No-Trouble Vietnamese Passport Photo [DIY Online]

Vietnam Passport Photo - Guidelines

In order to apply for your first or new Vietnamese passport you have to submit 4 printed, colour photos taken within the last 6 months. As the passport of Vietnam is a biometric travel document, the photo visible in it must comply with strict standards. What are they? Read the article below to learn about:

• what are the required dimensions of the photo
• how you have to pose
• what attire is allowed or forbidden in the picture
• if you can wear headgears, eyeglasses, piercing, etc. in the moment of taking a photo
• what color and style must be the background
• how to get a correct size and crop
• how to quickly verify if the photo matches all rules
• how to save money and time preparing the perfect Vietnamese passport photo

Vietnam Passport Photo Quality Requirements

The photo dedicated to the Passport of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam must meet certain requirements about the quality. The first of them is that the photo should be printed in the natural colors, not black and white. It must not not be blurred, marked, scratched or damaged. If the picture has any defects, marks, stamps or other patterns on it - it will not be accepted.

It is required that photos are printed on photo-quality paper, not with an inkjet printer. But this is not all. Remember that your picture must be:

• properly exposed - overexposed and underexposed pictures are not correct.
• clear, sharp, and focus
• properly exposed - not underlit or overlit
• well contrasted - too high or too low will disqualify your picture. 
• not blurred
• not damaged
• printed with dye-sublimation process

Selfies are not allowed because they are not meeting the quality requirements. Ask somebody for help or use a tripod.

Vietnam Passport Photo DIY with your phone

Do you know that there is no requirement to take a photo for the Vietnamese passport in a professional photography studio? You can do it yourself! Take your Vietnam passport picture at home, do not waste your time driving around the city or waiting in a queue. Save money and don’t overpay! All you need to get a perfect photo are:

• a tripod or a photographer who can be your friend or family member
  (as selfies are not suitable)
• a digital camera or a smartphone with a camera
• Vietnamese Passport Photo Guidelines (read more below)
• Smart Photo Maker to resize, crop and adjust your picture to the requirements

Vietnamese Passport Photo - required size in inches and mm

Required Vietnamese passport photo size is 2 x 2 inches. This is 51 mm x 51 mm. You can’t use framing and special corners. Keep in mind that a square aspect ratio (height equal to the width) is obligatory. If you find it difficult to adjust the size of your passport photo to this requirement - use a smart photo resizing tool dedicated to adjusting the dimensions of your picture.

Passport of Vietnam - picture’s required crop and view

What must be visible in your passport-style photo for the Passport of Vietnam? The only one accepted view is the en-face view. Profile and semi-profile shots are not allowed.

In the photo only your face, neck, area around the collarbone and upper part of the shoulders can be seen. Remember: your head must not be too small or too big. Stay 1,2-2 m from the camera if you want to obtain a good crop. Or use a passport Photo Resizer and Cropper which will adjust your image to requirements.

Color and style of the background in Vietnamese Passport Photos

Your photos dedicated to the passport of Vietnam must be taken against the white background. Moreover, the background must be unique and clear: no shadows, patterns, other people, or objects must be visible with you in the picture. You might be worried about how to obtain such a background. The good news is that you do not even need to know the background’s requirements in a Vietnamese passport photo!

You can take a picture against any background and just use our smart passport photo background editor which changes the wrong background into the required one - white and clear.

Vietnamese Passport Photo Colors and Lighting

The Vietnam Passport photo must be in colour and these colours must represent the natural skin and eyes tones of the candidate. Monochromatic pictures or photos with color filters are not allowed.

In order to obtain true colors in the pictures we recommend natural daylight. Don’t use a flash lamp - it might cause the “red eyes” effect which disqualifies a picture. To avoid a “red eyes” effect in the photo, take it without flesh.

Composition and Posing in the Passport Photo in Vietnam

How to pose in a biometric photo?

Your head must be placed exactly in the central spot of the picture and not tilted in any direction. Moreover, you are obliged to look straight ahead at the camera, not aside. 

You might want to smile but this is not allowed. Pose with a neutral facial expression,closed mouth and relaxed muscles. If you have long hair, put it behind your ears as the hair must not cover your face.

Vietnam Passport Photo Originality

Your Vietnamese passport picture must be valid and original. Validity means that the image must represent your current look. So, it must not be too old. You have to attach a picture taken within the last 6 months but this is not all.

Attach a new photo of yourself if during the last 6 months you had facial plastic surgery, experienced a permanent facial deformation or you added or removed tattoos or piercing on your face area.

Moreover, your photo must be original. It means that you are not allowed to use any graphic program to retouch the face image or clear the background. But you can make the background in the picture white just by using a background removing tool for the Passport photos!

Hairstyle, beard and makeup in the Vietnamese passport photos

As mentioned in the paragraph above, you are not allowed to use photo retouching tools, but you put on make-up. Face powder is even recommended - it helps the skin to stop shining and covers imperfections.

There are no rules about hairstyles. Just remember that your hair must not cover your face. If you have voluminous hair, consider wearing it up because the image of your head (with hair) must take no more than 80% of the whole picture.

Beard is allowed in the Vietnamese passport photo, so you do not need to shave it before applying for the passport.

Clothes and Head coverings in the passport photo in Vietnam

You can wear what you want while taking a Vietnamese passport photo. Just avoid white tops and white head scarves (hijabs) to not blend with the background.

Generally speaking, covering the head in the Vietnamese passport picture is forbidden.

But there are some exemptions: if you wear your head covering for religious reasons, you can keep it in a Vietnam passport photo. That means that you may keep your hijab, turban, yarmulke, or other headgear worn for religious reasons. But keep in mind that fashion headgears are not allowed. It applies to caps, hats, bands, etc. not worn for religious reasons.

If you keep your headgear, make sure that it does not obscure your face and its features are clearly visible from the front to the chin. No shadow can cast on your skin.

Glasses in the Vietnamese Passport photo

If you wear glasses every day, you may keep them while capturing a photo for a passport of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam but keep in mind that the photograph must be free from reflection or glare and eyeglasses can cause them.

Make sure that your eyes are not obscured and the frames of the glasses do not cover your pupils. You must not wear sunglasses, nor tinder glasses. Make sure that your spectacles are transparent.

Facial piercing and jewellery in the Vietnam passport photos

Many people ask: must I remove their facial piercing before capturing a photo of the passport of Vietnam? The general rule is: you do not need to remove jewellery or piercing as long as these items do not obscure any part of your face and do not give any reflection on your skin. But even if jewellery is allowed, check twice if earrings do not “touch” the oval of your face because in such a case the photo is incorrect.

Accessories like free-hand devices, sunglasses, and big hair decorations are forbidden.

The main requirements for the Passport Photo in Vietnam

Now you know that creating a correct Vietnamese passport photo at home is not complicated. If you take the picture at home, you may try many hairstyles and outfits, there is not a rush and in the end, you pay only for what you want to get. There are only some main rules to remember while posing for the photo dedicated to the Passport of Vietnam. remember to:

1. keep a neutral facial expression - DON’T SMILE!
2. keep your mouths closed, do not show your teeth
3. keep both eyes open
4. not tilt your head in any direction
5. look directly at the camera positioned at your sight line
6. take off your glasses or at least check if their frames do not obscure your eyes and glasses do not give any reflection.
7. have your face evenly illuminated and visible
8. adjust the size, crop, and background of your photo

The last point is the easiest one because the Resizing and Cropping Photo App can do it for you! 

Passport Photo Maker Online (for Apple and Android)

Did you know that you can download the best passport photo maker from the AppStore for iOS operating devices or our App from the Google Play Store for Samsung, Nokia, and many other smartphones? You can upload your picture online too and have it resized and cropped in one moment! Don't worry about the perfect background in the picture to Vietnamese passport because this smart app will adjust it to the requirements too!

How to check a Vietnam passport photo?

Do you want to know if your Vietnamese passport photo is correct and will be accepted by authorities?

The intelligent Vietnam Passport Photo App verifies if your uploaded picture meets all the requirements, so you can be 100% sure that the image you attach to your passport application is perfect. And you pay only once regardless of how many shots you check!

Last update: 10/4/23