What is the NICOP photo size?

The NICOP (National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis) photo size is 35mm x 45mm, the same as the CNIC. The NADRA portal requires 350x467 pixels at a maximum of 60KB. NICOP is issued to Pakistani citizens living abroad who hold citizenship of another country.

Can I wear glasses in a Pakistan passport photo?

Glasses are generally not recommended but may be permitted if they do not cause glare or shadows on the face and do not obscure the eyes. Tinted glasses, sunglasses and glasses with heavy frames are not permitted. To avoid rejection, removing glasses is always the safest approach.

What is the Pakistan passport photo size in pixels?

At 600 DPI, the Pakistan passport photo (35x45mm) is 827x1063 pixels. At 300 DPI it is 413x531 pixels. For NADRA CNIC/NICOP/POC online portal, the exact required size is 350x467 pixels with a maximum file size of 60KB.

What is the NADRA CNIC 60KB file size limit?

The NADRA online portal for CNIC, NICOP and POC applications has a strict maximum file size of 60KB for the uploaded photo. This is much smaller than most image files. To achieve this, save your 350x467 pixel JPEG at a low quality setting (around 50-60% in most image editors). The photo must still be clear despite the small file size.

Pakistan Passport Photo Size & Free Maker

Q: What is the Pakistan passport photo size?

The Pakistan passport photo size is 35mm x 45mm (3.5cm x 4.5cm) with a plain white background. The head must be 34mm from chin to crown with 3.5mm of space at the top. Resolution must be 600 DPI and the file size must be under 5MB for online submission via the DGI&P portal.

Q: What is the NADRA CNIC photo size?

The NADRA CNIC photo size is 35mm x 45mm, but the NADRA online portal requires exactly 350x467 pixels with a maximum file size of 60KB. This is a very tight file size limit - photos must be compressed to under 60KB while maintaining adequate quality. The background must be plain white.

Q: Can I wear hijab in a Pakistan NADRA/passport photo?

Yes. Religious headwear including the hijab and dupatta is permitted in Pakistan passport and NADRA photos. The head covering must not obscure the face - forehead, eyes, cheeks, nose, mouth and chin must all be fully visible. No shadows from the headwear should fall on the face. The full oval of the face must be clearly visible for biometric processing.

Q: What is the difference between CNIC, NICOP and POC?

CNIC (Computerised National Identity Card) is for Pakistani citizens residing in Pakistan. NICOP (National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis) is for Pakistani citizens living abroad who also hold citizenship of another country with a dual nationality agreement with Pakistan. POC (Pakistan Origin Card) is for foreign nationals of Pakistani origin who have given up Pakistani citizenship. All three require the same 350x467px photo from the NADRA portal.

Passport

Pakistan Passport Photo Size and Requirements

The Pakistan passport photo size is 35mm x 45mm (3.5cm x 4.5cm, approximately 1.38 x 1.77 inches). This applies to both the Machine Readable Passport (MRP) and the e-passport (biometric passport) issued by the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports (DGI&P). The photo must be taken within the last 6 months and must show the head at 34mm from chin to crown with 3.5mm of space at the top.

Online vs in-person applications: For online passport renewal via the DGI&P portal (onlinemrp.dgip.gov.pk), you capture or upload your photo digitally with a maximum file size of 5MB. The portal has a built-in photo verification tool. For in-person applications at passport offices, 2 printed photographs are typically required.

Pakistan 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 (300 DPI)	413 px	531 px
Pixels (600 DPI)	827 px	1063 px

Pakistan passport photo specifications

Requirement	Specification	Notes
Photo size	35 x 45 mm	Width x Height
Background	Plain white	No shadows, patterns or borders
Resolution	600 DPI	Minimum for print
File size (digital)	Max 5 MB	DGI&P online portal
Head height	34 mm	Chin to crown
Top margin	3.5 mm	Hair to top edge
Eye position	Level, open	Both eyes visible, looking at camera
Expression	Neutral	Mouth closed
Colour	Full colour	No black and white
Recency	Within 6 months	Must reflect current appearance
Glasses	Caution advised	Allowed if no glare; remove for safety
Retouching	Not permitted	No filters or skin editing

Pakistan passport photo requirements checklist

✅

Plain white background — uniform bright white, no shadows, no patterns, no textures or borders.

✅

Full face front-facing view — head centred, straight. Both ears visible or full side profile of face. Shoulders visible at bottom of frame.

✅

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

✅

Dark or neutral clothing contrasting with white background — avoid white tops. No uniforms, costumes or official attire. Everyday clothing recommended.

✅

Hijab and dupatta permitted — religious headwear is accepted. The full face — forehead, eyes, nose, cheeks, mouth and chin — must be completely visible. No shadows from the head covering on the face.

⚠️

Glasses: remove to be safe — glasses are technically allowed if clear lenses, no glare and eyes fully visible. However removing glasses is strongly recommended to avoid any risk of rejection from automated NADRA/DGI&P checks.

❌

No tinted/sunglasses — sunglasses, tinted lenses and dark-framed glasses that partially obscure the eyes are strictly prohibited.

❌

No digital editing — no skin retouching, brightness adjustment, background replacement or filters of any kind. The photo must represent your natural current appearance.

Hijab / dupatta rules

Can You Wear Hijab or Dupatta in a Pakistan Passport Photo?

Yes. Pakistan is an Islamic republic and the government explicitly permits religious headwear including the hijab, dupatta and niqab-free head coverings in all official document photos — passport, CNIC, NICOP and POC. The key requirement is that the full oval of the face must be completely visible for biometric identification.

✅

Hijab and dupatta permitted for all Pakistani document photos — NADRA and DGI&P both explicitly allow religious head coverings. This is a legally protected religious accommodation.

✅

Full face must be clearly visible — forehead (at least to the hairline), both cheeks, nose, mouth and chin must all be unobstructed. The covering must not cast any shadow on the face.

✅

Colour and pattern flexible — unlike Malaysia's dark-colour rule, Pakistan has no specific colour requirement for the hijab or dupatta. However, avoid white or very light coverings that may blend with the white background.

❌

Full face veil (niqab) not permitted — any covering that hides the lower face, mouth or chin is not acceptable for biometric document photos. The niqab may be worn to the photo studio but must be removed for the photo itself.

❌

No shadows on face from head covering — ensure even lighting. A hijab or dupatta that falls forward and casts a shadow across the forehead or cheeks will cause automated biometric rejection.

⚠️

Ensure forehead is visible — the hijab must be pinned or arranged so that the forehead (from hairline down) is fully visible. A hijab wrapped too far forward and covering the hairline area can be flagged by biometric systems for insufficient face height.

NADRA CNIC / NICOP / POC

NADRA Photo Requirements: CNIC, NICOP and POC

The NADRA online portal (id.nadra.gov.pk) has a specific photo specification that differs from the printed passport photo. The portal requires exactly 350x467 pixels with a maximum file size of 60KB. This 60KB limit is the most frequently missed requirement and the leading cause of failed NADRA photo uploads.

The 60KB trap. A standard JPEG photo at 350x467 pixels will typically be 80–200KB. To get under 60KB, you must save the JPEG at a lower quality setting (around 50–60% in most image editors) or use an image compressor. The photo must still be clear and sharp at this compressed size — the NADRA system also checks image quality. The download button in the tool above auto-compresses to meet this limit.

CNIC, NICOP and POC — what is the difference?

Computerised NIC

CNIC

For Pakistani citizens residing inside Pakistan. The primary national identity document. Required for all government services, banking, property transactions and voting.

NIC for Overseas Pakistanis

NICOP

For Pakistani citizens living abroad who hold citizenship of another country (dual nationals). Allows travel to Pakistan without a visa. Issued by Pakistan missions abroad and NADRA.

Pakistan Origin Card

POC

For foreign nationals of Pakistani origin who have relinquished Pakistani citizenship. Provides visa-free entry to Pakistan and certain privileges but does not confer citizenship.

NADRA portal photo specifications

Requirement	Specification	Notes
Pixel dimensions	350 x 467 px	Exact. Width x Height.
File size	Max 60 KB	Most common rejection reason
Background	Plain white	No shadows or patterns
Resolution	300 DPI	Printed: 35x45mm equivalent
Format	JPEG	JPG accepted
Head height	29–34 mm	Chin to crown. 70–80% of frame.
Eye position	56–69%	Eyes at 56–69% from bottom of photo
Portal	id.nadra.gov.pk	Same for CNIC, NICOP, POC, FRC, CRC

Comparison

All Pakistan Document Photo Sizes — Side-by-Side

Spec	📗 Passport	💳 CNIC/NICOP/POC	🧾 Visa	📝 FRC/CRC
Size (mm)	35 x 45	35 x 45	51 x 51	35 x 45
Pixel spec	413 x 531	350 x 467	600 x 600	350 x 467
Background	White	White	White	White
DPI required	600	300	300	300
File limit	5 MB	60 KB	N/A	60 KB
Shape	Rectangle	Rectangle	Square	Rectangle
Hijab allowed	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Glasses	Caution	Caution	Caution	Caution
Portal/Authority	DGI&P	NADRA	Immigration	NADRA

Pixel dimensions

Pakistan Passport Photo Size in Pixels

Formula: Pixels = (mm / 25.4) x DPI. Note the NADRA portal uses 350x467px which is a non-standard portal-defined size — not derived from a DPI conversion of 35x45mm at 300 DPI (which would be 413x531px).

Passport (300 DPI)

35 x 45 mm

413 x 531 px

300 DPI

NADRA portal (exact)

35 x 45 mm

350 x 467 px

Portal spec, max 60KB

Visa (300 DPI)

51 x 51 mm

600 x 600 px

Square format

Passport (600 DPI)

35 x 45 mm

827 x 1063 px

High res print

Rejection reasons

Common Reasons Pakistan NADRA / Passport Photos Are Rejected

NADRA file over 60KB. The most common rejection. Even a well-composed 350x467 photo is usually 80–200KB. Must be compressed to under 60KB before uploading.

Wrong pixel dimensions for NADRA. Uploading a 413x531px photo (the standard DPI conversion) instead of the portal-specific 350x467px causes immediate rejection.

Background not white. Off-white, cream, light blue or patterned backgrounds. The background must be bright white — RGB 255,255,255.

Glasses causing glare or obscuring eyes. Even technically permitted glasses fail if they create any glare on the lenses or partially block the eyes from biometric detection.

Shadows on face or background. Lighting from a single overhead source, standing too close to the wall, or a hijab/dupatta casting shadows on the face.

Head size outside 29–34mm range. Too far from camera (head too small, under 29mm) or too close (head too large, over 34mm). Face must fill 70–80% of photo height.

Digital editing detected. Skin smoothing, brightness filters, background removal software, or any AI-enhanced selfie mode creates patterns detectable by NADRA's automated system.

Photo older than 6 months. Significant changes in appearance (hair, beard, weight) mean even borderline-old photos get flagged.

Face not centred or head tilted. NADRA uses ICAO biometric standards. Any head tilt, rotation or off-centre positioning is automatically detected and rejected.

Mouth open or unusual expression. Smiling with open mouth, exaggerated expressions or frowning all fail biometric neutral-expression checks.

Face not fully visible through hijab/dupatta. A head covering that even slightly obscures the forehead, chin or cheeks will fail NADRA's face-detection algorithms.

Using visa photo size (51x51mm) for passport or NADRA. Pakistan visa is square 51x51mm; passport and NADRA are rectangular 35x45mm. The sizes are not interchangeable.

Photo tips

How to Take a Compliant Pakistan NADRA / Passport Photo

Meeting the 60KB limit for NADRA

The 60KB file size limit for NADRA's portal is the most challenging technical requirement. To achieve it: (1) Take the photo at high resolution. (2) Crop to exactly 350x467 pixels. (3) Save as JPEG at approximately 50–60% quality in Photoshop or GIMP, or use a dedicated image compressor. (4) Check the file size before uploading — it must be below 60KB. The LazyTools tool above handles this automatically for you. The tool compresses the JPEG in a quality loop until the file is under 60KB.

Lighting for a white background

Stand facing a large window with natural daylight. Keep 60cm or more between your back and the white wall to prevent shadows. Use two light sources at 45-degree angles if available — this eliminates shadows on both the face and background simultaneously. Avoid flash photography which creates hotspots on the forehead and reflects in glasses.

Children and infants

For CNIC applications for minors and child registration certificates (CRC), the same photo specifications apply. For infants, lay them on a plain white surface and photograph from above, ensuring no shadow from the camera or photographer falls on the baby. Both eyes should be open if possible. For children who cannot keep still, a burst mode of 10–20 photos helps capture a compliant frame.

NADRA biometric centres

For CNIC, NICOP and POC applications, NADRA biometric centres capture the photograph directly during the in-person appointment using calibrated equipment. If you are visiting a NADRA centre in Pakistan, you do not need to bring a pre-printed photo — the biometric photo is captured on-site. The photo requirements above apply primarily to online portal submissions and to applications processed through Pakistani missions abroad.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Pakistan passport photo size?▼

The Pakistan passport photo size is 35mm x 45mm (3.5cm x 4.5cm). At 300 DPI this is 413x531 pixels; at 600 DPI it is 827x1063 pixels. The background must be plain white, the head must be 34mm from chin to crown with 3.5mm top margin, and the file size must not exceed 5MB for the DGI&P online portal.

What is the NADRA CNIC photo size?▼

The NADRA CNIC photo must be exactly 350x467 pixels (not 413x531 which is the standard DPI conversion). The maximum file size is 60KB — this is the most commonly missed requirement. Background must be plain white. Format must be JPEG. The same 350x467px/60KB specification applies to NICOP, POC, FRC and CRC applications on the NADRA portal (id.nadra.gov.pk).

Can I wear hijab in a Pakistan NADRA/passport photo?▼

Yes. The hijab, dupatta and other Islamic head coverings are explicitly permitted in all Pakistani official document photos. The full face — forehead, eyes, nose, cheeks, mouth and chin — must be completely visible. No shadows from the covering should fall on the face. The niqab (full face veil) is not permitted as the face must be visible for biometric identification.

What is the NADRA 60KB file size limit and how do I meet it?▼

The NADRA online portal (id.nadra.gov.pk) has a strict maximum file size of 60KB for uploaded photos. A standard 350x467 JPEG is typically 80–200KB, so compression is required. To achieve under 60KB: (1) Use the photo maker tool above which auto-compresses for you. (2) Or save your 350x467px JPEG at 50–60% quality in Photoshop, GIMP or any image editor. (3) Or use an online image compressor and reduce until under 60KB. Despite the compression, the photo must still be clear — NADRA checks both file size and image quality.

What is the difference between CNIC, NICOP and POC?▼

CNIC (Computerised National Identity Card): For Pakistani citizens residing inside Pakistan. The main national ID. NICOP (National Identity Card for Overseas Pakistanis): For Pakistani citizens living abroad who also hold another country's citizenship (dual nationals). Allows visa-free travel to Pakistan. POC (Pakistan Origin Card): For foreign nationals of Pakistani origin who have relinquished Pakistani citizenship. All three require the same 350x467 pixel JPEG at maximum 60KB for the NADRA online portal.

Can I wear glasses in a Pakistan passport or CNIC photo?▼

Glasses are technically permitted if they have clear (non-tinted) lenses, do not cause glare or shadows on the face, and do not obscure the eyes. However, removing glasses is strongly recommended for all Pakistani document photos to avoid any risk of automated rejection. Sunglasses and tinted lenses are strictly prohibited. If you must wear glasses for medical reasons, include documentation with your application.

What is the Pakistan visa photo size?▼

The Pakistan visa photo size is 51mm x 51mm (2 x 2 inches) — a square format, the same as the US passport standard. At 300 DPI this is 600x600 pixels. This is different from the passport photo (35x45mm rectangle) and the NADRA portal photo (350x467px). Always check which document you are applying for and use the correct size.

Pakistan passport photo vs NADRA CNIC photo — what is different?▼

Both are 35x45mm physically, but their digital requirements differ significantly. Passport (DGI&P): 600 DPI, maximum 5MB file, submitted to onlinemrp.dgip.gov.pk. CNIC/NICOP/POC (NADRA): exactly 350x467 pixels at 300 DPI, maximum 60KB file size, submitted to id.nadra.gov.pk. Do not upload your passport-specification photo (413x531px, up to 5MB) to the NADRA portal — it will be rejected for both wrong dimensions and file size.

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