Your photo is an integral part of the visa application process. To learn more, please review the information below regarding how to submit a suitable photo. Your photo will be accepted at the discretion of the KRG's Ministry of Interior. We recommend that you utilize a professional visa photo service to verify that your photo complies with all requirements. Please keep in mind that photos cannot be digitally improved or manipulated in any manner to alter your appearance.

• In color
• In JPEG (.jpg or .jpeg) file format
• Equal to or less than 5 MB (Megabyte) in file size (less than 10 kB is not accepted)
• In a rectangular aspect ratio (height must be greater than width)
• Be sized in 400(minimum-width) x 600(minimum-height) pixels, with about 70-80% part of the photo must be filled by the applicant’s face
• Taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance
• Taken in front of a plain white or off-white background
• Taken in full-face view directly facing the camera
• With your eyes open and clearly visible
• Taken in clothing that you normally wear on a daily basis
• Uniforms should not be worn in your photo, except religious clothing that is worn daily.
• Do not wear a hat or head covering that obscures the hair or hairline, unless worn daily for a religious purpose. Your full face must be visible, and the head covering must not cast any shadows on your face.
• Headphones, wireless hands-free devices, or similar items are not acceptable in your photo.
• Eyeglasses are not allowed in visa photos, except in rare circumstances when eyeglasses cannot be removed for medical reasons; e.g., the applicant has recently had ocular surgery and the eyeglasses are necessary to protect the applicant's eyes. A medical statement signed by a medical professional/health practitioner must be provided in these cases. If the eyeglasses are accepted for medical reasons:
  • The frames of the eyeglasses must not cover the eye(s).
  • There must not be glare on eyeglasses that obscures the eye(s).
  • There must not be shadows or refraction from the eyeglasses that obscures the eye(s).
• Photos digitally scanned from driver’s licenses or other official documents are not acceptable. In addition, snapshots, magazine photos, low quality vending machine or mobile phone photos, and full-length photographs are not acceptable.

Do you want to scan an existing photo? In addition to the digital image requirements, your existing photo must be:

• 2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm)
• Scanned at a resolution of 300 pixels per inch (12 pixels per millimeter)

If your photo(s) or digital image does not accurately reflect your current appearance, even if it is less than six months old, the visa department of the Kurdistan Regional Government's (KRG) ministry of interior will request that you submit a new photograph with your application. Applicants will be asked to provide a new photo if they have:

• Significantly altered the appearance of the face through surgery or trauma
• Added or removed numerous/large facial piercings or tattoos
• Either lost or gained a lot of weight.

Generally, if the photo in your visa application can still be used to identify you, you will not be required to submit a new photo. For instance, growing a beard or coloring your hair are not regarded as significant changes in appearance. If your child under the age of 16's look has changed due to the natural aging process, he or she will normally not be required to supply a new photo. However, the visa department of the KRG's Ministry of Interior reserves the right to approve or reject your photo or digital image.