Singapore passport photo · ICA

Checked and laid out to the Singapore Immigration & Checkpoints Authority photo guidelines. Rules quoted from ica.gov.sg, page updated 2026-04-28, checked by us on 2026-08-16.

Which document is this photo for?

Check your photo

Free check, free watermarked preview — you pay only to download the finished file.

Head and shoulders in frame, with clear space above the hair — the head should fill about half the photo, not all of it.

Drop your photo hereTap to choose a photoor click to browse your filestake one now or pick from your library

JPG · PNG · HEICshorter side at least 600pxup to 12 MBor paste with ⌘V

Official specification

Finished size	400 × 514 px this authority specifies pixels, not a physical size
Head height (chin to crown)	not published by this authority
Eye height	not published by this authority
Background	plain white
File formats	JPG / JPEG / HEIC / HEIF / PNG
File size	up to 8 MB
Taken within	the last 3 months

Full rules

The photograph must be taken within the last 3 months.
Neutral facial expression with the mouth closed.
The photo background must be white in colour.
The photo must be taken with even brightness.
The photo must be clear, in sharp focus and not pixelated.
Shoulders and hair must be fully visible.
Head gear or attire must be dark in colour against the white background.
Spectacles must have clear and untinted lenses, with the eyes clearly visible.
Eyes must be fully visible; wear non-coloured contact lenses and ensure there is no red eye.
Facial features must be at full frontal view, with the eyes looking at the camera.
The photo must not be distorted or flipped.
The digital photo must be original, without alterations using computer software or a mobile app.
Resizing is explicitly allowed: ICA states you may use image editing software on your computer to resize the digital photograph.
Online submission: the recommended dimension is 400 x 514 pixels for upload via e-Services.
Online submission: maximum file size 8 MB, in jpg, jpeg, heic, heif or png format.
For hardcopy submission the printed photograph must be on a matte or semi-matte, non-reflective finish.

Sources

https://www.ica.gov.sg/photo-guidelines
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), Singapore · page updated 2026-04-28 · we checked it 2026-08-16

Photo background must be white in colour ... Shoulders and hair must be fully visible ... Photo must be taken with even brightness ... Photo must not be distorted/ flipped ... Digital photo must be original without alterations using computer software/ mobile app

https://www.ica.gov.sg/photo-guidelines
Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA), Singapore · page updated 2026-04-28 · we checked it 2026-08-16

You can also use the image editing software in your computer to resize the digital photograph. Please note that your photograph must not be altered or enhanced in any way. This includes the modification of facial features and/or the usage of photo editing software. ... The dimension is 400X514 pixels for upload of photos via e-Services.

https://www.ica.gov.sg/docs/default-source/ica/forms/forms_form_imme_11_os.pdf
ICA — Application for Singapore Biometric Passport (IMME 11) · we checked it 2026-08-16

photograph must be taken within the last 3 months and show a neutral facial expression with mouth closed

Questions

What size does ICA want for an online passport photo?

ICA states the recommended dimension is 400 x 514 pixels for upload via e-Services, with a maximum file size of 8 MB in jpg, jpeg, heic, heif or png format.

Am I allowed to resize my photo with software?

Yes. ICA explicitly says you can use image editing software on your computer to resize the digital photograph. What it prohibits is altering or enhancing the photo — modifying facial features or otherwise using photo editing software to change how you look.

What background does ICA require?

The photo background must be white in colour. Head gear or attire must be dark against that white background.

How recent must the photo be?

It must be taken within the last 3 months, with a neutral facial expression and your mouth closed.

What head size does ICA require?

ICA does not publish a head-height figure on its public photo guidelines. We lay the head out at a fixed proportion of the frame and say plainly that this is our choice rather than an official requirement.

Our own assumptions

ICA publishes a pixel canvas (400×514) rather than a physical size, so we output exactly that and do not write a DPI value into the file.
⚠️ ICA does not publish a head-height figure on its public pages. The 69.8% head proportion below is our own choice, not an official requirement — we have deliberately not copied a millimetre figure from competitor sites.
ICA states its requirements are based on ISO and ICAO specifications, but we have not sourced those documents directly.
The chin is measured by 68-point facial landmarks; the crown comes from the top of the cut-out outline. Assumed accuracy ±5%, calibrated only on synthetic fixtures.

Where the authority does not specify something, we say so rather than pretending it does. The points above are our engineering choices, not official requirements.