New Zealand Passport Photo — at home in 60 seconds
New Zealand Passport
Take it with your phone against a plain, light wall. We crop it to the exact size (35×45 mm) and check the head size, position and background against the published rules.
Free to try. From $3.99, paid once, only if you like your photo.
Limited time offer then $6.99 from Jan 1, 2027
Your exact local price is shown before you take your photo. Processed on your device. Never uploaded to our servers.
Quick answer
A New Zealand Passport Photo must be 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in) when printed, or a digital file of 900 × 1200 px (250 KB – 5 MB, JPEG), with the head filling 80 % of the photo height, on a light-coloured or plain background, taken within the last 6 months. A photo you take yourself is accepted when it meets these rules.
- Printed photo
- 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in)
- Digital file
- 900 × 1200 px · 250 KB – 5 MB · JPEG
Verified October 3, 2026 from passports.govt.nz (Department of Internal Affairs).
Photo requirements
Summarised from the official sources below.
- Printed photo
- 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in)
- Digital file
- 900 × 1200 px · 250 KB – 5 MB · JPEG
- Head size (chin to top of head)
- 80 % of the photo height
- Background
- Light-coloured, plain. Digital: plain, light-coloured, strong contrast, no shadows/objects; stand >=0.5 m in front of background. PAPER form: 'plain and light, but not white'.
- Expression
- Neutral, no smiling, mouth closed, eyes open, facing forward, not tilted.
- Glasses
- Prescription glasses OK if not tinted or thick-framed, clear gap between eyes and frame, no glare; no sunglasses.
- Head covering
- Religious or medical reasons only, face fully visible (paper form: tick declaration box; statutory declaration if not worn in last passport)
- Babies and children
- Baby: lay on plain light-coloured sheet, photograph from above, entire face visible with eyes open, no other people/objects.
- Photo age
- Taken within the last 6 months
- Online application
- Online passport application/renewal (passports.govt.nz) with online photo checker.
More rules (9)
- digital: colour portrait, 3:4 (portrait) aspect, .jpg/.jpeg, 250 KB-5 MB, 900-4500 px wide and 1200-6000 px high
- no scans of physical photos online
- selfies rejected - someone else must take it; photographer ~1.5 m away at eye level
- include shoulders and upper chest; clear gap around sides and top of head
- no filters, edits or AI tools
- home photos with own device explicitly allowed
- paper: 2 identical colour photos, 35x45 mm, high-res photo paper (no matt, no inkjet, no heavy-backed thermal)
- paper new application: witness writes applicant's full name, signs and dates back of one photo
- paper renewal: applicant writes full name and date on back of one photo
Print at home or at a kiosk
Print the sheet at 100% (Actual size), never “Fit to page”, on photo paper. Each sheet has a 50 mm ruler so you can check the size.
How to take it at home
- Stand about half a metre in front of a plain, light wall, facing a window.
- Hold the phone at arm’s length or ask someone to help. The live guide checks distance, light and head position.
- Get your digital file and print sheet. Print at 100% or upload the file.
Price
Free to try. From $3.99, paid once, only if you like your photo.
Limited time offer then $6.99 from Jan 1, 2027
Your exact local price is shown before you take your photo.
Photo Acceptance Guarantee — rejected for a technical reason we check? We refund you.
Why people choose Ovalight
Made for the moment you need a photo that just works.
- Money back if it’s rejected Rejected for a technical reason we check? We refund you.
- Free to try Take and check your photo for free. You pay once, only when you like the result.
- Your photo stays on your phone Processed on your device. Never uploaded to our servers.
- Checked against the official rules Every rule comes from the issuing authority’s own website, last verified on October 3, 2026.
- Free retakes for 24 hours Not happy with it? Retake the same document up to 3 times within 24 hours.
- Secure payment, no subscription Pay once through Stripe. We never see your card details.
Official sources
Verified on October 3, 2026
- Passport photos — passports.govt.nz (Department of Internal Affairs)
- Check your photo meets the technical requirements — passports.govt.nz
- PAS300 Application for a NZ passport - Adult renewal (8 April 2026) — passports.govt.nz
- PAS310 Application for a NZ passport - Adult (8 April 2026) — passports.govt.nz
Questions
What size is a New Zealand Passport Photo?
Printed: 35 × 45 mm (1.38 × 1.77 in). Digital: 900 × 1200 px · 250 KB – 5 MB · JPEG.
Can I take my New Zealand Passport Photo at home?
Yes. The photo is not taken at the office and no registered photographer is required, so a photo you take yourself is accepted when it meets the rules on this page.
What background is required?
Light-coloured, plain. Digital: plain, light-coloured, strong contrast, no shadows/objects; stand >=0.5 m in front of background. PAPER form: 'plain and light, but not white'.
Can I smile?
Neutral, no smiling, mouth closed, eyes open, facing forward, not tilted.
Can I wear glasses?
Prescription glasses OK if not tinted or thick-framed, clear gap between eyes and frame, no glare; no sunglasses.
Can I wear a head covering?
Religious or medical reasons only, face fully visible (paper form: tick declaration box; statutory declaration if not worn in last passport)
How recent must the photo be?
Taken within the last 6 months.
What about babies and children?
Baby: lay on plain light-coloured sheet, photograph from above, entire face visible with eyes open, no other people/objects.
Can I print the photo at home?
Yes. Print the sheet at 100% (Actual size) on photo paper, at home or at a pharmacy or kiosk, and check the size with the 50 mm ruler.
Other documents that use 35×45 mm
Ovalight is an independent service. Only the authority that issues your document decides whether to accept a photo.