Japanese Passport Photo Requirements — Complete Guide 2026

Country guide · 🇯🇵 Japan · Last verified: May 2026

Japanese passport photos use a 35×45 mm format with a plain white background. Japan's requirements are mostly standard — but several rules differ from the US and European defaults, particularly around glasses and recency. This guide covers the complete specifications, the e-Visa digital requirements, and what Japanese nationals abroad need to know about renewing their passport without an online option.

Quick facts

Photo specifications

Size and dimensions

• Photo size: 35 mm wide × 45 mm tall
• Head height: 32–36 mm from chin to crown (top of head including hair)
• Top margin: 2–6 mm between top of hair and top edge of photo
• Face coverage: 70–80% of the photo area
• Eye position: both eyes level and centred horizontally
• Shoulders: top of both shoulders visible

Background

Plain white. Uniform, shadow-free. No patterns, textures, gradients, or borders.

Avoid white or very light grey clothing — it blends into the white background.

Expression and appearance

• Expression: strictly neutral, mouth closed. No smiling — even a relaxed smile will fail automated biometric checks.
• Eyes: both open, looking directly at camera. No red-eye or glare.
• Head position: straight, facing camera directly, no tilt or rotation.
• Glasses: Japan is more permissive than the US and most EU countries on glasses. Prescription glasses are allowed if: both eyes are fully visible, there is no glare or reflection on lenses, frames do not obstruct eyes or cast shadows. Tinted lenses and sunglasses are never permitted. However: in practice, automated biometric checks frequently flag glasses even when technically compliant — removing glasses is the safest choice.
• Head coverings: not permitted except for religious reasons. Full face visible from chin to forehead with no shadows.
• Clothing: everyday attire. No uniforms.
• Hair: must not cover eyes or any part of the face.

Quality

• Full colour only — black and white not accepted
• Sharp, in focus, no blur
• Even lighting, no shadows on face or background
• Printed on professional matte or glossy photo paper
• Resolution: minimum 600 DPI recommended
• No digital retouching, beauty filters, or AI alterations

How many photos are required?

1 photo — Japan only requires one printed photo for passport applications (unlike most countries that require 2). This is worth confirming as many photo labs will automatically print pairs.

Japanese e-Visa — digital photo requirements

Japan's e-Visa system (evisa.mofa.go.jp) allows eligible nationalities to apply for tourist and some business visas online. Digital photo requirements:

• Format: JPG, PNG, GIF, BMP, or HEIC
• File size: maximum 2 MB (240 KB recommended for fastest upload)
• Background: plain white
• Face requirements: same as passport — 35×45 mm proportions, head 32–36 mm, neutral expression
• No editing of any kind

Even with e-Visa, you may still need a printed photo. Check the specific e-Visa portal requirements — some applications also require a printed photo for in-person submission at the consulate.

No online passport renewal for Japanese nationals

Japanese passports cannot be renewed online or by mail. An in-person visit to a Japanese consulate or embassy is required. This is one of the most common questions from Japanese nationals living abroad.

Japanese passport renewal process:

1. Visit your jurisdictional Japanese consulate in person
2. Bring current passport, completed application form, 1 passport photo, and applicable fee
3. Processing takes approximately 3–4 weeks
4. Return to the consulate to collect your new passport

There is no mail-in renewal, no online renewal, and no authorised third-party agent system. The consulate visit is mandatory.

Japanese consulates in the US (by jurisdiction)

Verify your jurisdiction at the specific consulate's website before visiting.

MyNumber Card (マイナンバーカード) — same format

Japan's national ID card uses 35×45 mm with the same white background and face requirements. Applications can be submitted digitally via the MyNumber Card Portal using your smartphone — the photo is uploaded digitally. Same specifications apply.

Photo booth culture in Japan

Japan has the highest density of passport photo booths (証明写真機) in the world — at virtually every train station, convenience store, and shopping centre. The two main brands are Ki-Re-i (Fujifilm) and DNP. Cost: ¥700–¥900, results in about 2 minutes.

For Japanese nationals currently outside Japan, Ki-Re-i and DNP booths are available in some Asian cities. Otherwise, use an online service (PixID) and print at a local photo lab.

Child and baby passport photos

Same 35×45 mm size, 1 photo required.

• Child must be alone in the photo — no hands, toys, or other people visible
• Infants: photograph lying on a plain white sheet, taken from directly above
• Very young children: eyes do not need to be fully open
• Same white background and quality requirements apply

Common rejection reasons

• Head size outside 32–36 mm range
• Glasses with glare or thick frames — even technically allowed glasses frequently fail biometric checks
• Background not white — shadows or off-white tint
• Non-neutral expression — any expression beyond completely flat neutral
• Hair covering any part of face or eyes
• Photo older than 6 months
• Selfie — angle and distance are typically wrong
• Digital retouching or filters
• Wrong size — using 2×2 inch US format instead of 35×45 mm

Frequently asked questions

See also