South African Passport Photo Editor

General Requirements for South African Passport Photos

A South African passport is an international travel document issued by the South African Department of Civil Affairs to its citizens. If you want to apply for a South African passport, you should comply with the relevant rules. Here we will introduce to you some general rules.

• The photo must be clear and in sharp focus without any shadows or glares.
• The photo must be printed on high-quality photo paper.
• You must submit two identical color pictures taken within one month.
• You should present a neutral facial expression.
• Your entire face, neck and the upper part of your shoulders should be visible.
• Your face should cover 80 percent of the photograph.
• Sufficient and diffused lighting on your face and the background.
• No sunglasses or tinted glasses.
• Head coverings only for religious factors.
• Sit straight and do not rotate your head.

What to Wear When Taking South African Passport Pictures?

You may be a little bit confused about what you should wear and what you should not wear when snapping South African passport photographs. Don't worry, we will share the related dress code with you.

Recommended:

• Wear what you would normally put on. Decent clothes with a collar is preferred.
• A dark shaded dress with a high neckline.

Not recommended:

• Uniforms, fatigues or camouflage prints.
• Headphones or any other smart devices.
• Hairstyle covering your eyes or face.

How to Set up Favorable Lighting Before Taking South African Passport Images?

Lighting plays an important role in taking pictures, so we should take the exact time to prepare lighting well. We should choose a room with sufficient natural light casting from the window. And we should constantly adjust the position between the camera and our face to find the best combination of lighting and angle. If there is no perfect daylight, you can use artificial light sources. By the way, don't use flash, or there will be red eyes on the photo.

How Do I Wash My Hair for My South African Passport Photos?

According to what we mentioned above, your hair should be exposed in the photo. So the way your hair looks is quite vital for taking photos. Wash your hair the night before shooting to prevent oily hair and dandruff. If your hair is frizzy and rumpled, use your comb to brush your hair backward and remove any knots and tangles. Then use hair conditioner to revitalize your hair. You can wear your hair up or down as long as it doesn't block your face.

Is A Smile Allowed in The South African Passport Photographs?

You are required to keep a neutral facial expression when shooting your passport photos. A smile, which shows your teeth and distorts your face, will make it hard for the authorities, customs officers and facial recognition software to identify you on the basis of your picture.

Can I Wear Makeup in My South African Passport Pictures?

Well, of course, you can give a little touch to your face for your passport images. But it doesn't mean that you can wear too visible makeup, like red lipstick, pronounced eye liner, excessive foundation or dark eye shadow. Remember that your passport photo should truly reflect what you actually look like.

Can I Shoot My South African Passport Photos With My Smart Phone?

As the increasing advancement of technology, the photography of smart phones is more established. And a smart phone can satisfy most of our need for taking photos. The passport photo is not an exception. Therefore, you can use your iPhone, Android device, or other smartphones to take pictures. By the way, you should ask another person to help you because selfies are not acceptable. And you should keep your phone stable to avoid any blurred pictures.

Are There Any Online Photo Editing Tools for My South African Passport Pictures?

If you are searching for a practical online picture editor, we believe that our South African Passport Photo Processor is your best choice!

• The steps are quite easy. You just need to visit our website, choose the document, upload your photo and wait for a few seconds. We will take care of the rest.
• What do we do in such a short time? Well, we will instantly scan your image to see whether it is compliant or not. If not, we will crop its size and change its background in accordance with official guidelines.
• We are not limited to computers. You can enjoy our web-based service across various platforms, such as your mobile phone and iPad.
• You can edit different types of documents on our website, including ID card photos, driving license photos, employment permit application photos, etc.
• Our fee is affordable. Compared with other photo studios, you can get the same compliant photo at a lower cost. What's more, we are assured that we will give 200% money back if your passport photo is rejected.