Effortless South Africa Visa Photo Service

South Africa visa photo requirements

The photo requirements for a South African visa application are very specific and need to be paid close attention to. The photo should be: 

• Recent (not older than 6 months) colour or black and white photograph 
• Taken against a light grey or plain-cream background
• Showing your full face with a neutral expression
• 35×45 mm in size
• Printed on high-quality photographic paper
• The head should be centred in the photo, with both ears visible

Keep in mind that you are required to submit two (2) passport style photographs when applying for a South African visa.

South Africa visa photo background 

The photo background must be a neutral colour such as grey or cream. Busy backgrounds, as well as patterned ones may result in your visa application being rejected by the authorities. Moreover, make sure there are no visible objects or people in the background. Only the applicant should be visible in the visa photo.

South Africa visa photo clothing

Everyday clothing is acceptable for South Africa visa photos. You can wear a plain t-shirt, blouse or collared shirt, but avoid wearing tube tops, tank tops, and clothing showing your shoulders.

Uniforms and clothing resembling military attire is not allowed to be worn on visa photos for South Africa.

Head coverings in South Africa visa photos

If you wear a head covering for religious reasons, it should not obscure your face. Make sure your entire face is visible from chin to forehead and the head covering does not cast any shadows on your face or onto the background. 

Glasses in a South African visa photo 

Glasses are permitted in South African visa photos, as long as there are no reflections or glare on the lenses, and the frame does not cover your eyes. Tinted glasses or sunglasses are only allowed to be worn for medical reasons.

South Africa visa photo editor

Are you tired of the hassle and expense of getting a biometric visa photo for your South Africa visa application? Our online AI-powered visa photo editor is here to help! With just a simple selfie, our tool will convert your photo into a biometric photograph that meets all the requirements for your South Africa visa application. 

Our tool removes the background, adjusts the size, crops the photo, and checks the lighting to ensure that your photo meets the official requirements. With the additional human photo expert verification, you can be confident that your photo will be accepted by the South African authorities. 

So why wait? Try our tool today and upload a photo or take a photo on the go. Download our mobile visa photo app for Android or visa photo app on iOS to take your photo on the go. 

South Africa visa photo: Key takeaways

The table below shows the most important information summed up: