Brazil Passport Photo Visual Reference
The diagram below shows the 50 × 70 mm frame Brazil shares with the Canadian passport standard. It is a tall 5:7 rectangle, which is why the head occupies proportionally less of the frame than in a square 2 × 2 inch photo.
Brazil Passport Photo Requirements
Strict adherence to biometric parameters is necessary to pass the initial screening process. Below are the definitive technical specifications for Brazilian passport photos. Each rule links to the detailed standard in our passport photo rules library.
| Photo Size | 5 x 7 cm (50 x 70 mm / 1.97 x 2.76 in) |
|---|---|
| Aspect Ratio | 5 : 7 portrait |
| Digital Resolution | 591 x 827 pixels at 300 DPI (recommended). 500 x 700 pixels is the absolute floor accepted by some upload systems, equal to roughly 254 DPI |
| Print Resolution | 300 DPI minimum on photo-quality paper |
| Background | Plain solid white, with no patterns or textures — see background colour rules |
| Lighting | Even and diffuse, no shadow on the face or the wall behind the head — see shadow rules |
| Head Size | Face must measure between 31 mm and 36 mm from chin to crown — see head size rules |
| Head Coverage | 44 – 51% of the 70 mm frame height — see face size requirements |
| Eye Line | Upper 50 – 65% of the frame height, both eyes open and looking at the lens — see eyes requirements |
| Hair | Must not cover the eyes or obscure the outline of the face — see hair rules |
| Ears | Not mandatory, but the full face outline must stay clear — see ears visibility rules |
| Head Coverings | Religious headwear only, full face visible from chin to forehead — see head covering rules |
| File Format (Digital) | JPEG or PNG, full 24-bit colour, sRGB profile |
| Digital Editing | Not permitted — no filters, skin smoothing, slimming or colour adjustment |
| Glasses Rules | Prohibited. Must be removed to avoid glare or frame obstruction — see glasses rules |
| Expression | Neutral, mouth completely closed, eyes open looking at camera — see smile rules |
| Photo Age | Must be taken within the last 6 months |
For pixel conversions across every country standard, see passport photo size in pixels, or the full worldwide reference in passport size photo dimensions.
Applying at the Brazilian Consulate (Abroad)
If you are a Brazilian expatriate renewing your passport through a consulate in the United States, Europe, or elsewhere, the process changes significantly. You must use the e-consular system run by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Consulates generally do not take photos on-site. You are required to upload a digital version of your 5x7 cm photo for pre-approval, and later present physical 5x7 cm prints during your in-person appointment or via mail.
| Specification | Printed photo | e-consular upload |
|---|---|---|
| Defined in | Centimetres | Pixels |
| Required size | 5 × 7 cm (50 × 70 mm) | 591 × 827 px or larger, 5:7 ratio |
| Resolution | 300 DPI minimum | Pixel count governs |
| Format | Photo-quality paper, matte or gloss | JPEG or PNG, 24-bit colour, sRGB |
| Used for | In-person appointment, minors under 3 | Pre-approval before the appointment |
Our Passport Photo Maker exports both files from a single upload. Wider digital submission rules across portals are covered in the digital passport photo requirements guide. If your file is too heavy for an upload form, see the reduce file size guide; iPhone users shooting HEIC should start with the HEIC to JPEG guide.
Child Passport Photo Requirements for Brazil
Taking photos of infants and toddlers on-site at a busy Polícia Federal station is notoriously difficult. Because of this, authorities require parents to bring a printed 5x7 cm photo for children under the age of 3, even when applying inside Brazil. The size, background and head-height band are identical to an adult photo — there is no reduced format for infants.
- The child must be the only person in the photo. Parents' hands, arms, a car seat, a toy or a dummy must not be visible.
- The background must remain pure white. You can lay the baby on a plain white sheet and photograph from directly above.
- The child's eyes must be open, though slight deviations in expression are generally tolerated for newborns.
- Shoot wide and crop down. Cropping tightly in-camera on a small face leaves too few pixels once the 5:7 frame is applied.
- Use soft, indirect daylight from the side of the room, not overhead, so no shadow falls behind the head.
Positioning, lighting and timing technique for babies and toddlers is covered step by step in the baby passport photo at home guide.
National Biometric Standards
Brazil utilizes an advanced Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) integrated with facial recognition. For the facial recognition to authenticate your identity properly, the photo must lack deep shadows, colour distortions, or red-eye effects. The software maps the geometry of your face — specifically the distance between your eyes, nose, mouth, and jawline. Head tilt, either up and down or left and right, alters these measurements and will result in an immediate automated rejection. The underlying standard is ICAO Doc 9303, the same specification used for machine-readable travel documents worldwide.
Passport Processing & Wardrobe Tips
Because the required background is strictly white, do not wear a white shirt or blouse. Doing so causes your torso to blend into the background, which is a violation of contrast rules. Opt for dark or brightly coloured clothing. Uniforms and camouflage attire are forbidden for civilian passports. Religious headwear is permitted only if worn daily for religious purposes, and it must not cast shadows or obscure any part of the face from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead — the full detail is in our head covering rules.
Can I Take My Brazil Passport Photo at Home?
Yes, taking your own photo is highly practical, especially for e-consular digital uploads. Here is how to do it correctly:
- Camera Equipment: Any modern smartphone camera is sufficient. Do not use the front-facing selfie camera, as it distorts facial proportions. Have someone else take the photo using the rear lens.
- Turn off enhancement: Disable portrait mode, background blur and skin smoothing. These alter facial geometry and are detected by automated validation.
- Lighting: Face a window during daylight to achieve even, natural lighting across your face. Avoid standing directly under overhead lamps to prevent harsh shadows under your eyes and nose.
- Distance: Stand approximately 1.5 to 2 metres (5 to 6 feet) away from the camera. This flattens the facial features appropriately.
- Background: Stand against any plain wall, at least 50 cm clear of it so no shadow appears behind your head. Don't worry if it isn't perfectly white — our tool's AI background removal will fix the colour automatically.
If your source image needs reframing before upload, the crop guide explains how the 5:7 ratio and the head-height band are applied together.
Brazil Passport Photo Size Compared to Other Countries
Many applicants living abroad attempt to submit US-sized photos to Brazilian consulates, which guarantees rejection. Brazil shares its 50 × 70 mm format with Canada, but with almost nothing else in the region. Here is how the standards differ:
| Country | Dimensions | Aspect Ratio | Head Height | Background |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brazil | 5 × 7 cm (50 × 70 mm) | 5 : 7 | 31 – 36 mm | Strictly white |
| Canada | 50 × 70 mm | 5 : 7 | 31 – 36 mm | Plain white |
| United States | 2 × 2 in (51 × 51 mm) | 1 : 1 | 25 – 35 mm | White or off-white |
| Argentina | 40 × 40 mm | 1 : 1 | Varies | Plain white |
| Chile | 45 × 45 mm | 1 : 1 | Varies | Plain white |
| Mexico | 45 × 35 mm (landscape) | 9 : 7 | Varies | Plain white |
| Colombia | 40 × 50 mm | 4 : 5 | Varies | Plain white |
| Peru | 35 × 43 mm | Approx. 4 : 5 | Varies | Plain white |
| United Kingdom | 35 × 45 mm | 7 : 9 | 29 – 34 mm | Light-coloured |
Every national standard is indexed in the passport photo requirements by country hub. For the two dimension families involved here, see 50×70 mm photo size and 2×2 photo size.
How to Create a Brazil Passport Photo
- Upload: Snap a clear photo with your phone and upload it via our widget at the top of this page.
- Crop: Our system detects your face and automatically trims the image to the official 5x7 cm tall-rectangle proportion.
- Background: The AI identifies your silhouette and swaps your original background for a purely white, shadow-free canvas.
- Verify: Review the final output against our built-in compliance checklist to confirm your eye line and head size fall inside the required bands.
- Download: Export your photo as a single digital file for the e-consular system, or download a print template to get hard copies at any local photo lab.
Printing a 5x7 cm Brazil Passport Photo
Physical prints are mandatory for children under 3 and for every consular application abroad, so printing is part of the specification rather than an afterthought. At 5 × 7 cm the Brazilian photo is one of the largest passport formats in use, which means fewer copies fit on a sheet.
| Print resolution | 300 DPI minimum — export at 591 × 827 pixels or larger |
|---|---|
| Paper | Glossy or matte photo paper. Plain copier paper is refused |
| Copies per 4 × 6 in sheet | Two 5 × 7 cm photos side by side with cutting margins |
| Copies per A4 sheet | Around ten 5 × 7 cm photos with cutting margins |
| Scaling | Disable fit-to-page and auto-scaling — rescaling changes the physical size and the photo will be refused |
| Colour management | sRGB. Turn off printer auto-enhance and colour correction |
| Cutting | Guillotine or steel rule for square edges. Do not cut inside the printed border |
| Handling | Let ink dry fully. Do not staple, fold or glue the photo face |
Printer settings, paper choice and cutting technique are covered in the print passport photo at home guide, and multi-copy sheet layout in the print sheet guide.
Common Reasons for Brazil Photo Rejections
Each item below links to the detailed rule so you can confirm the exact tolerance before you submit. The full cross-country breakdown is in passport photo rejection reasons.
Wrong Sizing
Providing a 2x2 inch square photo instead of the 5x7 cm tall rectangle. This is the single most common failure for applicants abroad. See the crop guide.
Lack of Contrast
Wearing a white shirt against the mandatory white background, so the torso merges into the backdrop.
Head Outside 31–36 mm
Head too small or too large in the frame. Because the frame is 70 mm tall, correct framing is 44–51% coverage, not the 70–80% used on smaller formats. See head size rules.
Visible Shadows
Dark shadows cast on the wall behind the applicant, or heavy shadows covering half the face due to side lighting. See shadow rules.
Head Tilt
Any rotation up, down, left or right alters the facial geometry the AFIS system measures and triggers an automated rejection.
Digital Alteration
Using filters or beauty editing software that smooths skin texture, slims the face or alters eye colour.
Glasses or Glare
Frames obscuring the eyes or lens reflections. Sunglasses and tinted lenses are never accepted. See glasses rules.
Hair Across the Face
A fringe over the eyes or hair obscuring the face outline fails landmark detection. See hair rules.
Low Resolution
A file below 591 × 827 pixels prints visibly soft at 5 × 7 cm. Upscaling a small image does not help, because sharpness is measured separately.
Outdated Image
Submitting a photo older than 6 months, or one that looks identical to your previous passport photo.
Supporting Hands Visible
On child photos, a parent's hand, arm or a dummy appearing in frame is an automatic refusal.
Smile or Open Mouth
A neutral expression with closed lips is required. Even a slight smile can fail facial-landmark detection. See smile rules.
Frequently Asked Questions
Size & Dimensions
What is the official Brazilian passport photo size?
The standard size for a printed Brazilian passport photo is 5x7 cm (50x70 mm), a 5:7 portrait ratio. This is distinctly larger than the standard sizes used in North America or Europe. At 300 DPI it equals 591 x 827 pixels.
What is the Brazil passport photo size in pixels?
A 50 x 70 mm photo equals 591 x 827 pixels at 300 DPI and 1181 x 1654 pixels at 600 DPI. Some upload systems accept a floor of 500 x 700 pixels, which corresponds to roughly 254 DPI, but 300 DPI is the safe target for both printing and digital submission.
How large should the head be in a Brazil passport photo?
The head must measure 31 to 36 mm from the bottom of the chin to the crown. Against the 70 mm frame height that means the head fills approximately 44 to 51 percent of the photo, with the eye line in the upper 50 to 65 percent. Because the 50 x 70 mm frame is tall, the head occupies proportionally less of it than in a square 2 x 2 inch photo.
Where & How to Apply
Do I need a physical photo if I am applying inside Brazil?
For most adults applying at a Polícia Federal station in Brazil, the photo is taken digitally on-site. However, physical 5x7 cm photos are mandatory for children under 3 years old, and for anyone applying through a Brazilian Consulate abroad.
How does the e-consular digital photo work?
When submitting applications abroad through the e-consular system, you upload a digital version of your 5x7 cm photo in JPEG format. Keep the file at 591 x 827 pixels or larger, in full colour sRGB, on a plain white background. Physical prints are then presented at the in-person appointment or sent by mail.
How do I print a 5x7 cm Brazil passport photo at home?
Print at 300 DPI on glossy or matte photo paper. A 4 x 6 inch sheet holds two 5 x 7 cm photos side by side, and an A4 sheet holds around ten with cutting margins. Disable fit-to-page scaling, because rescaling changes the physical size and the photo will be refused. See the print at home guide.
Appearance & Compliance
What background is required for a Brazil passport photo?
A plain solid white background with no patterns, textures, gradients or shadows. Because the background is white, you must not wear a white shirt or blouse: your torso would blend into the background and break the contrast requirement. See the background colour rules.
Can I wear glasses for my Brazil passport photo?
The Polícia Federal highly recommends removing all glasses to prevent glare and frame obstruction. Sunglasses and tinted lenses are strictly prohibited.
Are head coverings allowed in a Brazil passport photo?
Religious headwear is permitted only if worn daily for religious purposes, and it must not cast shadows or obscure any part of the face from the bottom of the chin to the top of the forehead. Hats, caps and decorative headwear are not permitted. See the head covering rules.
Can I smile in my passport photo?
No. You must maintain a neutral facial expression with your mouth completely closed and your eyes fully open, looking directly at the camera.
What is the best clothing to wear for a passport photo?
Wear normal daily attire. Avoid uniforms, camouflage, and clothing that matches the background color (do not wear a white shirt for a Brazilian passport photo, as the background must be white).
Can I wear makeup in my passport photo?
Yes, natural makeup is permitted. However, avoid heavy contouring, dramatic eyeliner, or glossy lipstick that alters your facial features or causes reflections.
How recent does my photo need to be?
Your photo must have been taken within the last 6 months and reflect your current appearance.
Children
What are the Brazil passport photo rules for a baby or child?
Children under 3 must bring a printed 5x7 cm photo even when applying inside Brazil, because on-site capture is impractical. The child must be alone in the frame with no parental hands, arms, toys or dummy visible, on a pure white background. Eyes should be open, though slight deviations in expression are generally tolerated for newborns. See the child requirements section.
Official Sources & References
- Polícia Federal — Passport information: gov.br/pf
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Itamaraty) — consular services and the e-consular system: gov.br/mre
- Brazilian embassies and consulates worldwide — overseas passport application guidance
- ICAO Doc 9303 — Machine Readable Travel Documents biometric photograph standard: icao.int
Create Your Brazil Passport Photo Now
Don't let incorrect photo sizing delay your travel plans. Secure your 5x7 cm biometric photo in seconds.