South Africa Visa Photo Size: 35 × 45 mm, Two Printed Photos
Official rules: 35 × 45 mm print, background: white (Home Affairs' passport flyer: light grey or cream). Source: dirco.gov.za, checked 24 Oct 2026.
South Africa Visa photo size at a glance
The South Africa Visa photo is a printed photo, 35 × 45 mm.
| Printed size | 35 × 45 mm |
|---|---|
| In other units (a conversion) | 35 × 45 mm · 3.5 × 4.5 cm · 1.38 × 1.77 in · 413 × 531 px at 300 DPI · 827 × 1063 px at 600 DPI · ratio 7:9 |
| Pixels (official rule) | Print only (35 × 45 mm photo) |
| File size | No file: the rules ask for printed photos |
| Background | White (Home Affairs' passport flyer: light grey or cream) |
| Head size | 64% to 76% of the photo height, chin to top of head |
| Source | dirco.gov.za |
| Checked | 24 Oct 2026 |
What the official pages say about the South Africa Visa photo
South Africa does not issue visas at its ports of entry, so a traveller who needs one gets it beforehand from a South African embassy, mission or consulate. Home Affairs lists two colour passport photographs among the documents, together with the BI-84 form, the fee and, if you fly, a return or onward ticket. Where you hand them in depends on the mission. In New Delhi the High Commission takes no applications itself: everyone, including applicants from Bangladesh and Nepal, goes to the VFS centre, apart from diplomatic and official passport holders.
Missions word the photo rule differently. Ottawa simply asks for two passport-size photos. Copenhagen wants two biometric photographs no older than six months, taken and printed professionally, and rejects home prints. The embassies in Cotonou and Mexico City ask for a white background and 35 × 45 mm, and Mexico City adds that the face should fill 70 to 80% of the frame. Home Affairs' photo flyer, written for passports and IDs, asks instead for light grey or plain cream behind you and prints under a month old. None of these visa pages mentions glasses or photos of children.
Sources, checked 24 Oct 2026: Types of visas (Department of Home Affairs), Immigration: visas section (South African High Commission, New Delhi), Visitor visa for stays less than 90 days (South African High Commission, Ottawa), Port of entry visa application checklist (South African Embassy, Copenhagen, PDF), Requirements for visitor visas, business purposes (South African Embassy, Cotonou, PDF), Full description of the visa requirements, in Spanish (South African Embassy, Mexico City, Jan 2026, PDF) and Passport and ID photograph specifications (Home Affairs flyer, from the High Commission in Ottawa, PDF).
How to make your South Africa Visa photo
- Stand about an arm's length from the camera in front of a plain wall (white (home affairs' passport flyer: light grey or cream)). Face a window for soft, even light.
- Add the photo on this page. It stays on your device.
- Drag and zoom until your face fills the green oval: top of the head on the top line, chin on the bottom line.
- Download the 4 × 6 inch print sheet and print it at actual size (100%).
- Cut out the photos along the grey lines.
Questions and answers
What size is the South Africa Visa photo?
The photo is 35 × 45 mm. The official rule: Print only (35 × 45 mm photo). This document takes printed photos, so there is no file to upload. SafeResize makes a 4 × 6 inch print sheet with several copies at exactly this size.
What is the South Africa Visa photo size in cm, inches and pixels?
35 × 45 mm is 3.5 × 4.5 cm or 1.38 × 1.77 inches, in a 7:9 shape. Printed at 300 DPI it is 413 × 531 pixels, and at 600 DPI 827 × 1063 pixels. These are conversions of the official size, not extra rules.
What background colour does the South Africa Visa photo need?
White (Home Affairs' passport flyer: light grey or cream). Stand in front of a plain wall with no pattern, and face a window so there are no shadows behind you. If your wall is not plain enough, the photo maker on this page can make the background white with an AI that runs on your device. Check the edges around your hair afterwards.
How big should my head be in the South Africa Visa photo?
From the chin to the top of the head, your head should fill 64% to 76% of the photo height. The face guide in the tool shows both lines.
Can I wear glasses in my South Africa Visa photo?
The official rules say: Home Affairs' passport and ID flyer adds a 29–34 mm head, photos under 1 month old, a neutral face with mouth closed, and glasses only with clear lenses, no heavy frames and no glare.
Where do Indian applicants submit South Africa visa photos?
At the VFS application centre. The South African High Commission in New Delhi says it does not accept visa applications directly, sends applicants from India, Bangladesh and Nepal to VFS, and points to VFS for the requirements. Its own page gives no photo size.
Why are South Africa visa photos rejected?
The South African Embassy in Copenhagen rejects photos printed at home and asks for professional prints taken within six months. The embassy in Mexico City wants high-quality prints with no ink marks, lines, creases or damage, showing you looking straight at the camera with clear facial features and proper brightness and contrast.
Should I glue my photos to the South Africa visa form?
No, according to the South African Embassy in Mexico City, which asks applicants not to stick the photographs to the application. The other mission pages we read do not say how to attach them.
What else do the South Africa Visa photo rules say?
Two identical colour photos on photo paper. Copenhagen: taken and printed professionally, no older than 6 months, and home prints are rejected. Mexico City: face 70–80% of the photo, looking straight at the camera; do not glue the photos to the form. Home Affairs' passport and ID flyer adds a 29–34 mm head, photos under 1 month old, a neutral face with mouth closed, and glasses only with clear lenses, no heavy frames and no glare.
Can I take this photo at home?
Yes. Most mission pages do not say who must take the photo, but the Embassy in Copenhagen wants photos taken and printed professionally and rejects home prints, so check your mission's or VFS centre's checklist first. Download the 4 × 6 inch print sheet and have it printed at 100% (actual size) at a photo shop, because the rules ask for 2 identical colour prints, ideally from a photo lab. Then cut along the lines.
Is my photo uploaded to SafeResize?
No. The photo is processed inside your browser and never leaves your phone or computer.
Please note: Missions word the photo rules differently, and some, such as Copenhagen, reject photos printed at home. Check your mission's or VFS centre's checklist.
Source: dirco.gov.za, checked 24 Oct 2026. Rules can change, so confirm on the official page before you apply.
More tools for this photo
- Resize a photo to 3.5 × 4.5 cm (35 × 45 mm) the same size from any photo, without the face guide
- Passport photo 4 × 6 template several copies on one 4 × 6 inch print
Related photo rules
- South Africa ETA ETA
- South Africa Passport Passport
- Morocco e-Visa same 35 × 45 mm size
- Tanzania e-Visa same 35 × 45 mm size
- Morocco Passport same 35 × 45 mm size
- Egypt e-Visa / embassy visa also in Africa
Related photo sizes
- Nigeria e-Visa 600 × 600 pixels
- Ethiopia e-Visa 2 × 2 inches
- Ghana Visa no fixed size
- Kenya eTA no fixed size
- Rwanda Visa no fixed size
- Uganda e-Visa no fixed size