What is the difference between Singapore pink NRIC and blue NRIC?

Singapore issues two colours of NRIC: pink for Singapore citizens, and blue for Permanent Residents (PRs). Both use the same 35x45mm (400x514px) ICA photo specification. Citizens receive a pink IC and PRs receive a blue IC when they register their identity card at ICA.

Is the Singapore passport photo size the same as Malaysia?

Both Singapore and Malaysia use 35mm x 45mm physical passport photos. However, they differ in key ways: Singapore requires 400x514 pixels digitally and photos within 3 months; Malaysia requires 413x591 pixels digitally and photos within 6 months. The pixel dimensions are different because ICA uses a specific non-standard aspect ratio. Always use country-specific specifications.

Singapore Passport Photo Size & Free Maker

Q: What is the Singapore passport photo size?

The Singapore ICA passport photo size is 35mm x 45mm with a plain white background. For digital submissions via ICA e-Services, the exact pixel dimension is 400 x 514 pixels. The photo must be taken within the last 3 months (not 6 months as with many other countries). 2 identical printed photos are required for hardcopy submissions; 1 digital upload for online applications via Singpass/MyICA.

Q: What is the Singapore passport photo size in pixels?

The ICA e-Services portal requires exactly 400 x 514 pixels for Singapore passport, NRIC, IC, PR, LTVP and Citizenship applications. For Singapore visa applications via e-Service, the same 400 x 514 pixels applies but with a strict maximum file size of 60KB. The portal automatically validates both the dimensions and file size.

Q: How recent does a Singapore passport photo need to be?

Singapore ICA requires passport and IC photos to be taken within the last 3 months. This is stricter than most countries which allow 6 months. The ICA system checks photo recency and will reject photos older than 3 months. Always take a new photo before applying.

Q: Can I wear glasses in a Singapore passport photo?

Yes, glasses are permitted in Singapore ICA passport photos under specific conditions: lenses must be clear (no tinting or colouring), there must be no glare or reflections on the lenses, and both eyes must be fully visible. Sunglasses and all tinted lenses are strictly prohibited. This makes Singapore unique - most other countries in the region (UAE, Philippines, Nepal, Pakistan) no longer allow glasses at all.

Q: What is the Singapore visa photo file size limit?

For Singapore visa applications submitted via ICA's e-Service portal, the photo must be in JPEG format, exactly 400 x 514 pixels, with a maximum file size of 60KB. This is a strict limit confirmed by ICA's official FAQ on ask.gov.sg. For passport, NRIC, PR, LTVP and Citizenship applications, the limit is 8MB.

Q: Do I need printed photos for Singapore passport renewal?

For Singapore passport renewal via Singpass or the MyICA portal online, you upload one digital photo (400 x 514 pixels, up to 8MB) - no printed photos are needed. For hardcopy passport applications submitted in person at ICA Building, 2 identical printed 35x45mm photos on matte or semi-matte paper are required.

Passport / NRIC / IC

Singapore Passport Photo Size and ICA Requirements

The Singapore ICA passport photo size is 35mm x 45mm (3.5cm x 4.5cm) with a plain white background. For digital submissions via ICA e-Services and the MyICA portal, the required pixel dimension is exactly 400 x 514 pixels — a non-standard aspect ratio specific to ICA's portal. Photos must be taken within the last 3 months, which is stricter than most countries that allow 6 months.

3-month recency is strictly enforced. Most countries allow photos up to 6 months old. Singapore ICA requires photos taken within the last 3 months. The ICA system checks photo metadata for the capture date. Always take a fresh photo before submitting your application, even if your existing photo looks recent.

Singapore passport photo size in all units

Unit	Width	Height
Millimetres	35 mm	45 mm
Centimetres	3.5 cm	4.5 cm
Inches	1.38 in	1.77 in
Pixels (ICA e-Services)	400 px	514 px
Pixels (300 DPI equiv.)	413 px	531 px

Singapore ICA passport photo full specifications

Requirement	Specification	Notes
Photo size (printed)	35 x 45 mm	Width x Height
Digital pixels (ICA)	400 x 514 px	Exact ICA e-Services spec
Background	Plain white	No patterns, shadows or objects
File limit (passport/NRIC)	8 MB max	Aim for under 60KB for speed
File limit (visa)	60 KB max	ICA e-Service visa portal
Format	JPEG / HEIC / PNG	JPEG recommended
Recency	Within 3 months	Stricter than most countries (6mo)
Head height	32–36 mm	Chin to crown. 70–80% of frame.
Expression	Neutral	Mouth closed. Natural look.
Eyes	Open, forward	Both eyes fully visible.
Glasses	Permitted*	Clear lenses only. No glare. Eyes visible.
Paper (printed)	Matte / semi-matte	Non-reflective surface required
Printed photos needed	2 identical	For hardcopy applications only
Online (Singpass)	1 digital upload	No printed photo needed
Colour	Full colour	No black and white
Retouching	Not permitted	No filters, face editing or AI enhancement

ICA photo requirements checklist

✅

Plain white background — uniform white, no shadows, no patterns. Matte or semi-matte paper for printed submissions (non-reflective).

✅

Full face, front-facing — head straight, centred. Both ears visible. Shoulders visible at bottom of frame. No tilting or rotation.

✅

Neutral expression — mouth closed. Eyes fully open and looking directly at the camera. A relaxed natural expression is acceptable.

✅

Glasses permitted with conditions — clear lenses only (no tinting or colouring), no glare or reflections on lenses, and both eyes must be fully visible. This is unique among regional countries — most no longer allow glasses at all.

✅

Religious/cultural headwear permitted — headgear worn in accordance with religious or racial customs is accepted. Must not obscure any facial features. No shadows from headwear on the face.

❌

No tinted glasses or sunglasses — any lens that is tinted, coloured or that obscures the eyes is strictly prohibited. Only clear prescription lenses are accepted.

❌

No digital alterations — no filters, facial feature modification, beauty modes, AI enhancement or background replacement. The ICA explicitly states photos must not be altered or enhanced in any way.

❌

No selfies — ICA does not recommend selfies as the result is often not ideal due to wide-angle lens distortion and quality issues. Ask someone to photograph you or use a tripod.

⚠️

Dark clothing recommended — wear dark or coloured clothing that contrasts with the white background. Avoid white tops that blend with the background.

Glasses rules

Can I Wear Glasses in a Singapore Passport Photo?

Yes — Singapore is one of the few countries that still permits glasses in passport and IC photos. This makes Singapore unique among the countries covered on this site. UAE, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan and the Philippines have all moved to strict no-glasses policies. Singapore's ICA continues to allow glasses, but with specific conditions that must be met.

Singapore vs the region: UAE — no glasses. Malaysia — not recommended, generally removed. Nepal — no glasses (medical exception only). Pakistan — caution advised, generally removed. Philippines — no glasses. Singapore — glasses permitted with conditions. If you regularly wear glasses and need a photo for multiple countries, take two photos: one with glasses for Singapore ICA, one without for all other documents.

✅

Clear (non-tinted) prescription lenses are permitted — standard transparent prescription glasses are accepted provided they meet all other conditions below.

✅

Both eyes must be fully visible — the frames must not cover or significantly obstruct either eye. Both eyes and the area immediately around them must be clearly visible to the camera.

✅

No glare or reflections on lenses — lighting must be arranged to avoid any glare, hotspot or reflection on the lens surface that could obscure the eyes. Tilt your head or adjust lighting to eliminate all reflections before the photo is taken.

❌

No tinted, coloured or photochromic lenses — all forms of tinted lenses are prohibited, including lightly tinted fashion glasses and photochromic lenses that darken outdoors. Sunglasses of all kinds are strictly prohibited.

❌

Heavy frames that obscure facial geometry are not permitted — very large or thick frames that significantly alter the facial outline or block the cheekbones from the camera may be flagged by automated biometric analysis.

⚠️

When in doubt, remove glasses — ICA's automated system analyses the photo before human review. Even technically compliant glasses can occasionally generate a glare that only becomes visible in the final image. Removing glasses eliminates all risk.

Singapore Visa

Singapore Visa Photo Requirements (ICA e-Service)

The Singapore visa photo uses the same 35mm x 45mm (400x514px) dimension as the passport and NRIC, but with a strict 60KB maximum file size for digital submissions via the ICA e-Service portal. This is explicitly confirmed in ICA's official FAQ on ask.gov.sg. The photo must be in JPEG format only (not PNG or HEIC as accepted for other ICA applications).

The 60KB limit is easy to miss. A standard 400x514 JPEG is typically 80–150KB. You must compress to under 60KB. The photo must still be clear enough for biometric face detection. Use the tool above which auto-compresses to meet this limit, or use the Image Compressor tool linked below.

Requirement	Specification	Notes
Pixel dimensions	400 x 514 px	Exact. ICA validates automatically.
File size	Max 60 KB	Confirmed by ICA official FAQ
Format	JPEG only	Unlike other ICA docs which accept HEIC/PNG
Background	Plain white	Matte or semi-matte finish
Recency	Within 3 months	Same as passport requirement
Face	70–80% of frame	Same ICAO biometric standard

Pink vs Blue NRIC

Singapore NRIC Photo Requirements: Pink vs Blue IC

Singapore issues the National Registration Identity Card (NRIC) to all citizens and Permanent Residents aged 15 and above. The card is pink for citizens and blue for Permanent Residents. Both use exactly the same 35mm x 45mm (400x514px) ICA photo specification. The photo embedded in the NRIC must meet the same standards as the passport photo.

🏫

Pink NRIC

Issued to Singapore Citizens. Compulsory for all citizens aged 15 and above. Required for voting, banking, government services, employment and most official transactions in Singapore.

🏦

Blue NRIC

Issued to Permanent Residents (PRs). Required for all PRs aged 15 and above. PRs must register for their NRIC within one year of receiving PR status. Renewed when PR status is renewed.

NRIC registration is in-person only. Unlike passport renewal which can be done online via Singpass, NRIC registration and renewal must be done in person at ICA Building. Biometric data including the NRIC photo is captured on-site. For first registration, you do not need to bring a printed photo — it is taken at ICA. For applications that require a photo upload (such as online pre-registration forms), use the 400x514px specification.

Singpass renewal

Singapore Passport Renewal via Singpass — Photo Requirements

Singapore citizens can renew their passports online via the MyICA e-Service using Singpass. For online passport renewal, you upload a single digital photo — no printed photos are needed. The photo must meet the ICA specifications: 400x514 pixels, maximum 8MB, JPEG/HEIC/PNG format, white background, taken within the last 3 months.

Singpass passport renewal — photo upload steps

When renewing online, the MyICA system automatically validates your uploaded photo against ICA standards before allowing you to proceed. If the photo fails the automated check (wrong dimensions, wrong file size, or quality issues such as shadows or incorrect head size), the system will reject it and ask you to upload again. The system accepts JPEG, HEIC and PNG for online renewal (unlike the visa application which requires JPEG only).

Photo taken at ICA Building: If you prefer to apply in person, bring 2 identical printed 35x45mm photos on matte or semi-matte paper. ICA Building is at 10 Kallang Road, Singapore 208718. For in-person IC registration, the biometric photo is captured on-site.

Comparison

All Singapore ICA Document Types — Side-by-Side

Spec	📗 Passport / NRIC	🧾 Visa	🏠 PR / Citizenship	📄 LTVP / Pass
Size (mm)	35 x 45	35 x 45	35 x 45	35 x 45
Pixels (exact)	400 x 514	400 x 514	400 x 514	400 x 514
File limit	8 MB	60 KB	8 MB	8 MB
Format	JPEG/HEIC/PNG	JPEG only	JPEG/HEIC/PNG	JPEG/HEIC/PNG
Recency	3 months	3 months	3 months	3 months
Background	Plain white	Plain white	Plain white	Plain white
Glasses	Permitted*	Permitted*	Permitted*	Permitted*
Portal	MyICA / Singpass	ICA e-Service	MyICA	MyICA
Print needed	Online: No \| Walk-in: 2	Digital only	Digital only	Digital only

*Glasses permitted with conditions: clear lenses only, no glare, both eyes fully visible.

Pixel dimensions

Singapore Passport Photo Size in Pixels

The ICA e-Services portal specifies exactly 400 x 514 pixels. This is a non-standard dimension — a standard 300 DPI conversion of 35x45mm would produce 413x531px. ICA uses a different aspect ratio. Always use 400x514 for Singapore ICA submissions, not the DPI-calculated equivalent.

ICA e-Services (all docs)

35 x 45 mm

400 x 514 px

ICA portal exact spec

Visa (60KB limit)

35 x 45 mm

400 x 514 px

JPEG only, 60KB max

Standard 300 DPI

35 x 45 mm

413 x 531 px

DPI calc (not ICA spec)

Standard 600 DPI

35 x 45 mm

827 x 1063 px

Print quality

Singapore vs Malaysia

Singapore vs Malaysia Passport Photo — Key Differences

Both Singapore and Malaysia use a 35mm x 45mm printed passport photo. However the specifications diverge significantly in several areas. This is the most-searched comparison for this region.

Spec	🇸🇬 Singapore	🇲🇾 Malaysia
Printed size	35 x 45 mm	35 x 50 mm
ICA/Imigresen pixels	400 x 514 px	413 x 591 px
Recency	3 months	6 months
Background	White	White
Glasses	Permitted (clear, no glare)	Not recommended
Hijab rules	Dark colour if headgear worn	Dark colour required
Visa file limit	60 KB	50–300 KB
DPI	Non-standard (ICA specific)	300–600 DPI
Authority	ICA (Immigration & Checkpoints)	Jabatan Imigresen Malaysia

The most critical difference: Singapore's printed photo is 35x45mm while Malaysia's is 35x50mm (5mm taller). Despite both looking like "standard passport size," they are different dimensions. Never use a photo printed for Malaysia in a Singapore ICA application or vice versa.

Rejection reasons

Common Reasons Singapore ICA Photos Are Rejected

Photo older than 3 months. The most common reason. ICA checks metadata. Singapore requires 3 months, not 6 like most countries. Always take a fresh photo.

Visa photo over 60KB. A standard 400x514 JPEG is typically 80–150KB. Must be compressed to under 60KB before uploading to the ICA e-Service visa portal.

Wrong pixel dimensions. Uploading 413x531px (standard 300 DPI) instead of the ICA-specific 400x514px. The portal validates exact dimensions and auto-rejects any other size.

Glasses glare or tinted lenses. Glasses are permitted but any glare on the lenses causes biometric eye-detection failure. Tinted lenses are prohibited outright.

Background not pure white. Off-white, cream, light grey or any shadow on the background. The background must be uniform bright white.

Digital alterations detected. Any AI-enhanced selfie mode, skin smoothing, background replacement or filter applied to the photo. ICA explicitly prohibits any form of digital alteration.

Head size outside 32–36mm range. Too far from camera (head too small) or too close (head too large). Face must fill 70–80% of photo height.

Selfie submitted. ICA does not recommend selfies. The wide-angle distortion of front cameras causes facial geometry errors that fail biometric checks.

Reflective photo paper. Printed photos for hardcopy applications must be on matte or semi-matte paper. Glossy or reflective surfaces are rejected.

Headwear casting shadows on face. Religious headwear is permitted but must not create any shadow on the forehead, cheeks or chin.

Tips

How to Take a Compliant Singapore ICA Passport Photo

Getting the exact 400x514px dimensions

Use the download button in the tool above — it exports exactly 400x514px. If using other software: in Photoshop or GIMP, use "Canvas Size" or "Image Size" and enter 400 width, 514 height. Do not just crop — you need to set the exact canvas dimensions. Verify the exported file properties show 400x514 before uploading.

Compressing to under 60KB for visa applications

A 400x514 JPEG at default quality is 80–150KB. To reach 60KB: save the JPEG at 65–70% quality in Photoshop, or use GIMP's "Export As" with quality slider at 70, or use the free Image Compressor tool. The photo must remain clear for biometric face detection despite the compression. Test the output by uploading to the ICA portal before submitting the full application.

Lighting for white background and glasses

Use two lights at 45-degree angles to the subject — this eliminates shadows on both the background and the face simultaneously. For glasses wearers, ensure neither light creates a hotspot on the lens. Position lights slightly above eye level and angled downward to direct any reflections away from the camera. Natural window daylight from the side (not from behind the camera) often works better than flash for glasses wearers.

Children and infants

All Singapore ICA documents — including passports issued from birth — require a compliant photo meeting the same 35x45mm/400x514px specification. For newborns, the infant is photographed alone on a white surface. Parents can be present but hands must not be visible in the frame. The infant must face forward with eyes open if possible. ICA accepts photos where infants' eyes are not fully open due to practical limitations.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Singapore passport photo size?▼

The Singapore ICA passport photo size is 35mm x 45mm with a plain white background. For digital submissions via ICA e-Services, the exact pixel dimension is 400 x 514 pixels. Photos must be taken within the last 3 months. For hardcopy applications, 2 identical printed photos on matte or semi-matte paper are required. For online Singpass renewal, 1 digital upload (up to 8MB) is required with no printed photo needed.

What is the Singapore passport photo size in pixels?▼

The ICA e-Services portal requires exactly 400 x 514 pixels for all Singapore documents (passport, NRIC, IC, PR, LTVP, visa, citizenship). This is a non-standard dimension — the standard 300 DPI conversion of 35x45mm would give 413x531px. The ICA portal validates exact dimensions and rejects photos that are not precisely 400x514. For visa applications, the file must also be under 60KB.

How recent does a Singapore ICA passport photo need to be?▼

Singapore ICA requires photos taken within the last 3 months. This is stricter than most countries which allow 6 months. The ICA system checks photo metadata to verify the capture date. Always take a fresh photo before applying, even if you have a recent-looking photo that is over 3 months old. Using a photo older than 3 months will result in automatic rejection.

Can I wear glasses in a Singapore passport photo?▼

Yes. Singapore ICA permits glasses with these conditions: lenses must be clear (no tinting), there must be no glare or reflections on the lenses, and both eyes must be fully visible. Sunglasses and tinted glasses of any kind are strictly prohibited. Singapore is one of the few countries in the region that still allows glasses — most neighbouring countries (UAE, Philippines, Nepal) have moved to a strict no-glasses policy.

What is the Singapore visa photo file size limit?▼

For Singapore visa applications via the ICA e-Service portal, the photo must be JPEG format, 400x514 pixels, maximum 60KB. This is confirmed in ICA's official FAQ on ask.gov.sg. A standard 400x514 JPEG is usually 80–150KB, so compression is required. For other ICA documents (passport, NRIC, PR, LTVP), the file size limit is 8MB.

Is Singapore passport photo size the same as Malaysia?▼

No — despite both looking similar, they are different. Singapore requires 35x45mm (400x514px, 3 months). Malaysia requires 35x50mm (413x591px, 6 months). The printed photo for Malaysia is 5mm taller. The digital pixel dimensions are also different. Never use a photo made for one country's passport in the other country's application.

What is the difference between pink and blue NRIC?▼

Singapore's NRIC (National Registration Identity Card) comes in two colours: pink for Singapore Citizens and blue for Permanent Residents (PRs). Both use the same 35x45mm (400x514px) photo specification. Citizens carry a pink IC; PRs carry a blue IC. The colour of the card changes if a PR successfully obtains Singapore citizenship.

Do I need printed photos for Singapore passport renewal online?▼

No. For online passport renewal via Singpass and the MyICA e-Service portal, you upload a single digital photo (400x514px, up to 8MB in JPEG, HEIC or PNG format). No printed photos are needed. For in-person applications at ICA Building, 2 identical printed 35x45mm photos on matte or semi-matte (non-reflective) paper are required.

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