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South Africa Passport Photo Maker

Upload any photo, the tool removes your existing background, drops in the plain white background required for South Africa 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 South Africa passport photo in 3 steps

Upload any photo of yourself, and the tool handles the entire South Africa 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. South Africa 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 South Africa 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 South Africa passport spec

The Department of Home Affairs specifies a 35×45mm colour photograph on a plain white background, with the head measuring 29-34mm from chin to crown. The practical question for most South Africans is whether they need a printed photo at all: passport and Smart ID applications made in person at a DHA office, or through the eHomeAffairs branches run inside Absa, FNB, Nedbank and Standard Bank, capture your photograph and fingerprints live at the counter. A supplied photo is what you need when you are applying through a South African mission abroad, completing a paper DHA form, or attaching photos to a supporting application. Confirm with the office you are filing through before you print.

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
  • Neutral expression
  • No head coverings
  • Taken within the last 6 months

Where South Africa passport photos are actually used

35×45mm is the same size the UK, Ireland, Schengen states, India and Australia use, so one compliant photo covers most of the visa applications a South African passport holder will make. The exceptions worth knowing are the United States and Saudi Arabia, which want 2×2 inches, and Malaysia at 35×50mm. Head height is the detail that catches people out, DHA wants 29-34mm, which is a smaller head in the frame than the Schengen 32-36mm, so a photo cropped for a European visa is often slightly too tight for a South African application.

Applications that accept this photo spec

  • South African passport application through a mission or consulate abroad
  • Paper DHA forms that still require attached photographs
  • Smart ID Card applications where live capture is unavailable
  • Unabridged birth certificate and late registration applications
  • Visa applications South African citizens make to other countries
  • Police clearance certificate (SAPS) submissions

South Africa passport photo FAQ

Do I need to bring a photo to a South African passport appointment?
Usually not. DHA offices and the eHomeAffairs bank branches photograph you at the counter as part of biometric enrolment. Printed photos are mainly needed for applications lodged at a South African mission abroad, for paper forms, and for supporting documents. Check with the specific office, because practice varies between branches.

Can I wear a head covering in a South African passport photo?
DHA guidance asks for no head coverings. Religious head coverings are generally accommodated provided the full face is visible from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead with both edges of the face showing, but this is handled case by case, raise it with the office in advance rather than at submission.

What size is a South Africa 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 South Africa 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 South Africa 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 South Africa 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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