Quick and Easy Zimbabwe Passport Photo

Zimbabwean Passport Photo Guidelines

Maybe you are thinking right now: where can I take a Zimbabwean passport photo near me? Or: can I take a Zimbabwe passport photo on my own or have I take it in a professional studio? The answer is: you can do it yourself and it doesn’t matter where! As long as your picture complies with international biometric photo standards, you do not have to take it professionally. Do you have a smartphone? So, you are able to create the correct photo for the passport! If you want to know more about this topic, read our guidelines and create your perfect passport-style photo by yourself. 

So, you don’t need to go to a professional photography studio, waste your time and spend big money if you want to have a professional-quality photo of the passport of Zimbabwe. The requirements list is not long and if you use the smart passport photo App, creating a perfect photo is more than easy! This tool is based on artificial intelligence and it is available to download from the AppStore and Google Play Store.

Read the rest and be ready to create your picture for a passport of Zimbabwe. In 5 minutes you will know: 

1. what is the required size and crop of the photo
2. how must be the background
3. how to pose in the picture
4. what is allowed and forbidden in biometric images
5. if there is any dress-code and what about hairstyle in the picture
6. how to avoid the most commonly made mistakes
7. how to quickly verify is your picture meets all the photo requirements
8. how to save your money and time taking a photo to you passport application

Required Size and Crop of the photo of Zimbabwean passport

You are obliged to submit 2 printed photos together with your passport application. Photos must be identical and they must measure 45 millimetres (mm) high by 35 mm wide which is the standard size of passport-style photos used in most countries of the world.

Your v passport photo must not be a cut down version of a larger picture. In the image all your head is photographed, en-face must be visibly seen (it must be close-up), also the neck and the upper part of your shoulders. The image of the head from the crown to the chin must be between 26 mm and 30 mm high. If you are worried about how to obtain this size and crop, download a smart Zimbabwean passport photo maker and let this tool do the job for you! This app resizes, crops and adjusts the background in order to make your passport-style photo perfect without an effort!

Zimbabwe passport photo background’s requirements

The background in your passport-style photo dedicated to the passport of the Republic of Zimbabwe must be uniquely white.

What exactly does “uniquely white background” mean?

The background must be white of color but this is not all. It also must be clear - cannot contain other objects or people, be free of patterns or spots.

If you want to take your photo on your own and you don’t know how to obtain a uniform, unique color, clear background at home, we have a tip for you. Only one thing you need to do is to upload your image to the intelligent background removing photo app and you will have all the job done in 1 second! This app will erase every type of background from your image and exchange it into the required one!

Zimbabwean passport photo - how to pose

The passport style photo must be portrait-oriented and be a close-up of the face of a candidate. The face of the candidate must be centred, not tilted in any direction and this must be a close-up. A photographed person must look straight ahead at the camera. Side angle and semi-profile shots are unacceptable, only en-face shots will be accepted. The camera lens should be positioned at the sight line and a photographed person must not smile or frown. So, keep a neutral facial expression: both eyes open, mouth closed, relaxed muscles.

Items in the Zimbabwean passport picture - what is allowed and forbidden in biometric images

There are some items such as head covering, eyeglasses, jewellery, piercing, hands-free devices, etc. that provoke many questions from applicants. Are they allowed in Zimbabwean passport photos? Which one of them? Under which conditions? We have gathered all the answers in one place. Check the next paragraphs and learn about allowed and forbidden items in biometric pictures.

Eyeglasses and sunglasses

The rules about glasses in the Zimbabwean passport photo do not prohibit wearing them but it is recommended to take them off for the moment of capturing the picture. The glasses may give a glare and their frames may obscure or drop shadows on your face and for one of these reasons your picture in glasses can be rejected. The general rule for glasses is: they must not cover your eyes.

So, if you absolutely must stay in prescription eyeglasses for medical reasons, you can but make sure that your eyes are clearly visible.

Sunglasses are forbidden items in biometric photography. Make sure that the glasses you wear are not tinted because only transparent ones are accepted.

Piercing and Jewellery

If you have facial piercing, you don’t have to remove it for a Zimbabwe passport picture. But keep in mind that piercing must not give glare to your skin. If you see that it does, repeat a photo shoot without a flash lamp. The same applies to small jewellery. Big earrings may instead obscure your face oval, so better take them off.

Head covering and hair accessories

You are not allowed to wear big hair accessories such as ribbons or bandanas as they can obscure your face or drop a shadow on it.

Every fashion headgear is forbidden too (caps, hats, headbands, etc.). However, head covering used as a part of a religious or traditional attire may be worn in the Zimbabwe passport picture. So, you can decide to keep your head covering (like hijab, turban or yarmulke etc.) but make sure that this item does not obscure your face. Your facial features including front and chin must be clearly visible in the photo. For a proper contrast, wear a headgear in color contrasting to the background.

Devices and accessories 

Generally speaking, any wireless head-phones and other similar objects are not allowed in your photo dedicated to the Zimbabwean passport. But a hearing device if you wear it, is allowed. Of course, you are not allowed to cover your face in any situation.

Dress-code and hairstyle in a Zimbabwean passport photo

There is not such a thing as a dress-code for the passport photo in the Republic of Zimbabwe. You may wear what you like and choose an outfit that you feel attractive in.

The only rule applies to the color of clothes: don’t wear a white top.

You can decide on a hairstyle you like, just remember that your hairstyle must not “touch” the upper edge of the photograph. If your hair is voluminous, wear it up to “save” place in the picture.

Most commonly made mistakes in Zimbabwean passport photos

Do you know which photos are the most often rejected by passport offices and Zimbabwean embassies worldwide?

We checked which are the most commonly made mistakes and for which reasons do officials the most often reject the application.

Below we present the list of them:

• incorrect size (only 35 x 45 mm size is accepted)
• wrong background (only white and solid is correct)
• monochromatic pictures (only color ones are accepted)
• smile (the neutral facial expression is the must)
• head or face covered (only headgears worn for religious or cultural purposes are accepted and they must not obscure the face)
• wrong photo view or angle (selfies, semi-profiles, etc. are not allowed)
• twisted shoulders or candidate looking aside
• wrong quality of the photo (the picture must focused and sharp, not overexposed or underexposed, not damaged or scratched)

Remember also that your photo must be original. It means that it cannot be:

• cut off from a bigger image
• distorted or flipped
• pixelated
• altered using computer software or computer app
• unnaturally colored

They are disqualifying mistakes too.

Of course, you can take your passport photo with your smartphone, just do not use any filters or beautifying apps. The use of Photoshop and other graphic processing programs is not allowed. Instead, you can use a smart background erasing App that helps you to remove a wrong background from your picture.

Zimbabwean Passport Photo Maker and Validator

Do you have your favourite shot and want to use it on your Zimbabwe passport?

Nothing easier, just check out a Tool that adjusts the size, crop and background in one second!

Download the smart Passport photo app from the AppStore for iOS operating devices or our Photo Editor from the Google Play Store for Samsung, Nokia, and many other smartphones. This App verifies every uploaded photo, so you will get feedback about your passport picture. And if the App marks it as a correct one, we guarantee you the acceptance of the passport office, embassy or consulate!

Take a photo of your passport at home, save money and time!

Do you want to attach a suitable photo to your passport application and be sure that it will be accepted, right? But you do not want or can’t search a photo studio and waste many hours, correct? If you share this mindset - take a look at our Zimbabwe Passport Photo tool. With it, you are able to prepare a correct photo in a moment. The photograph is checked for correctness according to the requirements. You also have the possibility to edit the background, crop, and resize the image.

This is a quick, easy, and money-saving method of preparing the picture, and be sure that it will be accepted!

Last update: 5/30/23