Vietnam Passport Photo Maker

Vietnam's passport photo rules are set by the Immigration Department under the Ministry of Public Security, and they're stricter on framing than many travelers expect. Every photo must measure exactly 4x6cm, with your head filling roughly 70–80% of the frame against a plain white background. Get the sizing wrong, leave a shadow behind you, or submit a photo that's more than six months old, and the application desk will likely send you back to take another one. Since a Vietnamese passport photo also doubles as the base image used for the bio-page portrait, officials tend to scrutinize it closely. ClonyPDF's Passport Photo Maker handles the cropping, background, and dimension check automatically, so you can generate a compliant photo from a regular smartphone picture in under a minute.

✓ Authority Compliant ✓ Correct Dimensions ✓ Automatic Background Removal ✓ Print Ready

Why Upload Here Instead of Editing Manually

Cropping a photo to 4x6cm by hand in an image editor is easy to get slightly wrong — and "slightly wrong" is enough to fail review at a Vietnamese passport office. Uploading here instead means:

Automatic crop to the exact 4x6cm Vietnam passport ratio
Biometric framing so head size lands in the required 70–80% range
Correct dimensions verified before download, not after a rejected application
Correct background — your existing background is removed and replaced with compliant white
Printable photo sheet formatted so a local print shop can output it at the right size
No Photoshop required — the whole process runs in your browser

Vietnam Passport Photo Requirements

Photo Size	4 x 6 cm (40 x 60 mm)
Width	40 mm (35–40 mm tolerance cited in some official guidance)
Height	60 mm
Background	Plain white or very light, neutral background — no shadows, patterns, or objects
Head Size	70–80% of frame height, roughly 32–36 mm from chin to crown
Resolution	300 dpi minimum recommended for printed photos
File Format	JPG/JPEG for digital use; printed color photo on photo paper for in-person submission
Glasses Rules	Prescription glasses allowed if no glare; tinted lenses and sunglasses not permitted
Expression Rules	Neutral expression, mouth closed, both eyes open, facing forward
Photo Age	Taken within the last 6 months
Digital Submission Rules	Color only, no filters or digital retouching; file-size limits apply for online portals

Sources cited across official and consular guidance vary slightly on exact width tolerance (35–40mm); always confirm current figures with your local Vietnamese embassy, consulate, or the Immigration Department before submitting.

Passport Authority Overview

Vietnamese passports are issued by the Immigration Department (Cục Quản lý xuất nhập cảnh) under the Ministry of Public Security. Photo specifications trace back to official guidance issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aligned with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) conventions that most passport-issuing countries follow. Because Vietnam's passport photo also feeds into the biometric bio-page image, the Immigration Department tends to enforce framing and background rules more strictly than embassies handling simple visa photos for foreign travelers.

Country-Specific Photo Rules

A few rules specific to Vietnam are easy to miss if you're used to other countries' passport photo standards:

Headwear is not allowed except for documented religious or ethnic reasons, and even then it cannot obscure any part of the face.
Beards and facial hair are permitted — there's no requirement to shave for the photo.
Makeup is allowed, but heavy or color-altering makeup can cause issues during photo review.
The photo should represent your current appearance; major changes since your last passport photo (significant weight change, visible piercings, etc.) are grounds for requesting a new one even before the six-month window expires.
Two physical copies are typically required for in-person passport applications submitted at an immigration office.

Child Passport Photo Requirements

Children's passport photos follow adjusted sizing but the same 4x6cm frame:

For children under 10, face height can range from 50–80% of the frame, roughly 22–36mm from chin to crown.
Only the child may appear in the photo — no parent's hand, arm, or shoulder visible in frame.
Toys, pacifiers, and bottles must be removed from the shot.
Infants are usually photographed lying flat on a plain white sheet or blanket rather than seated.
Older children can sit in a chair, but the chair and any background clutter need to be cropped or edited out.
Eyes must be open and the expression neutral, though strict "no smiling" enforcement is generally more relaxed for very young children.

Digital Submission Rules for Vietnam's E-Passport System

Vietnam has been expanding digital processing for passport applications alongside its long-standing e-visa portal. When a photo is submitted digitally rather than printed:

Files must be color JPG/JPEG images — no black-and-white, grayscale, or filtered versions.
File size limits commonly apply on online portals, so an oversized image may be auto-rejected before a human ever reviews it.
Digital retouching beyond standard cropping and background correction (smoothing skin, reshaping features) is not permitted and can be flagged during review.
Even for digital submission, the underlying photo composition rules — background, head size, expression — stay identical to the printed-photo standard.

If you're applying for an e-visa rather than a passport, note that visa photo portals sometimes apply separate file-size ceilings from passport applications — check the specific portal's instructions at submission time.

Common Rejection Reasons

Incorrect dimensions — even a few millimeters off the 4x6cm standard can trigger rejection
Wrong background — off-white, gray, or patterned backgrounds instead of plain white
Head too large or too small — outside the 70–80% framing window
Shadows behind the subject from poor lighting setup
Glasses glare obscuring the eyes
Outdated photo — taken more than six months prior to submission
Poor lighting — overexposed, underexposed, or uneven across the face
Visible digital editing — over-smoothed skin or color filters applied after the fact

Can I Take My Vietnam Passport Photo at Home?

Yes — with a bit of care on setup, a home photo can meet the standard:

Phone camera: Most modern smartphone cameras are sharp enough; use the rear camera, not the front-facing one, for better image quality.
Lighting: Stand facing a window with natural daylight, or use even, diffused indoor lighting from the front. Avoid a single overhead light, which casts shadows under the eyes and chin.
Background: A plain white wall or sheet works best. Stand about a meter away from it so your own shadow doesn't fall on the background.
Distance from camera: Position the camera roughly 1.2–2 meters away and have someone else take the photo, or use a tripod, to avoid the slight distortion of an extended-arm selfie.
Printing requirements: If submitting in person, print on quality photo paper at the correct 4x6cm size — most pharmacies and photo kiosks can print to custom dimensions if you specify them.
Common mistakes: Using flash (causes red-eye and washed-out skin tone), tilting the head, and cropping too tightly so the top of the head is cut off.

Vietnam vs. US Passport Photo

	Vietnam	United States
Dimensions	4 x 6 cm (40 x 60 mm)	2 x 2 inches (51 x 51 mm)
Head Size	70–80% of frame height	Approx. 1–1.4 inches (25–35 mm) chin to crown
Background	Plain white / light neutral	Plain white or off-white
Submission Format	Printed photo for in-person applications; digital JPG for online portals	Printed photo (2x2in) or digital upload for online renewal
Compliance Differences	Stricter on photo age (6 months) and removing all background shadow	Allows slightly more head-size tolerance; glasses generally discouraged regardless of prescription

How to Create a Vietnam Passport Photo Maker Result

Upload a recent photo of yourself — a smartphone photo against any background works fine.
Crop — the tool automatically frames your head to the 70–80% sizing Vietnam requires within the 4x6cm canvas.
Background — your existing background is detected and replaced with a compliant plain white background.
Verify — the tool checks dimensions, head position, and background against Vietnam's published requirements before you download.
Download — get a digital file for online submission, or a print-ready sheet sized correctly for a local photo printer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What size does a Vietnam passport photo need to be?

A Vietnam passport photo must measure 4x6cm (40x60mm). This follows the dimensions set out in Ministry of Foreign Affairs guidance from 2017, and it applies to both new applications and renewals submitted through the Immigration Department.

Can I take my own passport photo at home for Vietnam?

Yes. A recent smartphone photo taken against a plain, light background with even lighting can meet Vietnam's requirements, as long as the final image is cropped to 4x6cm with correct head sizing.

Do I need a white background for a Vietnam passport photo?

Yes, Vietnam passport photos require a plain white or very light, neutral background with no shadows, patterns, or other people visible.

How is a Vietnam passport photo different from a Vietnam e-visa photo?

Both use the same 4x6cm dimensions and similar pose rules, but submission differs — passport photos are typically printed and submitted in person, while e-visa photos are uploaded digitally with their own file-size limits.

Can I wear glasses in my Vietnam passport photo?

Prescription glasses are generally accepted if there's no glare on the lenses and your eyes remain clearly visible. Tinted lenses and sunglasses are not permitted.

What's the most common reason Vietnam passport photos get rejected?

Incorrect head sizing is one of the most frequent issues — the head needs to fill roughly 70–80% of the frame height. Shadows on the background and photos older than six months are also common culprits.

Can children have their photo taken sitting on a parent's lap?

No. Vietnam requires that only the child appear in the frame, with no parent, hand, or supporting object visible. Infants are usually photographed lying on a plain white sheet instead.

Is it OK to use an old passport photo for a renewal?

No. Vietnam requires the photo to reflect your current appearance and be no older than six months, even for renewals.

Create Your Vietnam Passport Photo Maker Result Now

Don't risk a second trip to the immigration office over a few millimeters. Upload your photo now and get a properly sized, compliant Vietnam passport photo ready to print or submit digitally.