UAE Visa Photo Size and Dubai Visa Photo Requirements

A UAE visa photo is reported as 40 mm × 35 mm (the sources do not say which figure is the width and which the height, so confirm the orientation). For a Dubai visa, confirm the size on the GDRFA Dubai service page. The photo should have a plain, light-coloured background. Your face should fill 70–80% of the image, and the photo should be taken within the last six months. Pixels, file format and KB limits are not published in the sources we checked, so confirm them on the official upload screen or with your sponsor or agent. You can make this photo online from a good selfie in SelfieDoc.

UAE visa photo requirements

The table below lists every rule we could confirm. It also marks the rules that the sources we checked do not publish.

Checked: October 2026 against Gulf News (summary of ICP "Personal Photo Specifications"). We could not read the official PDF text, so verify each row there.

The official ICP photo specification is a PDF on icp.gov.ae, linked under Sources. It is the document to open if you want the exact wording. You will also see 43 × 55 mm on many agency and photo-shop websites. We could not find that figure on any ICP or GDRFA page, so treat it as unofficial.

Applying from India: what to check before you submit

The filing route depends on your visa type. The sources we checked do not describe it, so check the official ICP and GDRFA Dubai service pages or ask your sponsor or agent.

Ask your sponsor or agent whether they need a digital file or prints. The sources we checked do not say how many photos or in what form.

Pixel, format and KB limits are not published in the sources we checked either. Read the official upload screen or ask your agent before you resize anything.

Your Emirates ID is a separate document with its own photo process. Do not reuse settings from Emirates ID guides for a visit visa.

Is a Dubai visa photo different from a UAE visa photo?

We could not confirm that GDRFA Dubai uses the same photo spec as ICP. Check the GDRFA service page for your visa type before preparing the file.

Indian passport-size photos are a separate case. A print made for an Indian passport follows Indian rules, which are covered in our Indian passport photo size guide. Before you scan an old print for a UAE application, check that it matches the UAE size and face proportion. Also check that it is less than six months old.

Common mistakes with UAE visa photos

The ICP rules summarised by Gulf News point to a short list of problems:

• Old photo. A picture taken more than six months ago does not meet the rule, even if you still look the same.
• Face too small or too large. Your face should fill 70–80% of the image. A full-length or half-body shot cropped on a phone usually leaves the face too small.
• Busy or dark background. Curtains, patterned walls, doors and shadows break the "plain and light-coloured" rule.
• Smile or open mouth. The expression must be neutral, with the mouth closed.
• Looking away. Your eyes must look straight at the camera.
• Glare on glasses. A flash reflection that hides your eyes is a problem. Tinted lenses are not allowed at all.
• Cap, scarf or hat worn for style. Head coverings are allowed only for religious reasons.
• Poor print. Blurry images, ink marks, creases or prints on plain paper do not meet the quality rule.

Glasses, head coverings and children

Glasses. You can wear clear glasses if your eyes are clearly visible and there is no flash reflection on the lenses. Tilt the frames slightly down or adjust your angle to the light to reduce glare. Tinted lenses are not allowed.

Religious head coverings. A hijab, turban or similar covering worn for religious reasons is permitted. Your facial features must remain visible.

Children. The sources we checked do not give separate rules for children or infants. Check on the ICP website or with the sponsor before taking a child's photo.

How to take a UAE visa photo: at home, in a studio or online

At a photo studio. A photo studio can shoot to a requested size. Tell them the UAE size and the 70–80% face rule. Ask for the digital file as well as prints, so you have both forms ready.

At home with a phone. Stand facing a window in daylight, with a plain white or light wall behind you. Ask someone to hold the phone at eye level about an arm's length away. Keep a neutral face and look straight into the lens. Our guide on taking a passport photograph with your phone covers lighting and posture step by step.

Online from a selfie. If your home shot is sharp but the background or framing is off, SelfieDoc can finish it. The service crops the photo to the UAE visa template, evens out the background and positions the head. It gives you a file to upload and a print layout if you also need paper copies. Facial features are not changed. The final decision on any application rests with ICP or GDRFA Dubai.

If you are also planning a Europe trip, the Schengen visa photo size has different rules, so prepare a separate photo for it.

Sources

• Gulf News — UAE visa photo requirements: make sure your picture meets these standards
• ICP — Personal Photo Specifications (PDF)
• ICP Smart Services — Personal Photo Specifications (PDF, mirror)