Get Your New Zealand Visa Photo Done Right [In 3 Mins]

Do you need a NZ visa photo for your application? Look no further—

Here, you can learn all you need to know about official photo requirements for NZ visas, including finer details (e.g., what you should wear) and where you can get acceptable New Zealand visa photos in person and online.

Understanding NZ visa photo requirements

Pictures for official documents must meet a lengthy list of stringent regulations. So, before you run to the nearest photo studio to get your image snapped, read on to get to know the NZ visa photo requirements as provided by the New Zealand Immigration page.

Table summarizing the requirements for a NZ visa photo

Note: For online applications, all photos must be between 900x1200 or 2250x3000 pixels. Only images in JPG or JPEG format will be accepted. The file size should be between 500kB and 10MB.

The fine details: New Zealand visa photo specifications

Technical requirements aren’t all you have to think about. As for all official identity documents, NZ visa photos must also follow other specific guidelines. Find them all below.

• Facial expression. Don’t smile or frown. Keep a neutral facial expression
• Pose. Keep your eyes open and mouth closed. Face the camera directly. Take your photo in portrait format, not landscape
• Clothing. Only plain-colored clothing without patterns is allowed
• Facial hair. Keep your beard as is if you normally wear it
• Head covering. Wearing headgear (hats, hair bands, etc) is strictly prohibited. You can cover your head only for religious or medical reasons
• Glasses. You can wear prescription glasses but only if your eyes clearly show through the lenses and no reflections are visible. The authorities recommend taking glasses off
• Hair. Your whole face (including eyebrows) must be clearly visible. Consider tucking your hair behind the ears and tying longer bangs with hairpins

Submitting a photograph not complying with one or more of those specific requirements will result in an error message and delay your New Zealand visa application process—so make sure to follow the instructions.

Important: There’s no official New Zealand visa photo checker. The one available on the government website is designed strictly for passport photos, and the authorities warn against using this one for any visa photographs.

New Zealand visa photo sizing details

NZ authorities are unlikely to accept your photo if it’s the wrong size. Unfortunately, it’s not as simple as submitting a 35x45 mm picture—New Zealand visa photo size requirements are more specific. Look at the NZ visa photo size specifications below and a visual example to get your picture right.

• Your head (from the bottom of your neck to the top of your hair) must fill 75% of the height of the entire image
• The width of the head (not including the ears) must take up 70% of the frame
• The space from the side of your head to the border of the image must be the same on both sides (your head must be perfectly centered)

Online services for New Zealand visa photos

Need a quick and compliant NZ visa photo, but not sure if a professional photographer in the US will do it right? Here’s how to save time and money—

Grab your phone and use a dedicated online photo tool. Check in the comparison table below if an online tool would be the right solution for you. Such software is made specifically for creating pictures for official documents, so you can easily get your photo in no time—and apply for a visa right away. 

But don’t take our word for it. Hear it from our satisfied customers who give us a 4.7 ⭐ rating (based on 2.5k+ reviews)

Would you like to see how the app performs in action or explore other options? Check out our article, where we reviewed the best 2x2 passport photo apps on the market—ideal also for New Zealand visa pictures.

Ready to snap your picture at home? Have a look at our guide on taking passport photos at home—the instructions apply to most types of identification documents!