Thailand passport photo requirements are specific — the passport size follows the standard 35 × 45 mm format, but visa photos use a larger 40 × 60 mm size. Getting these dimensions wrong or using a non-white background can lead to rejection. This guide covers everything you need to know and shows how PicToPassport helps you create a compliant photo for free.
Why Thai passport photos get rejected
Thai authorities judge a passport photo by framing rather than a published head measurement: the head and top of the shoulders must sit centered in a 35 mm × 45 mm print, face forward on plain white with no shadow on the backdrop. A tilted face, a cast shadow or the wrong frame size draws a rejection and another round of printing. Compare your photo with the table before submitting.
Official Photo Size
The Thai passport photo size is 35 mm wide × 45 mm tall, following the standard international format. For visa applications, the size is 40 mm wide × 60 mm tall — larger than the passport format. e-Visa photos also use the 40 × 60 mm size. Make sure you use the correct dimensions for your specific application type. Always verify with the official Ministry of Foreign Affairs before submitting.
If you are moving between two sizes, resize rather than crop and hope: Photo Resizer
Background and Lighting
A plain white background is required for both passport and visa photos. The background must be free of patterns, shadows, and objects. Lighting should be even and natural across the face, with no harsh shadows behind the head. No shadows on the background are permitted. Natural daylight works best.
Shooting somewhere you do not control? Cut the original backdrop out afterwards: Background Eraser
Expression and Pose
Thai rules start with the mouth: a neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes open and clearly visible, face centred with no tilt. Glasses are banned outright — prescription, reading and sunglasses all alike — so contacts or nothing at all. Headwear is refused unless worn for religious reasons, and the full face must remain visible. Relax the jaw rather than smiling, because a grin or a lifted eyebrow is enough for an officer to send the sheet back.
Glasses and Accessories
Glasses are not allowed in Thai passport photos. This includes prescription glasses, sunglasses, and reading glasses. Headwear is also not permitted unless for religious reasons, but the full face must remain visible. No hats, caps, or other head coverings are accepted.
Face Visibility
Thailand publishes no millimetre target, and instead specifies what must sit inside the 35 mm × 45 mm frame: the head and the top of the shoulders, with the face centred and square. Stand far enough back to include the shoulders without shrinking the head to a thumbnail, keep the plain white background free of cast shadow, and remember the larger 40 mm × 60 mm format takes over for visa and e-Visa submissions.
Photo Recency
No photo age limit is published for Thai passport applications, and the absence of a number is not a licence to reuse an old print. The safe reading is the practical one: the picture must resemble you on the day you queue at the Department of Consular Affairs. Hair, weight and complexion shift over time, so take a fresh frame before applying and keep the file ready for a reprint rather than raiding an old envelope.
How Many Copies You Get
A Thai passport application requires 3 photos, produced as paper prints for the Department of Consular Affairs rather than uploaded as files. Cut or print the three in one run so they match, and lay them out together to confirm each sheet carries the same image before you submit. Having the full set ready at once prevents a rushed return trip for a single missing copy.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most frequent reasons for rejection are using the wrong dimensions (35 × 45 mm for passport, 40 × 60 mm for visa), wearing glasses, and non-white backgrounds. Other issues include head tilting, not centring the face, and using old photos that don't match your current appearance. Always check the Thailand passport photo requirements before submitting.
Baby Passport Photos
Infant guidance for Thailand is behavioural rather than dimensional: the baby must be awake, looking at the camera, eyes open, with no pacifier, toy or other person visible in the shot. Work against the same 35 mm × 45 mm white backdrop used for adults, shoot from slightly above in even light, and keep the head untilted. Several quick frames usually produce one where the eyes are focused and the shoulders sit squarely on the lower border.
A studio sitting rarely works with a newborn, and an infant-specific tool keeps the crop inside spec: Baby Passport Photo Maker
Using PicToPassport
Thai passport photos are 35 mm × 45 mm and visa or e-Visa photos 40 mm × 60 mm — PicToPassport makes either size in your browser at no cost. The background is plain white with no shadow cast on it, the face is centred with head and top of shoulders in frame, both eyes open, and no glasses are allowed. Output is a paper print for the Department of Consular Affairs: 3 photos, ready to attach, with nothing uploaded, all held on your device.
Get Started in Minutes
The Department of Consular Affairs, Thailand charges ฿1,000 for the 5-year passport and ฿1,500 for the 10-year, with 2 to 3 working days in Bangkok and longer outside the capital. Your photo needs no counter visit: PicToPassport frames it to 35 mm × 45 mm, keeps the plain white background, and works free and private in your browser with nothing uploaded and nothing leaving your device.
