Russian passport photo: 35×45 mm size and all the requirements

A Russian internal passport photo is 35×45 mm (about 1.38×1.77 in), in colour or black and white, on a plain white background. You need two identical photos, or three if you also ask for a temporary ID certificate. Face the camera squarely with a neutral expression and your mouth closed. Your head, from crown to chin, may take up no more than 80% of the photo height, with 5 mm of clear space above it (±1 mm).

All of this is set out in clause 36 of the administrative regulation of the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs (MVD, МВД) approved by Order No. 773 (in Russian). We checked the text on 26 September 2026. Below you'll find the same rules clause by clause, the numbers worked out in millimetres, and popular advice that the regulation doesn't actually contain.

These rules apply to the Russian internal passport. Other countries' passports, including US and UK passports, have their own photo requirements.

What size is a Russian passport photo?

A Russian passport photo is 35 mm wide and 45 mm high (clause 36.1). It must show your head and the top of your shoulders. The head height, from crown to chin, is capped: no more than 80% of the photo height (clause 36.2).

Here is what that means on paper:

The regulation sets no minimum head size. A very small face is still risky: under clause 36.3 the face must be in focus from chin to hairline and from nose to ears, and on a tiny image the officer simply can't make anything out.

35×45 mm is often confused with 3×4 cm. These are different formats: 3×4 is used for some other documents and won't do for a Russian passport.

All passport photo requirements in one table

All the photo requirements are in clause 36 of the regulation, sub-clauses 36.1–36.11. Below they are in plain English, with the sub-clause number for each, so you have something to point to if there's a dispute at the counter. Checked on 26 September 2026.

The photos are checked by the officer who accepts your application: they assess them against clause 36 and write your surname and initials on the back in pencil (clause 111.3). If a photo doesn't meet the requirements, the application will be refused (clause 42.1.5; for applications submitted through the portal, clause 42.2.4).

Ordinary office paper, at around 80 g/m², is too light, so photos are printed on photo paper. The regulation doesn't say whether it should be matte or glossy.

Popular advice that isn't in the regulation

Most of the pages we opened when searching for passport photo requirements in Russian belong to photo studios and online services. They often restate the rules from memory or from outdated documents. Here's what we found, and what Order No. 773 actually says:

The 70–80% myth has proved the most persistent. In Order No. 851 it went together with a head size of 30–32 mm, and a head that size fits within today's 36 mm limit. A tight close-up where the head touches the top edge, however, breaks two rules at once: the 80% limit and the 5 mm of space above the crown.

Glasses, headwear, clothing and smiling: quick answers

These four questions cause the most debate, and the regulation answers each of them directly.

Glasses. If you wear glasses all the time, you must wear them in the photo (clause 36.4). The lenses must not be tinted, and the frames must not cover your eyes. The regulation doesn't mention glare on the lenses as such, but the officer may reject a photo if glare hides your eyes.

Headwear. As a rule, you're photographed without headwear. There is one exception: religious beliefs that don't allow you to appear in front of strangers with your head uncovered. Even then, the headwear must not hide the oval of your face (clause 36.3).

Clothing. Uniforms, outerwear (jackets, coats) and scarves covering the chin are not allowed (clause 36.6). Otherwise it's up to you. Photo studios advise against wearing white: a white shirt blends into the white background and your shoulders seem to disappear. The regulation has no such rule, but a plain, darker top avoids the issue.

Smiling. The regulation doesn't use the word "smile"; it requires a "neutral expression" and a "closed mouth" (clause 36.7). A slight closed-mouth smile may pass with one officer and not with another. A relaxed, calm face won't raise any questions.

Hair is mentioned too: it must not cover your eyes (clause 36.7). A fringe down to your eyebrows is fine; if it falls over your eyes, pin it back.

Can you use AI or retouching for a passport photo?

Retouching is not allowed. Clause 36.8 rules out a photo edited "to improve appearance" and any artistic processing; all facial features must be shown accurately. That means no skin smoothing, no removing moles or scars, and no changes to your face shape, eye colour or features.

In September 2025 the MVD issued a separate warning (in Russian): photos enhanced with AI (neural networks) to make them more attractive may lead to a refusal to issue a passport, and the state fee is not refunded in that case. The warning is broader than the regulation: it covers edited photos in general, "including with Photoshop or other tools".

The MVD has not officially clarified where the line is for cropping and background replacement; we couldn't find any such clarification. However you take the photo, it will need cropping to 35×45 mm. The rule of thumb is the same for every method: the face in the final photo must still be yours, with the same features as in real life.

Where to get a passport photo and how many you need

You need two identical photos (clause 13 of the Regulation on the Passport, in Russian); a third is needed for a temporary ID certificate (clause 36.11 of the regulation).

There are three ways to get them:

• At a photo studio. They take and print the photos on the spot. Make sure they print exactly 35×45 mm on a white background.
• At an MVD office or MFC (a multifunctional public service centre, МФЦ). Under clause 36.10, you can be photographed there "if the technical means are available", so not every office offers this. Check with your office in advance.
• At home from a selfie. The photo is cropped to 35×45 mm in a photo editor or an online service. For example, SelfieDoc fits the frame to the document you choose, checks the size, background and head position against that document's requirements, and gives you a file for your application and a PDF for printing.

When printing at home, check the scale: in the printer settings choose 100% or "Actual size". "Fit to page" can shrink the photo so that it's no longer 35×45 mm.

Photos for passport applications via Gosuslugi

If you apply through Gosuslugi (gosuslugi.ru, the Russian public services portal, «Госуслуги»), you attach the photo electronically, and without it the application won't be accepted (clauses 30 and 42.2.3 of the regulation). After applying, you must come to the MVD with your original documents, including two printed 35×45 mm photos (clauses 227 and 27.4.3).

In practice, this means three things:

1. The digital photo and the prints must meet the same requirements of clause 36.
2. The portal accepting your file doesn't mean the prints will be accepted: the officer checks them separately at your appointment.
3. The regulation sets no technical file parameters (format, resolution, file size). Figures on other websites vary, so follow the hints in the application form itself.

Not every case can be handled through Gosuslugi. Replacing your passport at 20 or 45 or after a change of surname is fine, but if your passport was lost or stolen, you must apply in person (Regulation on the Passport, clauses 22–23).

Will the photo requirements change in 2026?

Not so far. MVD Order No. 773 is in force as amended on 26 July 2022, and in June 2026 the MVD confirmed these requirements in a comment to RIA Novosti (in Russian).

In April 2026 the MVD drew up a draft new regulation on issuing and replacing passports. The photo requirements were carried over almost word for word: the same 35×45 mm, up to 80% for the head, 5 ± 1 mm above it, a white background and a ban on retouching. As of 26 September 2026 the draft has not been approved. If the new regulation is adopted, we will update this article and the clause numbers.

For comparison: the old-style (5-year) Russian international passport also needs 35×45 mm photos, but three of them (MVD Order No. 186). For the biometric international passport you don't need to bring photos: you're photographed when you apply (MVD Order No. 996).

Check your photo before you apply: checklist

Go through this list before you visit the MVD or MFC. Each point is a separate requirement of the regulation, and each one can be grounds for refusal.

1. The photo is exactly 35×45 mm (measure it with a ruler).
2. The head, crown to chin, is no more than 36 mm, with 4–6 mm of clear space above it, and the shoulders are in the frame.
3. The background is white, with no shadows behind the head, spots or patterns.
4. You're looking straight into the camera; your head isn't tilted or turned.
5. Mouth closed, calm expression, eyes open and not covered by hair.
6. If you wear glasses all the time, you're wearing them, the lenses are clear and no glare hides your eyes.
7. No headwear (except religious headwear that doesn't hide the oval of the face), outerwear or uniform.
8. No retouching: your features and moles are all there.
9. Two identical photos (three if you need a temporary certificate), printed on photo paper.
10. The photo looks like you do today.

If you have doubts about even one point, it's cheaper to retake the photo now than to reapply after a refusal.

Sources

All sources are in Russian.

• Administrative regulation of the MVD on issuing and replacing passports, MVD Order No. 773 of 16 November 2020 - clauses 27, 30, 36, 42, 111.3, 227; as amended on 26 July 2022, checked on 26 September 2026.
• Regulation on the passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation, Government Resolution No. 2267 of 23 December 2023 - clauses 13, 22–23, 44.
• Draft of a new MVD administrative regulation, 24 April 2026 - photo requirements in the draft.
• MVD Order No. 851 of 13 November 2017 - no longer in force; the source of the "70–80%" wording.
• MVD on AI-generated photos, 18 September 2025 - Garant news.
• MVD on passport photo requirements, RIA Novosti, 23 June 2026.
• MVD Order No. 186 of 31 March 2021 and MVD Order No. 996 of 31 December 2019 - photos for the international passport.