New Zealand's passport service asks for **a digital colour photo in .jpg or .jpeg format, with a 3:4 aspect ratio, between 250 KB and 5 MB, 900 to 4500 pixels wide, 1200 to 6000 pixels high, and less than 6 months old**. You can use a photo service or take one with your own device, but **selfies will be rejected**: someone else has to hold the camera. The page gives no millimetre size and no head-size figure, so those are not rules you need to meet.

<Callout type="note" title="Quick answer">
**File:** .jpg or .jpeg, 250 KB to 5 MB. **Shape:** 3:4, portrait. **Pixels:** 900 to 4500 wide, 1200 to 6000 high. **Age:** under 6 months.

**Who takes it:** someone else, standing about 1.5 metres from you with the camera at your eye level. **Background:** plain and light-coloured, with you at least half a metre in front of it.

**Not stated on the page:** a head size, a millimetre size, an exact background shade.
</Callout>

We read the New Zealand Passports photo page (last updated 4 March 2026) in the browser as an ordinary visitor on September 19, 2026, along with the service's iPhone photo-guide transcript and the terms page of its online photo checker. We did not start an application or upload a photo. That means we have not seen the upload screen itself, only what the service publishes about it.

<SpecTable
  document="New Zealand passport photo (online application)"
  verifiedOn="September 19, 2026"
  source={{ label: "New Zealand Passports - Passport photos", href: "https://www.passports.govt.nz/passport-photos/" }}
  rows={[
    { label: "Type", value: "Colour portrait photo, digital" },
    { label: "Aspect ratio", value: "3:4" },
    { label: "Format", value: ".jpg or .jpeg" },
    { label: "File size", value: "250 KB to 5 MB" },
    { label: "Width", value: "900 to 4500 pixels" },
    { label: "Height", value: "1200 to 6000 pixels" },
    { label: "Age of photo", value: "Less than 6 months" },
    { label: "Who takes it", value: "A photo service, or another person with your device (selfies rejected)" },
    { label: "Head size, millimetre size", value: "Not stated" },
  ]}
/>

## What the numbers mean in practice

The three limits interact, so it helps to work them through.

A 3:4 photo is three parts wide to four parts high. Sizes that match the ratio include 900 x 1200, 1500 x 2000, 3000 x 4000 and 4500 x 6000: the height is always one and a third times the width. That is plain arithmetic on the published ratio, not a list from the service. A photo 3000 pixels wide, for instance, needs to be 4000 high to be 3:4 (3000 divided by 3, times 4).

The file limits pull in opposite directions. The lower limit, 250 KB, means a heavily compressed image, a screenshot or a photo forwarded through a messaging app can be too small even when its pixel dimensions are in range. The upper limit, 5 MB, means a full-resolution photo from a recent phone may need exporting at a lower size. Which side you hit depends on your camera, so check the file properties on your device before you upload rather than trusting the dimensions alone. Our [passport photo size in pixels](/blog/passport-photo-size-in-pixels) guide and the wider [digital passport photo upload](/blog/digital-passport-photo-upload) guide explain how pixel and byte limits work across portals.

The page accepts .jpg or .jpeg, so a HEIC, PNG or screenshot has to be converted to a JPEG first. Renaming the extension does not convert the file.

## No selfies, and why

The page tells you to "get someone else to take your photo", and it puts the reason in one sentence: photos taken too close can distort your face, making your nose and forehead appear larger and your ears less visible. The service's own iPhone guide says the same thing more bluntly: your selfies may look great, but they will not do for your passport.

So the setup is a two-person job:

- The photographer stands **1.5 metres away** and holds the camera at **your eye level**.
- You stand **at least half a metre in front of** the background, which keeps your shadow off it.
- The photo includes your **shoulders and upper chest**, with a clear gap around the sides and top of your head.
- If the picture looks distorted, **step back and take a wider shot, then crop** it to the correct head size before submitting.

That last instruction tells you the service expects you to crop, and the iPhone guide describes how: choose the 3:4 aspect ratio in your phone's crop tool, keep your face in the middle with a gap around your head and under your chin, and do not crop out your hair or your ears. What the page does not say is what "the correct head size" is. We could not find a percentage or a millimetre range on the pages we read, so we do not give one. The official photo checker is the way to find out, because it tests the photo against the technical requirements.

A related setup is described in [how to take a passport photo at home](/blog/how-to-take-a-passport-photo-at-home), and our [passport photo with iPhone](/blog/passport-photo-with-iphone) guide covers taking one on a phone.

## Background, hair, glasses and expression

The page is short on each of these, which is why the exact rules are easy to state.

- **Background.** Plain and light-coloured, with strong contrast between your face and the background and no shadows or objects behind your head. It does not name white. The service's iPhone guide says to find a plain, light-coloured background and adds that pale blues, greys and creams work better than white. Compare that with the other countries in [passport photo background color](/blog/passport-photo-background-color), where white or a named shade is often required.
- **Hair.** Your hair "must be out of your eyes, and away from your face", and your face must be fully visible and not tilted. The hair rules in more detail are in [hair in passport photos](/blog/passport-photo-hair-rules).
- **Expression.** Neutral, mouth closed, eyes open, no smiling.
- **Glasses.** Prescription glasses are allowed if not tinted or thick-framed, with a clear gap between your eyes and the frames and no glare or reflection. Sunglasses are not allowed.
- **Head coverings.** Hats, hoods and headbands come off. A head covering is allowed only for religious or medical reasons, and your face must be fully visible.
- **Edits.** No filters, no digital alteration and no AI tools. The page wants your natural appearance.
- **Babies.** Lay the baby on a plain, light-coloured sheet and photograph from above, with the entire face and eyes open, and no other people or objects.

## The official photo checker

The service links to an online photo checker that you can use without starting an application. Its terms page says it tells you whether a photo is suitable for upload and gives reasons if not, and that you get a reference number for each attempt. It also says four things worth knowing before you use it:

- some information provided is retained, under the service's privacy statement
- the photo is kept for **14 days** before being deleted
- a photo assessed as acceptable **may not upload successfully if altered in any way afterwards**
- the photo is still assessed manually by a staff member when you apply

So run the checker on the exact file you plan to upload, and do not crop, convert or filter it after it passes. The passport service's own iPhone guide adds a practical tip: apply on a computer, and email the photo to yourself at actual size so the quality is not reduced.

<Steps items={[
  { title: "Get someone to take the photo", text: "Plain light wall, you half a metre or more in front of it, camera 1.5 metres away at eye level, shoulders and upper chest in the frame." },
  { title: "Choose the best shot and crop to 3:4", text: "Use portrait orientation, keep a gap above and around your head and under your chin, and do not cut off your hair or ears." },
  { title: "Check the file", text: "Look for .jpg or .jpeg, a size between 250 KB and 5 MB, and pixel dimensions inside the published range." },
  { title: "Run the official photo checker", text: "Use the exact file you will upload. If it fails, fix the reason it gives and take a new photo rather than editing the old one." },
  { title: "Upload it in your application", text: "A staff member will still assess the photo. Keep the original in case you need to resubmit." }
]} />

## If you would rather use a photo service

The page lists Warehouse Stationery, pharmacies that offer the service, and professional photographers. It says the photographer should print the photo for a paper application, or email you the digital photo for an online application, and that scans of printed photos will not be accepted. That last line matters if you have a printed photo already: you cannot scan it and upload it.

<ToolCTA document="nz-passport" title="Check the file, then run the official checker" text="Our New Zealand setting produces a 3:4 JPEG inside the published box — 900 x 1200 to 4500 x 6000 px, 250 KB to 5 MB — and checks tilt, background, sharpness and exposure first. The head-size window it uses is ours, since the Passports page publishes none, so run the official photo checker on the same file before you upload. Checking here is free; $4.99 for the digital file, pay only at download, no subscription." />

## How New Zealand compares with its neighbours

| | New Zealand (online) | Canada (online renewal) | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shape | 3:4 | 3:2 in portrait mode | Print, 35 to 40 mm wide by 45 to 50 mm high |
| Pixels | 900 to 4500 wide, 1200 to 6000 high | At least 1,200 wide by 1,800 high; at most 3,000 by 4,500 | Not applicable |
| File size | 250 KB to 5 MB | 200 KB to 5 MB | Not applicable |
| Who takes it | Anyone but you; no selfies | A commercial photographer | The Passport Office recommends a professional provider |
| Age | Under 6 months | No more than 6 months | Under 6 months |

Of the three, New Zealand is the one whose passport page openly lets a friend take the photo on your own device, and it links to an official checker. Canada's online renewal requires a photo taken in person by a commercial photographer, and the Australian Passport Office asks for two printed photos and recommends professional providers over mobile apps. The Australian details are in [Australia passport photo requirements](/blog/australia-passport-photo-requirements) and [Australian passport renewal photo](/blog/australian-passport-renewal-photo), and the visa side is in [Australia visa photo](/blog/australia-visa-photo). The Canadian rules are in [Canada passport photo requirements](/blog/canada-passport-photo-requirements). Do not reuse a file made for one of these on another: the shapes differ.

If you are unsure who may take the photo for any issuer, [who can take a passport photo](/blog/who-can-take-passport-photo) compares them. For the rest of the tool, [start here](/photo).

## Checklist

<RuleList items={[
  { text: "Someone else took it, from about 1.5 metres, at eye level", ok: true },
  { text: "3:4 portrait, .jpg or .jpeg, 250 KB to 5 MB", ok: true },
  { text: "Taken less than 6 months ago", ok: true },
  { text: "Plain light background, no shadows or objects behind you", ok: true },
  { text: "Hair off your face and out of your eyes, mouth closed", ok: true },
  { text: "Passed the official checker, then left unaltered", ok: true },
  { text: "A selfie, or a close-up that distorts your face", ok: false },
  { text: "A scan of a printed photo", ok: false },
  { text: "A filter, AI edit or retouching", ok: false },
  { text: "Tinted or thick-framed glasses, or glare on the lenses", ok: false }
]} />

## Frequently asked questions

### What size is a New Zealand passport photo?

For the online application it is a digital colour photo with a 3:4 aspect ratio, 900 to 4500 pixels wide and 1200 to 6000 pixels high, between 250 KB and 5 MB, in .jpg or .jpeg format. The page gives no size in millimetres and no head-size measurement.

### Can I take my own New Zealand passport photo?

Yes, with someone else holding the camera. The Department of Internal Affairs page says you can use a passport photo service or take a photo with your own device, but says selfies will be rejected because photos taken too close distort your face. It advises the photographer to stand 1.5 metres away at eye level.

### How recent must a New Zealand passport photo be?

Less than 6 months old, according to the passport photos page, which was last updated on 4 March 2026. The page does not say how the age is measured, so treat the date the photo was taken as the date that counts and retake anything close to the limit.

### Can I wear glasses in a New Zealand passport photo?

Prescription glasses are allowed if they are not tinted or thick-framed. There must be a clear gap between your eyes and the frames, and no glare or reflection on the lenses. Sunglasses are not allowed. The page tells you to remove tinted or thick-framed glasses.

### Is there an official New Zealand passport photo checker?

Yes. The passport service links to an online photo checker that tells you whether a photo is suitable for upload and gives reasons if it is not. Its terms say the photo is kept for 14 days, and that a photo which passes may fail if altered afterwards. A staff member still assesses it manually.

### Can I use a scan of a printed photo for a New Zealand passport?

No. The page says scans of printed photos will not be accepted. If you use a professional service, the photographer should print the photo for a paper application or email you the digital file for an online one.

<Sources items={[
  { label: "New Zealand Passports (Department of Internal Affairs) - Passport photos, updated 4 March 2026", href: "https://www.passports.govt.nz/passport-photos/" },
  { label: "New Zealand Passports - What you need for your application", href: "https://www.passports.govt.nz/what-you-need-for-your-application" },
  { label: "New Zealand Passports - How to take a passport photo, iPhone guide (transcript)", href: "https://www.passports.govt.nz/__data/assets/text_file/0028/46738/transcript-of-how-to-take-a-passport-photo-iphone-v2.txt" },
  { label: "New Zealand Passports - Online photo checker, terms and conditions", href: "https://onlinephotochecker.passports.govt.nz/Home/TermsAndConditions" },
  { label: "IRCC - Canadian passport photo requirements (online renewal specifications)", href: "https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/photos.html" },
  { label: "Australian Passport Office - Passport photos", href: "https://www.passports.gov.au/PhotoGuidelines" }
]} />