements described in more detail.

Japanese passport photo size

A picture for a Japanese passport has to be 3.5 cm (width) x 4.5 cm (height) (35 mm x 45 mm). 

Photo color

Japanese passport photos can be in color or black and white.

Facial expression

Your facial expression should be neutral. In other words, you cannot smile or frown. Remember also to keep your eyes open and your mouth closed.

Frontal photo

The photo must be taken from the front, with you looking directly into the camera lens. Make sure your face isn't tilted sideways or to the left or right.

Background

The background should be completely empty and you must make sure that no objects or other people are visible. A white or light grey background color is recommended.

Recent photos

People's faces change over time, attaching old photos to your passport application will make it impossible to identify you, so pictures that are more than 6 (six) months old cannot be used when applying for a Japanese passport. 

Lighting

When taking passport images, make sure there is enough light in the room, where the photo will be taken, so that there are no shadows.

Photo quality

Make sure that the photo is of high quality - it cannot be blurry. It is also advisable to print on photo quality paper. Make sure not to damage the printed photo.

Glasses and hats

Glasses (but not sunglasses or tinted glasses) are allowed in Japanese passport photos, while hats and other head coverings are only allowed for religious reasons.

Outfit

There exists no formal requirements concerning your attire in a Japanese passport picture, except this one: uniforms and clothes that potentially resemble uniforms (with camouflage patterns or having insignia) are not allowed.

Avoid white tops, as they might make you blend in with the background, as well as big accessories such as earrings or headbands that could potentially cover any part of your face. 

Photos for the Japanese passport - common mistakes

If you want assurance that you are well prepared for taking a passport picture for your Japanese travel document, take a moment to read our list of the most common mistakes made when taking passport photos.

What people often get wrong when taking passport pictures is:

• choosing the wrong size and format

Getting the size of your passport photo wrong is probably the most common mistake. A Japanese passport image needs to be 35 x 45 mm in size.

• poor photo quality

Often, passport photos are damaged when they are printed. Do not use images that are blurry, pixelated, or damaged.

• unnatural facial expression

Another common mistake is having the wrong facial expression. Do not smile or frown in passport photos. You need to maintain a neutral expression with your eyes open and mouth closed.

• using a photo that is not recent

Japanese passport photos must be recent, no more than 6 (six) months old. 

• using a photo that is not a biometric passport image

A Japanese passport photo has to comply with biometric standards, such as looking straight into the camera lens, not tilting your head, or avoiding accessories.

Take your passport photo at home　　　

Just take a picture using a digital camera or the one in your tablet or smartphone and upload it to the PhotoAiD website or app. When you upload your photo to PhotoAiD, any mistakes will be automatically detected and you will be able to correct any issue with your picture. As a next step, the tool will resize the photo to the size you need and either remove the background completely or change it to the color you need.

The result is a perfect Japanese passport photo with the head centered and a plain background, all in the required size and in a mere 3 seconds.