Passport Photo Maker

New Zealand Passport Photo Size 2026: 35x45mm DIA Renewal Guide

The Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) processes every New Zealand passport application, and the photo is the most common reason an application is paused or rejected. The DIA is strict about three things in particular: selfies, smiling, and glasses. This guide explains the official New Zealand passport photo size, the DIA specifications, and how to produce a compliant image for the RealMe online renewal portal in 2026.

If you are renewing online, you can upload a digital photo straight into RealMe. For in-person or postal applications you will need two identical printed copies. The underlying standard is the same.

Official NZ Passport Photo Size

The official New Zealand passport size for photos is 35 x 45 mm (1.38 x 1.77 inches), the same standard used across the EU, the UK, and most ICAO-compliant Commonwealth countries.

The DIA passport photo specifications:

  • Photo dimensions: 35 mm wide x 45 mm tall
  • Head height (chin to crown): 32-36 mm
  • Background: plain light or neutral, white preferred
  • Recency: taken within the last 6 months
  • In-person applications: two unmounted, original prints
  • RealMe online renewal: digital JPEG, 900 x 1200 px to 2250 x 3000 px

When people search for “passport photo size new zealand” or “nz passport photo size,” this is the only specification they need. The NZeTA visa photo and the citizenship photo also use the 35x45mm dimension. A US-style 2x2 inch (51x51mm) photo will be rejected.

Background and Lighting

The DIA requires a plain, light-coloured background. White is preferred because it reproduces consistently when scanned, though a very light grey or off-white can be accepted if genuinely uniform. There must be no patterns, no textures, no shadows behind the head, and nothing else in the frame.

Lighting should come from in front of the subject, ideally two soft sources at roughly 45 degrees, to eliminate the harsh shadow single-source lighting casts onto the wall. Common failures include shadows from an overhead light, yellow casts from tungsten bulbs, and reflections off a glossy wall. Natural daylight from a north-facing window with a plain white wall a metre behind you produces the cleanest home result.

Facial Expression and Head Position

Your face must be square to the camera, eyes into the lens, with a neutral expression. The DIA does not accept smiling photos. Lips should be closed but not pressed together. Both eyes must be open and visible, with no hair across the eyes or eyebrows.

The head must be straight, not tilted. The biometric facial recognition system used by NZ border control matches landmarks like the corners of the eyes, the tip of the nose, and the corners of the mouth — any tilt distorts those measurements.

Glasses Policy

Since the 2017 update to the New Zealand passport photo rules, glasses are not permitted. This includes prescription, reading, sunglasses, and tinted lenses. The only exception is a verified medical reason with supporting documentation.

If you wear glasses every day, take them off, wait a minute for nose indentation marks to fade, then take the picture. This rule is in the top three rejection reasons.

Why DIA Rejects Selfies

Selfies are the number-one reason New Zealand passport photos get rejected. The DIA explicitly states that the photo must be taken by another person. Three technical reasons:

  1. Lens distortion. A phone at arm’s length sits 50-60 cm from your face; the wide-angle lens stretches the nose and shrinks the ears, throwing off biometric measurements. The DIA recommends the photographer stand 1.5 metres away.
  2. Arm position. In a selfie, one shoulder is always raised toward the camera. Passport photos must show both shoulders square.
  3. Eye line. Looking at a phone screen means looking slightly down rather than into the lens.

This applies even with a selfie stick or self-timer.

Dress Code and Hair

The DIA does not require formal clothing, but prohibits anything that obscures facial features.

  • Hair: must not cover the eyes or eyebrows. Hair forward over the cheeks is fine if the face outline is visible.
  • Head coverings: not permitted unless worn daily for religious or medical reasons. The face must be visible from chin to forehead.
  • Uniforms: civilian clothing only.
  • Jewellery and makeup: small everyday items and ordinary makeup are fine. Reflective items must be removed.

Avoid clothing that closely matches the white background, as this confuses the biometric system at the chin-to-shoulder line.

RealMe Online Renewal — Digital Photo Specs

If you are renewing through the RealMe online portal at passports.govt.nz, you need a digital photo, not a printed one:

  • File format: JPEG (.jpg)
  • Minimum resolution: 900 x 1200 pixels
  • Maximum resolution: 2250 x 3000 pixels
  • File size: up to roughly 5 MB
  • Aspect ratio: 3:4 (matching the 35x45mm proportions)
  • Colour: full colour, not black and white

The RealMe uploader runs an automated check the moment you submit the file, looking at face position, eye line, background uniformity, and exposure. If any of those fail, you will see an immediate red error and be asked to upload a different photo.

How to Take a NZ Passport Photo at Home

You can produce a compliant photo with a phone and a tripod:

  1. Background. Hang a plain white sheet or stand against a clean white wall — no creases or light switches in frame.
  2. Camera. Mount the phone on a tripod 1.5 metres away at the subject’s eye level.
  3. Lighting. Two soft light sources at 45 degrees, or stand 1-2 metres in front of a north-facing window.
  4. Frame. Top of the head roughly 5 mm below the top edge, chin roughly 10 mm above the bottom edge.
  5. Expression. Neutral face, mouth closed, both eyes open, looking at the lens.
  6. Press the button. Have someone else do it — no selfies.
  7. Shoot 5-10 frames and pick the sharpest.
  8. Validate through a DIA-compliant checker before uploading.

Tripod tip: if you do not own one, stack books on a table to reach eye level. Selfie sticks bounce and warp the image.

Where to Get a NZ Passport Photo

Several New Zealand retailers offer DIA-compliant passport photos:

  • Warehouse Stationery: NZD 15-20 for two prints, nationwide.
  • NZ Post: around NZD 15 with RealMe-ready digital files.
  • Photo kiosks (Snappy Snaps, Camera House): NZD 15-25 with digital copies.
  • Professional photographers: NZD 25-50 with retouching.
  • Online photo makers: free to NZD 10 with instant DIA compliance checks.

Confirm both print and digital file meet the current DIA standard, and ask whether they will reshoot free if rejected.

Renewing a NZ Passport Overseas

New Zealand citizens abroad can renew through the RealMe online portal from anywhere in the world — the same digital photo standard applies. Two options for the photo:

  1. Use a local studio with the 35x45mm specification. International providers often default to US (2x2 inch) or EU standards, so confirm 35x45mm before paying.
  2. Visit a New Zealand embassy or high commission. Missions in London, Canberra, Washington, Tokyo, Singapore, and Beijing can advise on locally compliant photographers.

The RealMe renewal works the same overseas as inside New Zealand.

NZ Passport Photo for Children and Babies

Photos for children under 16 use the same 35x45mm specification, but the DIA relaxes some rules for under-2s:

  • Babies under 1: eyes do not need to be fully open and a slight head tilt is tolerated. Lay the baby on a plain white sheet and shoot from directly above — no hands, toys, or pacifiers in frame.
  • Toddlers (1-2 years): prop them against a plain seat back. Stand behind the camera and use sounds, not toys, to draw attention.
  • Children 3 and older: standard adult rules apply.

Parents and guardians cannot appear in the photo, even partially.

NZ Citizenship Photo Requirements

Photos submitted with a New Zealand citizenship application use the same 35x45mm dimension and most of the same DIA rules. The main procedural difference is that citizenship applications often require the back of the print to be signed by a witness — verify the latest checklist on the DIA website before posting.

Common Reasons NZ Passport Photos Get Rejected

The most frequent reasons a New Zealand passport photo is rejected:

  1. Selfies — number one by a wide margin.
  2. Smiling — a neutral expression is mandatory.
  3. Glasses — banned since 2017.
  4. Wrong head size — chin to crown must be 32-36 mm.
  5. Shadows on the background.
  6. Hair across the eyes or eyebrows.
  7. Filters or AI editing — skin smoothing and AI retouching are grounds for rejection.
  8. Incorrect file size or pixel dimensions for the RealMe upload.

Most are caught instantly by the RealMe automated checker. The rest are flagged by a DIA reviewer within a few business days.

NZ Visa Photo Differences

For a New Zealand visitor, student, work visa, or NZeTA, the underlying photo specification is identical: 35 x 45 mm, white background, neutral expression, no glasses. Immigration New Zealand uses the same biometric standard as the DIA.

The main differences are digital: NZeTA and visa uploads accept JPEG between 500 KB and 10 MB, require pixel dimensions between 900 x 1200 and 2250 x 3000, and are submitted through the Immigration NZ portal or NZeTA app. A photo that passes the DIA passport check will pass the Immigration NZ check. See the full NZ visa photo guide for upload-specific details.

Next Steps

The 35 x 45 mm size, the white background, and the no-selfies rule are the three things to memorise. Get those right and the rest of the DIA passport photo specifications fall into place.

When you are ready, use our New Zealand passport photo maker to generate a print-ready 35x45mm file and a RealMe-ready digital JPEG in a single step. The tool checks head height, background uniformity, and file size automatically, so you can upload to RealMe or print at a Warehouse Stationery kiosk with confidence.

For the latest official guidance, refer to passports.govt.nz, the DIA passport photo checklist, and the Immigration New Zealand acceptable photo page before submitting your 2026 application.