Sri Lankan passport photo requirements are straightforward but specific — wrong dimensions or wearing sunglasses can lead to rejection. The Department of Immigration requires a clean front view on a white background with both ears visible, and your photo must be taken within the last three months. This guide covers everything you need to know and shows how PicToPassport helps you create a compliant photo for free.
Why Sri Lanka passport photos get refused
Sri Lanka Immigration does not publish a head-height figure, but it does require a full face front view with both ears visible inside 35 mm × 45 mm on plain white. A photo that hides an ear, turns to one side or prints on another color comes back rejected, and with four prints needed for a passport, that mistake multiplies. Line the face up against the table before you order copies.
Official Photo Size
The standard Sri Lankan passport and visa photo size is 35 mm wide × 45 mm tall. This follows the standard international format used by many countries. Both passport and visa use the same dimensions, so one photo size fits all applications. The photo must show a close-up of your head and shoulders with a full face view. Always verify with the official Department of Immigration before submitting.
Background and Lighting
Both Sri Lankan passport and visa photos use plain white behind the applicant — the same backdrop for every document type. The requirement is literal: a flat white field with nothing added, so a pale cream wall or a textured sheet will not read as white once printed. Photograph paper does the rest, since Sri Lanka accepts paper prints only, with no digital file standing in for the real thing.
More often than not the wall is the problem rather than the face, so replace the background before you print: Background Eraser
Expression and Pose
Sri Lanka demands a full face front view with both ears clearly visible — the detail most applicants forget. Sunglasses are refused, and neither a hat nor a helmet may appear; only religious head coverings are considered, and even then the full face and both ears must stay uncovered. Face the lens squarely, keep the head level with no turn, and hold hair off the ears so an officer can match your features to the file.
Glasses and Accessories
No sunglasses are allowed in Sri Lankan passport photos. No hat or helmet is permitted. Prescription glasses should be transparent with no reflections. Head coverings are generally not accepted unless for religious reasons, but the full face must remain visible with both ears shown.
Face Visibility
No millimetre target appears in Sri Lankan guidance for the 35 mm × 45 mm print, so framing is judged on coverage instead: the whole face sits front-on and centred, both ears visible from lobe to top, with no part of the hairline cropped. Fill the frame without cutting the crown, keep the plain white background free of shadow, and expect the same standard on the three photos required for a visa.
Photo Recency
Three months is the Sri Lankan limit — taken within the last 3 months — stricter than the six-month windows used by most countries. A photo from a previous application, or even from earlier in the same year, can fall outside it without you noticing, and an old print may have yellowed against the white it was shot on. Retake close to the date you lodge, then cut all four passport photos to size.
How Many Copies You Get
Sri Lankan passport applications require 4 photos, while visa applications require 3 photos. This is more than most countries. When you use PicToPassport, you receive a digital file sized exactly for the 35 × 45 mm format plus a print-friendly layout with multiple copies on a single page. The digital file can be uploaded directly or taken to a photo shop for professional printing.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most frequent reasons for rejection are wearing sunglasses, not showing both ears, and photos older than three months. Other issues include non-white backgrounds, head tilting, and wearing hats or helmets. Always check the Sri Lanka passport photo requirements before submitting.
A correct image in the wrong format still fails validation, which is why: Convert Image Format
Baby Passport Photos
The infant rule in Sri Lanka is stated plainly: a baby's eyes must be open, the exception many other countries waive. Photograph the child lying on a plain white sheet, shot from directly above in soft daylight, with no hands, toys or pacifiers inside the 35 mm × 45 mm frame. Keep the face front-on and both ears uncovered, and take a rapid series of frames until one captures open eyes and a still head.
Framing an infant is where most adults go wrong, and this one measures the head for you: Baby Passport Photo Maker
Using PicToPassport
Sri Lankan passport and visa photos are both 35 mm × 45 mm, and PicToPassport makes them free without leaving your browser. The background is plain white, the view is full-face from the front with both ears visible and no sunglasses or hat, and the photo must be recent — taken within the last 3 months. Output is print-ready on paper: 4 photos for a passport, 3 for a visa, sent to no server at all; your device keeps it.
Get Started in Minutes
Sri Lanka Immigration charges LKR 10,000 for normal service and LKR 20,000 for one-day urgent service; normal service takes 30 working days, while urgent cases lodged before 1.00 pm are issued the same day. Order the 4 passport photos first: PicToPassport runs free in your browser, holds the plain white background, and leaves the finished file private on your device.
