South African Firearms License Photos Online

Required Documents for Firearms License

In South Africa, anyone who wants to purchase or possess a firearm must hold a firearm license, also known as a gun license. All applicants must pass related training and provide the following supporting documents.

• Training certificate issued by an accredited training provider or the Safety and Security Sector Education and Training Authority (Sasseta)
• Competency certificate issued by The South African Police Service (SAPS)
• Official identity document, such as SA ID card, passport, residence permit, etc
• Two recent colored photos
• Letter of appointment as executor (in the case of inherited firearms)
• Receipt of payment

Firearms License Photo Requirements

To verify your identity, the South Africa gun license photo must comply with the same requirements as standard passport photographs.

• Size

The firearms license photo size must be 35mm (width) x 45mm (height). The person must be centered within the frame with equal space on both sides. The head should occupy 70-80% of the photo, measuring 32-36mm in height.

• Background

The background should be plain white, clean, and non-textured. Only the person should be visible in the image without any distracting scenes, items, or persons.

• Format

A printed South Africa firearms license photo should be attached to the application form. You should take a digital photo for firearms license in a common image format, like JPEG or PNG, to the printing shop. 

• Photo Age

The photo must be taken within the previous 3 months and present the applicant’s real appearance.

• Posture

The body and head must be kept straight. Look straight ahead and show a neutral facial expression.

• Color

The photo must be colored and printed on high-quality photo paper, showing a full front view of the ears, face, and upper shoulders of the applicant.

• Lighting

The lighting must be natural, sufficient, and uniform. Avoid shadows on the person and background, under-exposure, or over-exposure.

• Attire

Decent and daily worn clothes in contrast with the background are suggested while hats, headwear, sunglasses, face coverings, and uniforms are prohibited in the photo. Head coverings for religious purposes are acceptable and the face must be revealed.

Additional Requirements for Gun License Photos

You must sign and write down the ID number on the back of the photograph before sticking it on the application form. Moreover, you should also sign with black ink in the signature zone beneath the photo sticking area. Press a flat and clear fingerprint with the entire finger. All marks must not exceed the border.

How Many Pictures Do You Need for a Gun License?

Two gun license photos are required along with other supporting documents while visiting the police station in the area of residence. According to the Department of Police, two unobscured colored photographs are also needed for competence certificate application whether you are applying for the first time or renewing. They must be the same and compliant with the firearms license photo requirements. It is suggested to prepare more than two pictures in case of loss or damage.

How to Take a Firearms License Photo at Home

Nowadays, taking gun license photos at home is possible with a smartphone or camera according to the following tips.

• Find a well-lit place on a sunny day. A room where natural light comes in is suggested, so you don’t need to worry about insufficient or uneven illumination.
• Keep a distance of at least 50cm between you and the background, which helps to prevent casting shadows on the background.
• Keep a distance of 1.5-2 meters between you and the camera to clearly capture your head and upper body.
• Place the camera at the same height as your eye level so as to take a frontal view shot. Use a tripod if you take pictures for yourself.
• Adjust your position to make sure the lighting is evenly spreading on you, thus not leaving shadows on your face.
• Use AiPasportphotos to resize the photo, replace unsuitable background, and create a qualified digital photo for firearms license.

Create Firearms License Photo Online

Identity verification is of great importance while applying for a gun license. You will be rejected if your pictures violate any of the South Africa firearms license photo requirements. We are frequently asked, “where can I take a firearms license photo near me”. With the following distinctive features, AiPasportphotos has become an optimal choice.

• Compliance Check

Featuring powerful AI face recognition, our online ID photo editor will scan every detail of the uploaded pictures and define it as acceptable or unacceptable, including lighting, photo quality, sight line, head positioning, head completeness, photographic scale, poses, facial features visibility, facial expression, dressing, distracting items or persons. All these are conducted in seconds, thus generating a 100% compliant South Africa firearms license digital photo.

• Photo Resizing

The built-in AI resizer will detect the face and automatically trim the photo to match firearms license photo measurements. Each size template is designed for a specific document, so you don't have to enter any values or adjust proportions, which is more accurate, convenient, and reliable compared with manual cropping.

• Background Replacing

Improper background is one of the common mistakes of unqualified firearms license photos. Supposing the photo is not taken in front of a plain white and uniform backdrop, AiPasportphotos will intelligently erase the background while retaining every detail of the person no matter what hairstyle or clothes you wear. The edge is delicately processed, so it will perfectly blend into a new background after replacing.

FAQ:

Q: Can I smile in my gun license photo?

A: Yes, but only a gentle smile with mouth closed is allowed. Don't laugh out loud, grin, or look unnatural.

Q: Can I use passport photo for my firearms license application?

A: Yes, as long as it is taken not longer than 3 months ago.

Q: How long does it take to get South Africa firearms license?

A: It might take a few months as it involves training course, application submission, background checks, etc.