UAE Passport & Emirates ID Photo Requirements 2026

Written and fact-checked by the PassportLayout team · Last verified: 7 July 2026

Official requirements from the UAE Government portal (u.ae) and the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), checked against the sources on the date above.

Photo Dimensions

For UAE passport applications, the official UAE Government portal asks for a recent personal photo sized 4.5 × 5.5 cm (45 × 55 mm) against a white background. The photo must be printed without a frame (borderless), conform to ICAO specifications, and show the eyes open, with no hands appearing above the shoulders. The same page notes the portrait width should fall between 35 and 40 mm — the head-and-shoulders composition ICAO defines, sitting inside the larger 4.5 × 5.5 cm print.

A convenient detail for renewals: if a recent personal photo is already stored in ICP's electronic systems, it is shown to you during the application and you can choose between reusing it and submitting a new one. Passport services are available through ICP's eServices, the UAEICP app, and Customer Happiness centres across the emirates.

Emirates ID Photo Requirements

Emirates ID and other ICP services rely on ICP's Personal Photo Specifications, which follow the ICAO standard: a close-up of your head and the top of your shoulders, with the face taking up 70–80% of the photograph and a photo width of 35–40 mm. For Emirates ID applications and renewals, photos are typically captured live at an ICP service centre or typing centre; applications submitted online accept an uploaded digital photo.

When applying through a typing centre, the centre usually photographs you on-site. If you are submitting through an online channel, prepare a compliant photo to the correct dimensions in advance — high quality, in colour, and printed on photo-quality paper if a physical copy is requested.

Face and Head Size

According to ICP's Personal Photo Specifications (PDF), the photo must be a close-up of your head and the top of your shoulders in which the face occupies 70–80% of the photograph. You must face square on to the camera — not looking over one shoulder in portrait style and not tilted — with both edges of the face clearly shown. The photo may be no more than 6 months old, must be in sharp focus, and must be free of ink marks and creases.

Both eyes must be open and clearly visible, with no hair falling across them. Skin tones must appear natural, with appropriate brightness and contrast — photos that are too dark, too light, washed out, or pixelated are all shown as rejection examples in the ICP specification.

Background Requirements

The u.ae passport checklist calls for a white background, while ICP's photo specification describes it as a plain, light-coloured background — in practice, plain white satisfies both. The lighting must be uniform, with no shadows behind the head or across the face, no flash reflections on the skin, and no red-eye. Busy backgrounds with visible objects or other people are rejected, and the photo must show you alone — no chair backs, toys, or another person in the frame.

Expression, Glasses, and Appearance

Look directly at the camera with a neutral expression, mouth closed, and both eyes fully open. The UAE's automated biometric systems require clear, unobstructed facial features for enrolment and border control matching.

Glasses are permitted, with conditions — the photo manual on ICP Smart Services requires that the eyes remain clearly visible, with no flash reflection off the lenses and no tinted lenses, and that the frames do not cover any part of the eyes. If possible, avoid heavy frames and wear lighter-framed glasses instead. Dark or tinted sunglasses are rejected.

UAE National Dress and Head Coverings

Head coverings are not permitted except for religious reasons. When one is worn, your facial features from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead, and both edges of your face, must be clearly shown. In practice this means the hijab is acceptable, while the niqab (full face cover) cannot be worn for the photo, as the face must be uncovered for biometric verification. Hats and caps are explicitly listed as rejection examples.

The same rules apply to UAE nationals and expatriate residents alike: religious head coverings with the full face visible are fine, fashion head accessories and hats are not. UAE national dress that does not obscure the face is worn in many UAE passport photos without issue.

Complete Specifications Table

Common Rejection Reasons

• Busy background, or shadows behind the head or across the face
• Face proportion outside 70–80% of the photograph (too close or too far away)
• Tinted lenses, flash reflection on glasses, or frames covering the eyes
• Non-neutral expression or open mouth
• Face partially covered (niqab), or wearing a hat or cap
• Photo older than 6 months
• Hair across the eyes, eyes closed, or head tilted
• Blurred, pixelated, washed out, or ink-marked/creased prints
• Red-eye, flash reflection on skin, or unnatural skin tones
• Another person or object (chair back, toy) visible in the frame

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

• The Official Portal of the UAE Government — Applying for UAE passport (archived copy) — passport photo size and conditions, page updated August 20, 2025; the live page has since been removed, so we link the September 2025 archive (verified July 7, 2026)
• ICP — Personal Photo Specifications (PDF) — official ICAO-based photo rules for ICP services (verified July 7, 2026)
• ICP Smart Services — Personal Photo Specifications manual — the same specification as published in ICP's eChannels manual
• ICAO Doc 9303 — Machine Readable Travel Documents — international biometric portrait standard