South Africa Visa Photo Size

A South Africa visa photo is a mandatory requirement for a visa application. That is why authorities have created certain rules and regulations regarding photo visa size and other requirements. These guidelines are important for every applicant to follow to avoid any trouble of application rejection.

Here are the South Africa visa photo size and other guidelines to follow.

Also Read: What is South Africa Famous For?

South Africa Visa Photo Background Colour Requirement

The official rules state that the South Africa visa photo background colour should be white or light grey, without patterns or symbols. Anyone who does not adhere to these guidelines will have their application rejected.

South Africa Visa Photo Sample Size and Format

The South Africa visa photo size is 45mm in height and 35mm in width, which needs to be followed by every visa applicant. The resolution of the photo should be 600 dpi. Any photo of lesser dpi will result in pixelation, and it will be difficult for authorities to identify the face of the person.

South Africa Visa Photo Quality

The quality of visa photos is of the utmost importance, and only photos in the best shape should be submitted for the application. They should not have scratches, pen marks or marker marks on them. Only good-quality photo paper should be used to print the photo, and it should have a matte finish.

South Africa Visa Photo Age

A passport-size photo for a South African visa should not be older than 6 months. Any photo older than 6 months will not be accepted for visa processing. This is to verify the candidates' current appearance with photos. If a candidate submits year-old photographs, verifying the change in their facial features becomes difficult.

Expression in Visa Photo

The candidate’s expressions in the South Africa visa photo should be neutral. Showing any facial expression can change the features in the photo and make it unreliable for the visa verification process.

That is why they are forbidden from showing any visible expressions like laughing, frowning, pouting and smirking. The candidate should keep their mouth shut with no visible teeth, eyes on the camera and head straight.

Photo Lighting

The lighting of a passport-size photo for a South Africa visa should be proportionate. It should not be so bright that it washes away all the facial features and skin tone and should not be too dark to hide them. Get clicked under natural light or artificial light that is close to natural light.

Visa Photo Attire

The attire in the South Africa visa photo should be in contrast with the background colour. Do not wear clothes that mix with the background colour. However, the clothes should be in plain colours, and there should not be any pattern or design on the attire.

Moreover, anyone who has to wear a uniform on a daily basis due to their profession, such as doctors, military officials, firefighters, etc. They must change into their casual clothes for the visa photo. No person is allowed to wear any uniform for a South Africa visa photo.

Accessories

There should not be any accessories in the passport-size photo for a South Africa visa. Accessories like dangling earrings, nose pins, headbands and heavy necklaces can hide the clear view of the face. It is suggested that any such accessories be removed before getting into the visa photoshoot.

Headwear

Any headwear like a helmet, hat, or cap is prohibited from being worn in a South Africa visa photo. Such headwear hides the hairline and casts a shadow on the face, making the features less visible.

However, if someone wears head coverings for religious reasons, they are allowed to wear them in the visa photo. However, they should be worn so that the entire view of the face, from the hairline to the bottom of the face, is clearly visible.

Eyewear

Eyewear such as sunglasses, glare glasses, thick-rimmed glasses and coloured contact lenses are also prohibited in a passport-size photo for a South Africa visa. This eyewear can hide the clear view of the face and leave a glare in the photo.

However, medically prescribed glasses are allowed to be worn in the visa photo. They should be thin-rimmed glasses that do not leave a glare in the photograph.

Also Read: South Africa Visa Requirements for Indians

Before travelling with infants or toddlers to South Africa, you need to complete their travel documents. The South Africa visa photo is an important requirement, but getting a children’s visa photo can be troublesome. Thus, there are a few exceptions, but these mandatory requirements need to be met:

• Children over 12 months old need to look straight into the camera, and their hairline, forehead and eyes should be clearly visible.

• If an infant or toddler cannot sit or stand by themselves, then parents should lie them down on the white sheet and then click their photo.

• If parents are holding the child, they should do so so that their hand or any body part is not visible in the photo.

• There should not be any toy, teether or pacifier with the child in the photo.

• Avoid using a camera flash to click the toddler’s visa photo. It can leave a red eye in the photo and also irritates their eyes.

• The child should be dressed appropriately and according to the instructions for visa photos. Avoid covering their head with a hat or adding accessories.

Here are some of the common reasons why a South Africa visa photo might get rejected. Be mindful of these things to avoid rejection:

• The South Africa visa photo size guideline is not followed.

• The face in the visa photo is disoriented and blurry.

• There is a red eye in the photograph due to camera flash or eyewear.

• The South Africa visa photo background colour is not correct.

• The visa photo has borders on it.

• The expressions in the South Africa visa photo are not neutral.

• A good-quality visa photo paper is not used to print the photograph, leading to poor-quality photos.

• There are scratches and pen spots on the photograph.

• The attire worn in the photograph is not appropriate, or the uniform is worn for visa photos.

• The photograph is older than 6 months.

A visa photo is one of the most important requirements for a South Africa visa for Indians. That is why you need to follow all the necessary instructions for a visa photo. Everything matters, from the right background colour to appropriate attire.

Using the information provided here, you can get an accurate visa photo for your application and reduce the chances of rejection due to the wrong South Africa visa photo.

Also Read: Best Time to Visit South Africa from India

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What are the photo requirements for a VFS South Africa visa?

The VFS South Africa visa photo requirement is quite similar to the official photo requirement, which is as follows.

Use of a coloured photograph only

No border in the photo

South Africa visa photo background should be white

They should take 70 to 80% of the photograph

What do Indians need for a South Africa visa?

Indians require necessary documents like an Indian passport, identity proof, residence proof, bank statement and visa application form.

Is a selfie okay for a South African passport photo?

No, you cannot submit a selfie photo as your passport photo for a visa application. Instead, get an appropriate visa photo clicked and use it for an application form.