Photo Passeport Iran

Iran Passport Photo -- NAJA Police and Ministry of Foreign Affairs Standards

Iran's passport system is administered by NAJA (the Law Enforcement Command of the Islamic Republic of Iran, نیروی انتظامی جمهوری اسلامی ایران) for domestic processing and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (وزارت امور خارجه) for consular applications abroad. Iran uses a 30x40 mm photo format rather than the 35x45 mm standard used by most countries, and applies strict rules around hijab for female applicants that have no equivalent elsewhere. Photo non-compliance is a leading cause of delays at passport police offices (پلیس گذرنامه) across Iran, particularly at the Tehran central office on Shahid Mofatteh Avenue.

These rules apply to the standard Iranian passport (گذرنامه), the Iranian national identity card (کارت ملی هوشمند), and visa applications processed through the e-Visa portal. Iran does not issue biometric passports with chips as of current specifications, but digital photo quality requirements have tightened since 2020 as the smart national ID card rollout expanded.

Official Photo Specifications

Dimensions:

• 30 x 40 mm (354 x 472 pixels at 300 DPI) -- note this is smaller than the 35x45 mm used by most countries
• Head height (chin to crown): 25-35 mm
• Face centered horizontally

Background:

• Pure white only -- no off-white, cream, grey, or blue tones
• Completely uniform with no shadows, gradients, or visible objects
• The background must contrast clearly with the hijab (for women) and the applicant's skin

Expression and pose:

• Neutral expression, mouth closed, no visible teeth
• Both eyes open and looking directly at the camera
• Face perfectly frontal, not tilted or rotated
• Full face visible from forehead to chin

Glasses:

• All glasses are prohibited in Iranian passport photos. No exceptions for clear prescription lenses. This rule has been enforced since 2018.

Hijab requirements for women:

• All female applicants, regardless of nationality or religion, must wear hijab in Iranian passport and visa photos
• The hijab must cover all hair completely -- no strands of hair visible at the forehead, sides, or nape
• The full face from the top of the forehead to the bottom of the chin must remain visible. The hijab must not cast shadows on the face
• Dark-coloured hijab (black, dark blue, dark grey) is recommended to provide contrast with the white background. White or very light hijab blends with the background and is a frequent cause of rejection
• The hijab must appear neat and tightly fitted, not loose or bunched

Head coverings for men: Not permitted. Men must be photographed with their head uncovered. Turbans for religious clergy (روحانیون) are the exception.

Recency: Taken within the last 6 months.

Iran Document Photo Sizes

Baby and Child Passport Photos (گذرنامه کودکان)

Iranian children need their own passport for international travel. The passport police (پلیس گذرنامه) applies adjusted rules for children, but the white background and hijab requirements for girls remain strict at all ages.

Infants under 1 year (نوزاد): Place the baby face-up on a plain white cloth. Photograph from directly above. Eyes do not need to be fully open -- passport offices accept photos of sleeping newborns. No pacifiers (پستانک), toys, or coloured blankets visible. The baby must be the only person in the photo; parental hands must be hidden under the white cloth. For infant girls, hijab is not required under age 1.

Children aged 1 to 6: Eyes must be open. Neutral expression, though some leniency is applied for toddlers. The child should be seated with a white background behind them. No adult may be visible in the frame. For girls aged 1 to 6: Hijab is not required in passport photos for girls under approximately age 7, as this follows the Islamic jurisprudence age of taklif (تکلیف). However, some passport offices may require hijab for girls as young as age 6 -- check with your local office.

Children aged 7 and older: Full adult photo rules apply. Girls aged 7+ must wear hijab covering all hair, following the same rules as adult women. The hijab should be dark-coloured for contrast. Boys follow standard adult male specifications.

All children: The 30x40 mm format applies to all ages. Head height must fall within the 25-35 mm range, which is harder to achieve with very small infants. Photos with visible car seat straps, colourful blankets, toys, or a parent's body are rejected.

Practical tip for Iranian families abroad: Iranian consulates outside Iran follow the same photo rules. Studios near Iranian consulates in Istanbul, Dubai, London, and Toronto are familiar with the specific Iranian hijab and format requirements. In Iran, studios (آتلیه عکاسی) near پلیس گذرنامه offices charge 100,000-300,000 IRR for a set of prints and handle infant photography with white backdrop setups.

How to Take Your Iran Passport Photo at Home

Camera setup: Use a smartphone rear camera (minimum 5 megapixels). Mount on a tripod at face height. Stand at least 1 metre from the lens. Use a timer or have someone take the photo.

Background: Plain white wall or a white sheet taped flat against the wall. Iranian apartments often have tiled or patterned walls -- cover these completely with a white fabric. Stand at least 15 cm from the wall to avoid shadows.

Lighting: Natural daylight from a window facing you is ideal. Avoid direct sunlight, which is intense in most Iranian cities and creates harsh shadows. If using artificial light, two desk lamps at 45-degree angles work well. Do not rely on overhead fluorescent tubes alone.

Hijab (women): Use a dark, solid-coloured hijab -- black is safest. Pin it tightly so no hair is visible at the forehead, temples, or neck. Smooth out wrinkles and ensure the fabric does not bunch around the chin.

Framing: Center the face. Head height 25-35 mm in the final 30x40 mm print. Leave space above the head and below the chin.

Where to Get Passport Photos in Iran

Photo studios (آتلیه عکاسی): Studios near passport police offices (پلیس گذرنامه) in Tehran, Isfahan, Mashhad, Shiraz, and Tabriz specialize in document photos. Ask for عکس پاسپورت (passport photo). Cost: 100,000-300,000 IRR (roughly 25,000-75,000 toman) for a set of prints. Studios handle hijab positioning and white background setup.

Photo booths: Automated photo booths exist at some government offices and metro stations in Tehran. Cost: 50,000-100,000 IRR. Quality varies -- studio photos are more reliable for avoiding rejection.

Print shops: If you have a compliant digital file, print shops (چاپخانه) can print passport photos for 30,000-50,000 IRR per sheet.

Common Rejection Reasons for Iran Passport Photos

Passport police officers flag these issues most frequently:

1. Women without proper hijab -- Missing hijab, visible hair strands, or loose hijab that does not fully cover hair is the top rejection reason. The hijab must be tight-fitting and cover all hair.
2. Glasses visible -- All eyewear must be removed. This ban has been in effect since 2018.
3. Background not white -- Off-white, cream, blue-tinted, and shadowed backgrounds are all rejected.
4. Face partially covered by hijab -- The hijab must not encroach on the face. Full face from forehead to chin must be visible.
5. White or light hijab blending with background -- Dark hijab colours are required for contrast. White hijab against a white background makes the head boundary undetectable.
6. Wrong photo size -- Iran uses 30x40 mm, not the 35x45 mm most photo booths default to. Specify the Iranian format when ordering.
7. Baby photos with visible parent or props -- Hands, pacifiers, coloured blankets, and patterned fabrics cause rejection.
8. Digital retouching -- Skin smoothing, filters, and AI alterations are flagged during review.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What size is the Iran passport photo? A: 30 x 40 mm (354 x 472 pixels at 300 DPI). This is smaller than the 35x45 mm format used by most countries -- make sure your photographer or printing service uses the correct dimensions.

Q: Do women have to wear hijab in Iranian passport photos? A: Yes. All female applicants must wear hijab that covers all hair completely. The full face must remain visible. Dark-coloured hijab is recommended for contrast against the white background.

Q: Can I take my Iran passport photo at home? A: Yes. The key challenges are getting a pure white background and, for women, ensuring the hijab fully covers all hair without shadowing the face.

Q: Can I wear glasses in my Iran passport photo? A: No. All glasses are prohibited, including clear prescription lenses.

Q: How recent does my Iran passport photo need to be? A: Taken within the last 6 months.

Q: Do infant girls need to wear hijab in passport photos? A: Girls under approximately age 7 (pre-taklif) are generally exempt from the hijab requirement in passport photos. Girls aged 7 and older must wear hijab following adult rules. Some offices apply this differently -- confirm with your local passport police office.

Q: My baby won't open their eyes. Will the photo be rejected? A: For infants under 12 months, passport offices accept photos with closed or partially closed eyes. For older children, both eyes should be open.