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Kenya Passport Photo Maker

Upload any photo, the tool removes your existing background, drops in the plain white background required for Kenya passport, and produces a spec-exact 35×45mm image ready to submit.

Drop your photo here
or click anywhere in this box to choose a photo

JPG, PNG, HEIC or WebP · Max 25 MB · Face forward, eyes on the camera.

100% private, deleted after processing No sign-up to preview Spec-exact 35×45mm output

How to make a Kenya passport photo in 3 steps

Upload any photo of yourself, and the tool handles the entire Kenya passport spec pipeline, background removal, colour swap, spec-exact crop, file-size compression, in one pass.

1

Start from a photo you already have

A phone shot against any wall works, because the background gets replaced. Kenya accepts a photo taken within the last 6 months, so an older picture will not pass.

2

Background replaced with plain white

Your outline, including hair and clothing edges, is separated from the original photo and composited onto the plain white that Kenya requires for a passport.

3

Cropped to 35×45mm at 300 DPI

That is 413×531 pixels (1.38×1.77 inches). The head is placed 29-34mm from chin to crown, 64-76% of the frame height. Drag the crop box if you want the face sitting differently in the frame.

Understanding the Kenya passport spec

Kenyan e-passport photographs are 35×45mm in colour on a plain white background, with the head 29-34mm from chin to crown and taken within the last six months. The Kenyan process runs through eCitizen: you complete the application online and upload a digital photograph with it, then attend an appointment at an immigration office where your biometrics are captured. That makes the digital file the operative requirement for most applicants rather than the print, the upload has to be clean, correctly cropped and on a genuinely white background, because it is attached to the application before anyone sees you in person.

Dimensions
35×45 mm
1.38 × 1.77 in
Resolution
300 DPI
Print-ready
Background
plain white
AI-swapped
Head height
29–34 mm
Chin to crown

Requirements at a glance

  • 35x45mm, colour
  • Plain white background
  • Full face, neutral expression
  • No head covering (religious exception)
  • Taken within the last 6 months

Where Kenya passport photos are actually used

Because the photo is uploaded at application rather than handed over at a counter, a non-compliant image is caught before your appointment rather than at it, which is better than the alternative, but it does mean the file itself has to be right. Off-white or shadowed backgrounds are the usual problem with phone photos: a wall that looks white to the eye photographs grey or cream. Replacing the background outright is more reliable than trying to find a wall that reads as white.

Applications that accept this photo spec

  • Kenya e-passport application through eCitizen
  • Passport renewal and replacement applications
  • Applications lodged at a Kenyan mission abroad
  • Supporting documents for national ID and birth certificate matters
  • Good conduct certificate (DCI) applications
  • Visa applications made on a Kenyan passport

Kenya passport photo FAQ

Do I upload a photo for the Kenyan passport application?
Yes. The eCitizen application takes a digital photograph uploaded with the form, and biometrics are captured separately at your immigration office appointment. The uploaded file is what gets checked first, so it needs to meet the 35×45mm proportion and white background requirements.

Why does my white wall come out grey in the photo?
Cameras meter for average brightness, so a white wall commonly renders as grey or cream, and uneven room light adds shadows across it. This is one of the most common reasons an otherwise correct photo is refused. Replacing the background with a true white is more dependable than trying to light a wall evenly.

What size is a Kenya passport photo?
35×45mm (1.38×1.77 inches) at 300 DPI, on a plain white background. The head must measure 29-34mm from chin to the top of the head.

What background color does Kenya require for passport photos?
Plain white. A background that does not match, the wrong shade, a gradient, a shadow cast behind you, or any visible texture or pattern, is one of the most common reasons a photo is sent back. This tool replaces whatever is behind you with the one the spec asks for.

Can I take a Kenya passport photo with my phone?
Yes. Modern phone cameras produce more than enough resolution for the 35×45mm output. What matters is even lighting (no harsh shadows on your face), a straight-on angle, and a neutral expression. This tool handles the background and sizing.

What file size does this tool produce?
The output JPEG is kept under 240 KB while preserving the 300 DPI resolution the spec requires. Upload limits vary between government portals and consulates, so check the one you are filing through, if it caps lower, use our Image Compressor to reduce further.

Is my uploaded photo saved on your servers?
No. It is processed in memory and discarded as soon as the result is produced. The background model runs on the server because it is too large to run in a browser; nothing is written to disk or logged.

Can I print the Kenya passport photo at home?
Yes. The output is a 300 DPI JPEG at exactly 35×45mm, so any inkjet or laser printer produces the correct physical size when you print at 100% scale (not "fit to page"). Use the 4×6 print sheet option to get multiple copies on one sheet of photo paper.

Do I need to sign up or pay?
No sign-up. Making the photo and checking it against the spec is free, guests get 5 a day and a free account 0. The finished photo without the watermark is $3, paid once, or included on Pro and Business plans.

What if the background removal is not perfect?
Hair, clothing edges and skin tones come out cleanly in most photos. If an edge looks wrong, re-shoot in indirect daylight, or skip the background swap and use the crop alone.
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