Easy-to-Get Taiwanese Passport Photo [User-Friendly App]

Taiwan passport photo guidelines

Every citizen of Taiwan has the right to possess a Taiwanese passport. Adults apply for their passports in person; applications for children must be done by their parents or legal guardians. Applications can be made at the Bureau of Consular Affairs (BOCA), at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Taipei, or at the Ministry’s branch offices in Taichung, Kaohsiung, Hualien and Chiayi. If you reside in another country, you’ll apply for a passport at the closest Taiwanese Overseas Mission.

Taiwanese passport photos must be biometric 

When applying for a Taiwanese passport, you must submit two (2) printed biometric photos of yourself. Biometric photos show the physical characteristics of a person, such as the distance between the eyes, nose, ears, and mouth; these characteristics are unique, and machine-reading makes it possible to check a person’s identity quickly and efficiently. Be aware that if your photo does not satisfy the biometric requirements, your application will be rejected.

But what are the biometric requirements? This article will tell you everything you need to know about getting the perfect passport picture for your Taiwanese passport.

Taiwan passport photo requirements

First of all, the passport photo must be an original—not a photocopy, and not cut out from a larger image. An image also must be in color, and it can be taken no earlier than a maximum of six months before you apply. The other main requirements applicants must meet are as following:

• technical specifications
• size and crop
• head size, position and facial expression
• color and type of background
• items allowed and forbidden in the photo

Technical specifications for Taiwan passport photos

The passport picture must be taken at high resolution and printed on high-quality photographic paper (glossy paper). If you print passport photos, avoid using an inkjet printer. Send your picture to a one-hour photo service or stop by a self-service photo point to print your passport pictures. The major technical requirements are:

• image must be clear, sharp and focused
• properly exposed—not under lit, or over lit
• printed on high-quality photographic paper; a digital image is not submissible
• with good contrast and saturation
• in color—showing your natural skin tone and eyes colors
• of high quality—without ink marks, streaks or blobs
• in good condition—not scratched, bent, folded or damaged in any way
• original and unaltered—no digital touch-ups or color effect filters are permitted

Taiwan passport photo size 

Taiwan passport photographs must be 45mm high x 35mm wide (1.77 inches x 1.38 inches). In the image, your entire face and neck must be visible, as well as the upper part of your shoulders. And the dimensions must be exact.

The image’s size of the head, from the point of the chin to the crown of the hair, must not be smaller than 32mm and not bigger than 36mm, which is 70 to 80% of the vertical height of the picture. There must be some space left between the crown of the hair and the top edge of the picture, and also on both sides of the face. Only women’s hair is permitted to touch the bottom edge of the frame.

Taiwan passport photos - head position and facial expression

There are some important rules regarding facial expressions, posing and positioning in the official photograph. If you strike the wrong pose, your photo will be rejected.

Applicants MUST:

• face forward, shoulders square
• stay up straight (standing or sitting)
• look directly into the camera
• keep their eyes open and keep their mouth closed
• have a neutral expression on their face

You must NOT:

• have your head tilted in any direction
• do NOT smile

Smiling in biometric photos is not allowed. Keep your facial muscles relaxed. Don’t blink. Keep your eyes open, but without exaggerating. A neutral expression is important. 

Moles, birthmarks or scars on your face may not be covered, as they are identifying marks. Your ears should also be visible; applicants with microtia are allowed to conceal their ears, but both edges of the face must still be clearly visible.

A white background 

Another strict requirement is the color of the background that must be white. No other colors are acceptable. Moreover, the background must be uniform and plain. Shadows, wrinkles or patterns cannot appear on it. There can be no other objects (such as chair backs) or other people visible in the photo. You cannot have a disembodied hand of a parent supporting their child’s head, for example.

A not proper background is one of the most common mistakes in passport pictures, and a major reason for an application to be denied. Obtaining a perfectly spotless plain white background in the home environment is a real challenge. But not for Passport Photo Online remover! The application is able to exchange a wrong background into the required uniform plain white background, quickly and easily.

No dress code for Taiwan passport images

There are no requirements for clothing, except that you must not wear a white shirt as it will make you disappear into the white background that is unacceptable.

Choose a shirt or a top in a style that looks good on you. Scarves on the neck are not allowed, but a tie or necklace is absolutely okay.

Glasses in Taiwan passport photos

If the subject wears glasses every day, they may keep them on for the photo—but only under certain conditions: the photograph must show the subject’s eyes clearly, so avoid heavy frames. The frames cannot cover any part of the eyes. Avoid tinted lenses, they must be 100% transparent. There must be no reflection or glare on the glass. All in all, it might be easier to wear contact lenses, if you have them. Pupil-distorting contact lenses, such as colored contacts, should not be worn. 

Sunglasses are forbidden, with the exception of visually impaired people. 

A headgear in Taiwan passport pictures

Head coverings are not permitted; exceptions can only be made for religious or medical reasons. 

Applicants are not allowed to wear fashionable headgear such as hats, scarves, sweatbands, baseball caps and so on. But if a hijab, yarmulke or turban is a part of your religious attire, you can wear it while capturing your passport photo.

Wigs are allowed. You may keep a head covering for medical reasons, for example, after a surgery when it is needed to protect your scalp.

If you do wear a head covering, remember that your full face—from the bottom of your chin to the top of your forehead—must be visible. Headscarves or other headgear must not obscure your face or cast a shadow on it.

All massive hair accessories, such as ribbons and bows and bands, must be removed.

Jewelry and accessories in Taiwan passport photos

You may wear jewelry in your Taiwanese passport photo, just make sure that no part of it covers your face (e.g., massive earrings impinging on the jawline). If you have permanent facial piercings, you do not need to remove them as long as they do not cause shadows or glare on your skin.

Hands-free accessories such as earbuds are not allowed.

Hairstyles and beards in Taiwan passport images

There are slightly different rules for men’s hairstyles and women’s hairstyles. 

For male applicants, the top of the head must not touch the top edge of the frame of the photograph. For female applicants, hair is permitted to touch the bottom frame of the image.

If you have a beard, you do not need to shave it for the photograph as long as your face is recognizable. If you were clean-shaven in your old photograph and now you’ve grown a beard which makes a huge difference in your appearance, you need to renew your passport.

Lighting in Taiwan passport photos

Portrait-style or high-key lighting is not allowed. Taiwan passport photographs require flat lighting, with a one-to-one key-to-fill ratio. The main rule here is: the light must evenly illuminate both sides of your face. Shadows and glares on your face will disqualify the picture.

As all photographers know, daylight makes for the best lighting. We recommend you capture your passport picture indoors while facing a window. Do not use a flash lamp that sometimes causes the “red eyes” effect, which is unacceptable.

No retouching of Taiwan passport pictures

Never retouch or digitally interfere with passport photographs. If the program validating your passport photo detects any digital enhancements, the photograph will automatically be rejected. 

Graphic programs such as Photoshop, popular apps for beautifying skin and using filters are now allowed. Applicants can use some makeup, as long as it doesn’t change their natural skin tone or facial features, and does not cover any identifying marks.

Passport Photo Online

Your passport photograph must comply with official standards, so you need to be sure all biometric requirements are satisfied. Passport Photo Online is an AI-based app for taking perfect passport photos that easily crops, resizes, and verifies passport pictures. The app removes a background, replaces it with the required white one. 

Take your photographs at home

If you want to know where to take a passport photo, the answer is simple: you can take your Taiwan passport photographs at home, saving time and money! Try different outfits and hairstyles. Take your time. Taking a picture in the place and time of your choosing is a whole lot easier (and faster) than going to the mall and tracking down the photo booths. All you need are:

• your smartphone
• a friend to help you (because selfies are not acceptable)
• a tripod, if you prefer to do everything by yourself
• this article, listing the requirements for Taiwanesse passport photo
• the smart Passport Photo Online app which will properly resize, crop and adjust your picture
• 3 seconds of your time

Once you order the final picture, the app sends a ready-to-print digital image to your email. You can be sure that if our app approves your picture, the government will too! 

The most common mistakes 

Every year, many applications are turned down because of the passport photograph. When preparing images for Taiwan passport, remember to avoid most common mistakes e.g.:

• the wrong size of passport photos
• images are not clear, focused, or sharp
• photos are not taken against a plain white background
• images have been improved by using a computer software such as Photoshop
• a photo is overexposed or underexposed
• an image is cut from a larger picture
• having your head tilted or angled, like in a portrait, instead of the en-face view
• smiling, instead of keeping your expression neutral.

A photo app for iPhone and Android

Users of devices working on iOS can download Passport Photo Online from the AppStore or App from Google Play Store. This app helps to prepare and store your passport photos so you can use them for other documents, such as Taiwan visas. You can upload photos directly to online apps, or print them out. Choose from over 100 photo templates for different documents such as visas, passports, driving licenses, etc.

Last update: 5/30/23