Are The Photo Requirements The Same For Visas And Passports In Australia?

Do you need passport and visa photo’s but are unsure what the requirements are?

A professional passport photographer will help ensure that all the requirements set out by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs are met.

However, are there differences in the requirements for passport and visa application photo’s? Most of the requirements are exactly the same.

However, there are a few additional steps that may need to be taken when submitting a photo along with a visa application:

• Contact the local visa office to find out if a visa is necessary for travel to a specific destination.
• Find out what the visa requirements are and whether a photo will need to be submitted.
• Ask whether there are any special requirements for photo’s for a specific visa application.

Most visa applications are done online in the digital age. This means that a digital copy of a photo I.D., meeting the requirements for Australian passports will be necessary.

This digital photo will be submitted along with a visa application. If the photo fails to meet the requirements or any special criteria, the visa application may be rejected.

It is highly recommended to have both passport and visa photo’s taken professionally and have a digital copy sent to you.

It is also important to be aware of the additional requirements for digital photo’s that accompany an online application:

1. Not Touch-Ups

Don’t PhotoShop the digital image in any way. Don’t remove beauty spots, scars or any other blemishes.

These are features of the face and will result in the image not matching your face exactly, especially when scanned by a biometric scanner. Even if there is a red-eye effect or you remove a stray hair here and there.

Do NOT refinish the photo or change it in any way just to look better. Passport and visa photo’s must be a clear image and exact match to your face.

2. Image Type

Make sure that the image is saved in a format that is accepted by the visa or passport office where the application is being made. Contact the visa office to find out which formats are acceptable before submitting an application.

If the photo is in the wrong format and cannot be opened or read, the visa application will be rejected and returned.

3. Quality

Digital images are not read the same way as printed images so quality is extremely important. The photo should ideally be taken with a high definition camera in order to pick up on all facial features exactly.

It is also important that the face is well lit in order to eliminate shadows or reflections that may obscure or change features.

Ideally, the camera should be 1.2 metres away from the face and focused in order to deliver a clear shot of the head, neck and only the top of the shoulders.

If the photo’s do need to be printed, colour is preferable and gloss (not matte) photographic paper should be used. Photo’s that have been printed using an inkjet printer will not be accepted.

This is due to the fact that these prints produce lines when scanned digitally by Border Security systems.

Ideally, a visa photograph should be the same as or as similar as possible to the photo in a passport so that the two documents match. It is therefore important to update passport photo’s regularly.

Facial features will change with age and may become very different from photo’s that were taken 10 years ago. Photo’s should also be updated if a new scar or blemish has appeared on the face.

We need to make sure that you make use of online digital and print services from a professional photographer when taking photos at home.

However, if you’re looking for the best passport photo store in Sydney, then look no further than Photoland.

We offer a complete range of products and services from print photos and scanning, right through to picture framing and photo albums.

Please call us today on (02) 9235 1933 or contact us via our website.